Reef
both
Level 6/10

Panga Drops

Rivas, Nicaragua
🪸Sharp reef🦈Sharks

Panga Drops is the Emerald Coast's swell magnet—a deep water reef break that catches and amplifies swell when other spots remain small. The wave offers long rides with wide open faces and a softer character than the nearby heavy reefs, making it excellent for progressive surfing rather than pure barrel hunting. Boat access via panga (local fishing boat) is required, which adds adventure while keeping crowds manageable. When the southwest pulse arrives, Panga Drops provides some of the most consistent quality surf in the entire region.

3-Day Forecast
Today
15
82
Firing
1.2m
@19s
32km/h
Mon
16
75
Good
1.3m
@17s
17km/h
Tue
17
74
Good
1.2m
@17s
18km/h
+7
Unlock

Today's Conditions

Groomed
Clean faces from offshore winds
Swell
1.2m
SW(214°)
Score: 8/25
Period
19s
Long period groundswell
Score: 25/25
Wind
32km/h
ENE(73°)
Score: 24/25
Weather
28°C
0.0mm10%
Windswell Component
0.6mENE@3s
Secondary Swell
0.7mSSW
Forecast Confidence
100%
Sources: open-meteo-marine, open-meteo-weather
Best Session
afternoon

Location & Conditions

Loading map...
0°45°90°135°180°225°270°315°NESW
Swell
Wind
View in OpenStreetMap
Showing forecast for today

Tide Times

5:34 am
Low tide - -0.41m
11:53 am
High tide - 0.71m
5:51 pm
Low tide - -0.27m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

82
Firing
Components
Swell Direction24/25
Swell Size8/25
Swell Period25/25
Wind24/25
Raw Score81/100
Adjustments
Wind History+4
🌊💨 Windswell-3
Adjusted Score82/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score82
✨ Groomed

Spot Details

Swell Requirements

Optimal direction
SW (215°)
Direction range
185° - 260°
Size range
1m - 4m
Ideal size
3.3m
Height multiplier
1.00×
Ideal period
17s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction
NE (55°)
Offshore range
15° - 95°
Best window
morning

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide
mid to high
Optimal range
0.5m - 2m

Water temp

28°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Difficulty

6/10

Crowd level

3/10

Access: Panga (boat) access from Popoyo area. Multiple operators.

Best Season

Peak: Apr-Oct

Secondary: Mar, Nov

Deep water reef magnifies swell. Works all season.

Getting There

Airport
MGA
Drive time
115 min
Boat required
$40
Data quality
verified

🤙 Strike Specialist

The Strike Specialist in Nicaragua is Sea Nicaragua Travel. Get in touch with them for the best chance of scoring the best waves in Nicaragua — and don't forget to tell 'em Barrel D sent ya.

Strike Log

Community Discussion