Point
both
Level 3/10

Poneloya

León, Nicaragua

Poneloya is Northern Nicaragua's gateway wave—a forgiving point break near León city that introduces countless travelers to the country's exceptional surf scene. The wave works on smaller swells and all tides, providing consistent conditions for beginners and intermediates throughout the long season. Unlike the more isolated breaks further south, Poneloya sits in an actual beach town with local restaurants, accommodations, and genuine Nicaraguan culture. This is where León residents escape to the beach on weekends, creating an authentic atmosphere that tourist-focused zones sometimes lack.

3-Day Forecast
Today
29
63
Fair
1.1m
@16s
9km/h
Thu
30
63
Fair
1.1m
@15s
10km/h
Fri
1
62
Fair
1.0m
@15s
10km/h
+7
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Today's Conditions

Swell
1.1m
S(189°)
Score: 15/25
Period
16s
Long period groundswell
Score: 25/25
Wind
9km/h
SW(230°)
Score: 11/25
Weather
31°C
0.0mm23%
Windswell Component
0.1mSE@1s
Secondary Swell
0.3mSSW
Forecast Confidence
100%
Sources: open-meteo-marine, open-meteo-weather
Best Session
morning
AM: 8 km/h E|PM: 13 km/h SW
Lighter winds early (8 km/h)

Location & Conditions

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0°45°90°135°180°225°270°315°NESW
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Tide Times

6:32 am
Low tide - -0.45m
12:53 pm
High tide - 1.37m
7:11 pm
Low tide - -0.46m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

63
Fair
Components
Swell Direction12/25
Swell Size15/25
Swell Period25/25
Wind11/25
Raw Score63/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score63

Spot Details

Swell Requirements

Optimal direction
SSW (210°)
Direction range
185° - 255°
Size range
0.5m - 2m
Ideal size
1.5m
Height multiplier
0.97×
Ideal period
14s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction
ENE (75°)
Offshore range
30° - 120°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide
all
Optimal range
0.3m - 1.8m

Water temp

28°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Difficulty

3/10

Crowd level

4/10

Access: Easy access from León city. Local beach town atmosphere.

Best Season

Peak: Apr-Oct

Secondary: Mar, Nov

Very consistent. Works on smaller swells. Year-round surfable.

Getting There

Airport
MGA
Drive time
85 min
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

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