Iztapa is Guatemala's off-the-beaten-path option—a fishing village better known for world-class sailfish than surf, where an uncrowded beach break rewards those willing to venture away from the mainstream. The wave receives the same south swells as neighboring spots but draws virtually no crowds, offering the rare experience of empty lineups in Central America. The fishing town atmosphere provides an authentic glimpse of Guatemalan coastal life, while river mouth sandbars create shifting peaks that change with the seasons. For adventurous travelers seeking solitude, Iztapa delivers.
Return flights to GUA, departing today with a 5-day trip window.
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Water temp
28°C
Wetsuit
Boardshorts / Rashguard
Difficulty
4/10
Crowd level
2/10
Access: Fishing village. Mostly used for sportfishing but has surf.
Iztapa works best on a mid tide, ideally between 0.3m and 1.6m on the local tide chart. The tide chart above shows today’s strike window.
Offshore wind at Iztapa blows from the NNE (15°). Anything in the 330° to 70° range grooms the faces; outside it, expect chop or bumpy conditions.
Iztapa wants SSW swell (165° to 235°) between 0.6m and 2.5m, with a period of 14s or more for quality waves.
The main season at Iztapa is Mar-Oct. A secondary window runs Nov, Feb. Consistent south swells. Also famous for sailfish.
Fly into GUA, then allow about 100 minutes by road. Fishing village. Mostly used for sportfishing but has surf.
Iztapa is a beach break, a peak with lefts and rights. Difficulty is rated 4/10.
Peak: Mar-Oct
Secondary: Nov, Feb
Consistent south swells. Also famous for sailfish.
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