Beach
both
Level 5/10

Sipacate

Escuintla, Guatemala
🌀Strong rips

Sipacate is Guatemala's emerging surf destination—a consistent beach break on volcanic black sand that captures the southwest swells powering through Central America while remaining blissfully uncrowded. The wave is powerful for a beach break, with sandbars that create punchy peaks capable of genuine force. The growing scene here attracts pioneers who appreciate the authenticity of pre-development surf travel: basic facilities, genuine local culture, and the excitement of waves that few have ridden. For travelers willing to venture beyond the established destinations, Sipacate offers Central America as it used to be.

10-Day Forecast
Today12
62
Fair
1.1m@14s
11km/h
Thu13
61
Fair
0.9m@15s
12km/h
Fri14
53
Fair
1.2m@14s
12km/h
Sat15
69
Good
1.6m@17s
9km/h
Sun16
64
Fair
1.5m@15s
11km/h
Mon17
63
Fair
1.2m@15s
11km/h
Tue18
38
Poor
1.4m@13s
12km/h
Wed19
61
Fair
1.5m@13s
7km/h
Thu20
48
Fair
1.2m@9s
5km/h
Fri21
46
Fair
1.3m@9s
7km/h
5+ days out, less certain

Today's Conditions

Find Flights
Best session: MorningAM 5 km/h · PM 14 km/h
Swell
1.1m
SSW(204°)
Score: 10/25
Period
14s
Long period groundswell
Score: 25/25
Wind
11km/h
SW(221°)
Score: 7/25
Weather
33°C
0.0mm15%
First light 5:21amSunrise 5:51amSunset 6:28pmLast light 6:58pm
Secondary0.5mConfidence
100%

Location & Conditions

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

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 5:21–6:00am · droppingStrike window: 8:28am–12:44pm · risingStrike window: 2:30–6:40pm · droppingIdeal tide: 0.3–1.8m
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
°C
26°
34°
35°
34°
32°
27°
34°
35°
34°
31°
27°
33°
34°
34°
31°
28°
33°
35°
30°
30°
25°
32°
34°
33°
31°
24°
29°
33°
33°
31°
24°
29°
34°
33°
29°
25°
29°
32°
29°
26°
24°
27°
30°
28°
26°
25°
29°
32°
30°
27°
2m1.0
sec
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
17s
17s
17s
17s
17s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
9s
9s
9s
9s
9s
9s
9s
9s
9s
9s
swell
windkm/h
6g10
4g17
16g38
17g41
11g28
3g9
6g20
20g44
16g44
10g30
1g8
5g18
17g40
18g40
14g33
1g4
8g22
18g40
14g31
5g20
1g7
8g21
14g31
16g41
11g36
4g10
3g14
14g31
17g36
15g37
4g16
9g26
17g39
16g45
14g45
3g17
6g23
10g30
4g32
8g30
6g18
4g24
8g29
2g30
6g27
2g12
6g19
12g28
6g33
7g34
tidem
1:15am1.6m
7:17am0.1m
1:38pm1.9m
8:01pm0.1m
2:10am1.8m
8:14am0.1m
2:30pm2.0m
8:51pm0.0m
3:01am1.9m
9:10am0.1m
3:17pm2.0m
9:37pm0.0m
3:46am2.0m
9:58am0.1m
4:05pm1.9m
10:20pm0.0m
4:35am2.0m
10:47am0.1m
4:50pm1.9m
5:21am1.9m
11:32am0.2m
5:36pm1.8m
6:06am1.9m
12:20pm0.3m
6:19pm1.7m
6:52am1.8m
1:08pm0.4m
7:03pm1.5m
1:07am0.3m
7:37am1.7m
2:00pm0.5m
7:53pm1.4m
1:55am0.5m
8:25am1.6m
2:57pm0.6m
Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

1:15 am
High tide - 1.62m
7:17 am
Low tide - 0.14m
1:38 pm
High tide - 1.90m
8:01 pm
Low tide - 0.08m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

62
Fair
Components
Swell Direction22/25
Swell Size10/25
Swell Period25/25
Wind7/25
Raw Score64/100
Adjustments
🌊 Tide+3
💨 Gusty Wind-5
Adjusted Score62/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score62
🌊 Mostly in the tide window

Plan Your Strike

Return flights to GUA, departing today with a 5-day trip window.

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction
SSW (200°)
Direction range
170° - 240°
Size range
0.8m - 3m
Ideal size
2.3m
Height multiplier
0.92×
Ideal period
14s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction
N (10°)
Offshore range
330° - 60°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide
all
Optimal range
0.3m - 1.8m

Water temp

28°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Difficulty

5/10

Crowd level

2/10

Access: Between El Paredon and Iztapa. Basic facilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tide is best at Sipacate?

Sipacate works best on a mid tide, ideally between 0.3m and 1.8m on the local tide chart. The tide chart above shows today’s strike window.

What wind direction is offshore at Sipacate?

Offshore wind at Sipacate blows from the N (10°). Anything in the 330° to 60° range grooms the faces; outside it, expect chop or bumpy conditions.

What swell size and direction work best at Sipacate?

Sipacate wants SSW swell (170° to 240°) between 0.8m and 3m, with a period of 14s or more for quality waves.

When is the best time of year to surf Sipacate?

The main season at Sipacate is Mar-Oct. A secondary window runs Nov, Feb. SW swell season. Black volcanic sand beach.

How do I get to Sipacate?

Fly into GUA, then allow about 120 minutes by road. Between El Paredon and Iztapa. Basic facilities.

What kind of wave is Sipacate?

Sipacate is a beach break, a peak with lefts and rights. Difficulty is rated 5/10.

Best Season

Peak: Mar-Oct

Secondary: Nov, Feb

SW swell season. Black volcanic sand beach.

Getting There

Airport
GUA
Drive time
120 min
Data quality
verified

Strike Log

Community Discussion