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.

10-Day Forecast
Today
21
87
Firing
1.3m
@15s
6km/h
Mon
22
89
Firing
1.3m
@15s
5km/h
Tue
23
92
Firing
1.4m
@16s
12km/h
Wed
24
100
Epic
1.5m
@17s
15km/h
Thu
25
96
Epic
1.3m
@16s
5km/h
Fri
26
92
Firing
1.2m
@16s
6km/h
Sat
27
96
Epic
1.4m
@17s
5km/h
Sun
28
88
Firing
1.3m
@16s
14km/h
Mon
29
85
Firing
1.1m
@16s
6km/h
Tue
30
75
Good
1.1m
@15s
7km/h

Today's Conditions

Find Flights
Swell
1.3m
SW(218°)
Score: 18/25
Period
15s
Long period groundswell
Score: 25/25
Wind
6km/h
NE(42°)
Score: 23/25
Weather
29°C
0.3mm58%
Secondary Swell
0.2mSE
Forecast Confidence
100%
Sources: open-meteo-marine, open-meteo-weather
Best Session
morning
AM: 5 km/h E|PM: 6 km/h SW
Lighter winds early (5 km/h)

Location & Conditions

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

Tide Times

12:46 am
Low tide - -0.55m
7:09 am
High tide - 1.53m
1:20 pm
Low tide - -0.29m
7:24 pm
High tide - 1.37m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

87
Firing
Components
Swell Direction19/25
Swell Size18/25
Swell Period25/25
Wind23/25
Raw Score85/100
Adjustments
🌊 Tide+5
Adjusted Score86.66666666666667/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score87
🌊 Optimal tide window
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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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