El Paredón travel guides
These guides answer the questions travellers ask before and during a trip to El Paredón, the black-sand surf village about two hours from Antigua: how to get there and back, when to go, where to sleep, what to pack, how the surf works and where to head next, from Lake Atitlán to El Salvador. Prices and times are checked and dated. When you are ready, book a seat on the Antigua ↔ El Paredón shuttle, which runs every day.
Planning
El Paredón vs Monterrico: which Guatemalan beach to choose
Surf village or turtle reserve? El Paredón and Monterrico compared on travel time from Antigua, waves, swimming, turtles, crowds and prices in 2026.
Planning
Where to stay in El Paredón: areas, prices and what to check
Beachfront, village centre or the quiet edges? How El Paredón is laid out, what a bed costs in 2026 from $10 dorms to villas, and what to check before booking.
Things to do
Best beaches in Guatemala: Pacific and Caribbean compared
Black sand and surf on the Pacific, calm water on the Caribbean: Guatemala’s best beaches compared by travel time, swimming, wildlife and who they suit.
Surfing
Surfing in Guatemala: spots, seasons and lesson prices
Where Guatemala’s waves are, when the swell arrives, what a lesson and a board cost in 2026, and why most travelling surfers base themselves in El Paredón.
Planning
Guatemala itinerary for 2 weeks, with time on the beach
A 14-day Guatemala route with Antigua, Acatenango, Lake Atitlán, Semuc Champey, Tikal and three nights at El Paredón, with real travel times and 2026 prices.
Planning
After Acatenango: recover on the beach at El Paredón
Back from Acatenango with sore legs? When to catch the shuttle to El Paredón, what to do with your luggage, and a simple three-day recovery plan on the beach.
Getting there
El Paredón to Lake Atitlán: direct shuttle or via Antigua
Two ways from El Paredón to Lake Atitlán: the direct shuttle to Panajachel (3.5 to 4.5 h, about $30 to $35 in 2026) or back via Antigua. Times, costs, boats.
Getting there
El Paredón to El Tunco: crossing into El Salvador by shuttle
Shared shuttles from El Paredón to El Tunco take 6 to 7 hours and cost about $45 to $55 in 2026. The border, the CA-4 rules, money and the way back, explained.
Getting there
From Guatemala City airport to El Paredón: the realistic options
Landing at La Aurora and heading for the beach? Via Antigua or straight down, same day or next morning: how to plan El Paredón around your flight time.
Getting there
El Paredón as a day trip from Antigua: is it worth it?
Four hours in a van for four hours on the sand. Who the day trip suits, exactly how the timing works, and how to make the most of the window.
Planning
Antigua and El Paredón in one trip: how to split your days
Cobblestones and volcanoes, then black sand and surf: a simple five to seven-day plan pairing Antigua with El Paredón, without losing a day on the road.
Planning
El Paredón practical guide: money, Wi-Fi, safety and the sea
The things nobody tells you until you are there: cash, connectivity, currents, mosquitoes and what the village is actually like after dark.
Getting there
How to get from Antigua to El Paredón (and back)
Every way to cover the two hours between Antigua and the Pacific coast — shuttle, private van, chicken bus, your own car — and which one actually suits you.
Surfing
Surfing in El Paredón: a first-timer’s guide
Guatemala’s surf capital sits on black volcanic sand two hours from Antigua. What the wave does, who it suits, and how to plan a trip around it.
Planning
The best time to visit El Paredón
Dry season or rainy season, small or big surf, and the long weekends when Guatemala City heads to the coast: how to choose your dates for El Paredón.
Planning
What to pack for El Paredón
A practical packing list for El Paredón, a hot, sandy, cash-first village on Guatemala’s Pacific coast, including the two things people always forget.
Things to do
El Paredón beyond the surf: mangroves, sunsets and slow days
Yes, you come for the waves. But the mangrove channels, the turtle hatcheries and the six o’clock light are what people remember.