Surf spot

El Pimental

Forecast conditions and map view for El Pimental in El Salvador. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: El Salvador
Coordinates: 13.3831, -89.0903

Metric
Metric	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00
Wave height (m)	1	1	1	0.9	0.8	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8
Wave direction	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW
Wave period (s)	12.1	12.3	12.3	12.4	12.6	12.2	11.9	11.8	11.8	11.7	11.5	11.3	11.4	11.2	10.8	10.7	10.8	10.7	10.7	10.7	10.8	10.7	10.5	9.4	9.1	8.8	8.3	11.3	10.8	10.9	10.3	13.2	13.5	13.6	13.8	13.7	13.7	13.5	13.4	13.2	12.8	12.6	12.6	12.6	12.3	12.2	11.9	11.8	11.7	11.6	11.6	11.5	11.4	11.3	11.2	11.1
Wave energy (kJ)	281	288	281	251	212	231	221	216	216	210	205	189	175	159	142	132	120	112	106	100	95	76	69	48	45	42	32	41	54	75	71	143	159	171	197	195	215	222	230	233	244	235	224	222	214	210	200	196	183	172	171	161	158	148	144	141
Wind speed (km/h)	4.7	7.5	8.3	2.3	23.5	14.7	11.5	7.9	1.8	6.9	7.5	6.1	26.6	18.2	10.6	8	9.9	8.1	10.2	6.5	22.5	17.9	8	1.6	5	7	7.8	7.8	11.4	19	12.9	6	4.8	8.9	10.1	8	11.3	23.2	7	7.6	8	10.9	9.8	7.8	15.6	21.9	8.3	2.6	4.2	7.3	8	1.5	22.2	16.8	15.7	15.2
Wind direction	WNWGlassy	NNECross-off	NNECross-off	NNEGlassy	SSWCross-on	WSWCross-on	WOnshore	NWCross-on	NEGlassy	NECross-off	NECross-off	SECross-off	SSWCross-on	SWCross-on	WNWOnshore	NCross	NNECross-off	NNECross	NNECross-off	ENEOffshore	SSWCross	WSWOnshore	SSWCross-on	NNEGlassy	NCross	NNECross-off	NECross-off	NNECross-off	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	WSWOnshore	WSWCross-on	NNWGlassy	NNECross	NCross	NCross	WSWOnshore	SWCross-on	NWCross-on	NWCross-on	NECross-off	NCross	NNECross-off	NNECross	SSWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SSEGlassy	NNEGlassy	NCross	NNECross-off	NWGlassy	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	WOnshore	WSWCross-on

El Pimental is a well-known surf spot on El Salvador’s Pacific coast, near the La Paz area and close to the capital region. It’s a beach break with long stretches of dark volcanic sand and warm water year-round, making it appealing for surfers who want consistent, accessible waves in a tropical setting.

What it’s like

Wave type: Mostly a beach break, with shifting sandbars.
Wave quality: Can produce fun, fast, punchy waves, especially when swells line up well.
Best for: Intermediate surfers and up, though beginners can find smaller days more manageable.
Conditions: Can get crowded when the surf is good, especially because it’s close to San Salvador and easy to reach.

Surfing conditions

Swells: It picks up south and southwest swells well.
Wind: Offshore winds can clean it up nicely, but onshore wind can quickly make it choppy.
Tides: Tides matter, as the sandbars can change the peak and shape of the waves.
Consistency: More consistent during the main swell seasons, but it can work year-round.

Beach and atmosphere

Scenery: Wide, open beach with a relaxed local vibe and fishing/community atmosphere.
Water: Warm, usually no need for a wetsuit.
Hazards: Like many beach breaks, the bottom can be sandy but powerful shorebreak and rips can still be present.

Overall

El Pimental is a convenient, fun Salvadoran beach break that can deliver solid waves without much travel from the city. It’s a good option if you want warm-water sessions and don’t mind variable sandbars and the possibility of crowds.