Hola Guys- I have never been down there, but am looking at going- any thoughts on where to stay and the actual wave itself? Much appreciate any and all feedback- Cheers!

Call Bob at Punta Roca surf resort and pay his son Jimmy, the former national champ his exorbitant 75 dollars a day fee to take you to where the breaks are. Jimmy is a consummate professional and takes his clients out typically once the local mafia is off to work or tired of it. I would not have been able to get a single wave if I had not paddled out with Jimmy and Jimmy didn't give the local heavies that look like "these are my guys, let them sneak a couple in." We didn't have to rent a car because he drove us everywhere and we ended up taking him to dinner at the killer cheap taco place in la Paz and after a couple of trips, I just ended up taking Jimmy to eat with us always because he's such a good dude and we caught crazy good waves. Hanging out with Tito afterward on the point drinking cold ones as the wave just keeps coming in. Or surfing out back at playa conchal. Our room was 90 a night for three guys and included breakfast. Their restaurant is very good too. Truly the best coffee I have ever had. Black. Not bitter. No azucar even. Pm me for Bobs contact.

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"One of the reasons why propaganda tries to get you to hate government is because it's the one existing institution in which people can participate to some extent and constrain tyrannical unaccountable power." Noam Chomsky.

Have not been down there since 2020 ----& what an absolute shock that particular trip was ... Where as in 1986 & future excursions, , we used to camp out on where this new bizarre permanent contest infrastructure and judging scaffolding is today & there is now an actually paved road way to boot ? God Lord , Have Mercy ! I can & Will confirm JBSs Assessment of Bob Rothman & offspring Jimmy ,his spot on ( Jimmy ) OVER the lip airless / landing & transfer into a full on power gouge were psychotic to say the least . ( Ala Slater !!! & Jimmy was being sponsored by Quicksilver at the time ! ,as well ....) JB : Aside from Roca ,Flores & Mango . the little Right hander points right off of Bobs Camp could really light up given the right swell and tide !

Edited: 11/09/2025 at 10:26 PM by JOESTRUMMER

Joe, you would shit. There is a frickin mall on the main drag between Sunzal and Lapaz. La Paz has a literal amusement park with a roller coaster and the fish market is now part of a sprawling entertainment complex. Its like cancerous growth everywhere.

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"One of the reasons why propaganda tries to get you to hate government is because it's the one existing institution in which people can participate to some extent and constrain tyrannical unaccountable power." Noam Chomsky.

JB : Before Bob got the denaro to bulid the propper Surf Camp , he had the Restraunt & only 2 rooms for rent in town , La Libertad was like the Wild West back then , the only other acomadations was a very sketchy hotel right across the street run by a pychotic Chinnese man , a lot of times we would just camp out on the point . One memorable trip we were camped out and lucked into back to back double overhead swells .Two weeks nonstop , Gerlach & Snipps showed up and we had the entire line up with only 5 guys in the water ! I also rememer surfing Los Flores entirly by myself countless times & hoping another surfer would show up to join me ! ( Hell back then , we did not even know Punta Mango exsisted right around the corner----- imagine that ! ) Cool change : Sunzal is the full on Mush - Burger , it only gets fun when it gets maxed out , but it can hold solid 20 ft surf . Do yourself a favor and explore other breaks .

Edited: 11/10/2025 at 01:05 PM by JOESTRUMMER

I stayed with him in 04 and at La Posada De Don Lito too. My buddy got dysentery and was puking with diarrhea all Easter Weekend as the band out front played on. The place was super cool and our money was more than welcome. Now, there are legit crowds of locals that have very strong opinions about sharing. I wouldn't bother with Sunzal proper bc its a log wave burger, but La Bocana, right before it is exceptionally good. Very crowded. I saw a guy snake one of the skinny tattoed shredders and the local boosed an air to land on him fins first. The Brazilian guy wanted to fight him for it and a couple of dudes explained to him that his jiujitsu wouldn't work on the numbers and that snaking there was not tolerated. The dude stayed got boxed out of every drop til he left. I respected them and had no problems for the most part but there I did get snaked shamelessly a few times too.

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"One of the reasons why propaganda tries to get you to hate government is because it's the one existing institution in which people can participate to some extent and constrain tyrannical unaccountable power." Noam Chomsky.

Relavent content :

Okay,so there's that.
Surf lodging away from all that from non maga, world aware Americans...with a modest budget?
It happens everywhere that is beautiful unfortunately...but still, there's
one particular harbor

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It's a democratic hoax

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9BzgK7VX098

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"One of the reasons why propaganda tries to get you to hate government is because it's the one existing institution in which people can participate to some extent and constrain tyrannical unaccountable power." Noam Chomsky.

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Edited: 11/11/2025 at 10:14 AM by JOESTRUMMER

I have many of those same conversations with Jimmy. Bukeles honeymoon, getting fat and losing it, being lucky to still surf. El Salvador is no longer a failed narco state and no one is nostalgic for the days when you could be killed for being in the wrong place. But progress there is so fast and so ugly. I've seen so much change in the past three years but for the Salvadorans, they have their country back. As a criminal defense lawyer, the huge prisons filled with tattooed gang members concern me. Everyone loves a dictator when the enemy is filled with face tattoos and flashing gang signs. My question is what happens now? What happens now that commerce is back, there is sustained peace and order. What does Bukele do to protesters or political rivals with the same powers he used to jail 1% of their population without a trial? When I had this conversation with the Rotherhams, they thought it was theoretical gringo speculation. Fair enough for now but I am still curious about what's next.

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"One of the reasons why propaganda tries to get you to hate government is because it's the one existing institution in which people can participate to some extent and constrain tyrannical unaccountable power." Noam Chomsky.

Guys- Thank you! All great takes and feed back. I met Tony Roberts a long time back in Nica, and I saw the piece he did on Jimmy- well done indeed and a good look at all that.....I appreciate the feedback. As for the current leader of El Salvador....I am with the Rotherman's and they live there...this guy has turned the place from the worst (Violence) country in the Southern Hemispshere to the best (safest),and it sounds like the place is flourishing....and maybe too much for a surfers liking- but I will be giving it a go ...thanks again for all your insights!

When I had this conversation with the Rotherhams, they thought it was theoretical gringo speculation. Fair enough for now but I am still curious about what's next.


History tells us that it never ends well.

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I was right.

Also, check out a lesser known break called Mizata.

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"One of the reasons why propaganda tries to get you to hate government is because it's the one existing institution in which people can participate to some extent and constrain tyrannical unaccountable power." Noam Chomsky.