Viejamar (Puerto López)
- Shortboard, Longboard
- Best for
- Beginner to Intermediate
- Skill Level
- Flat, Small waves
- Spot Type
- Quiet
- Crowd Level
This spot information is AI-assisted and has not been human verified. It may be incomplete, outdated, or incorrect. Verify safety, access, local rules, and current conditions with official or local sources before riding.
About
Viejamar is an exposed sandy beach break near Puerto López that’s described as having very reliable surf. Across available guidance, the spot is consistent year-round and works on a sandy bottom, which is typically more forgiving than rocky breaks. Surf conditions are influenced strongly by wind. East winds tend to be offshore and help keep the water cleaner, while West winds are onshore and can introduce more chop. Multiple notes also emphasize that early mornings are usually the best time to surf before onshore wind increases. For ride potential, the break is described as producing mostly peeling, relatively lower-power waves, with ride lengths that can vary depending on sandbar configuration. When swells get larger (around or above the upper part of the working swell window), the break can close out. Safety-wise, the primary concern is rip currents, and there are no lifeguards reported. Rescue is described as limited, and the nearest medical facility is in Puerto López. Overall, the spot fits riders who want dependable beach-break surf, with best conditions often referenced around March (and broader warm-season patterns aligning with December to April).
- Exposed, very reliable beach break
- Peeling waves with consistent surf activity
- Best conditions often found in the early morning
- Very reliable, exposed sandy beach break
- Consistent surf described across the year
- Generally quiet/calm crowd outside peak periods
- Rip currents are a known hazard
- West winds are onshore and can add chop
- No lifeguards and rescue is limited
Wind, water and seasons
Wind
- Direction
- W
- Offshore directions
- E
- Wind Range
- 5–15 kts
- Wind Type
- Sea breeze — Afternoon sea breezes are common and typically onshore from the West; broader regional winds are thermal sea breezes combined with trade winds.
- Reliability
- low
- Gust Factor
- Light gusts — Gustiness described as light.
- Best Months
- December, January, February, March, April
- Thermal Window
- Sea breeze · Afternoon · Months: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep · Dir: S, SW · Builds through the afternoon, strongest roughly 1:00 PM to 5:30 PM (regional pattern). For the spot specifically, afternoon sea breezes are also common and typically onshore from the West.
Water & beach
- Water Type
- Flat, Small waves
- Beach
- Sand — Sandy beach.
- Beach Size
- Medium
- Waves
- Small — Also described as medium by one provider; overall guidance emphasizes generally manageable beach-break sizes.
- Launch
- Medium — Wide sandy beach with ample space for preparation and launching.
- Launch Difficulty
- Easy — Launch described as easy by one provider; another describes it as moderate difficulty.
Through the year
January to April
By sport
What to expect for each.
Exposed beach break with very reliable surf and a sandy bottom suited to a range of riders. Surf is described as consistent year-round; early mornings generally have the best conditions before the onshore wind increases.
- Wave Direction
- Both
- Optimal Swell
- NW, W, SW
- Swell Height
- 0.5–2 m
- Optimal Tide
- All tides — Works across tides; no single tide window specified.
- Shelter
- Exposed — Open/exposed beach conditions.
- Wind Effect
- East winds are offshore and tend to create cleaner conditions; West winds are onshore and cause chop.
- Bigger Swell
- Can close out when swells exceed about 2.5 meters.
- Wave Quality
- Average — Overall wave quality described as average.
- Wave Power
- Soft — Described as soft/presenting relatively gentle power.
- Wave Shape
- Peeling — Peeling is the typical shape.
- Peel Speed
- Medium — Peeling waves.
- Ride Length
- Short — Typical rides vary depending on sandbar configurations.
- Typical Ride Length
- 50 m
- Ride Length Details
- Typical beach-break rides that vary with sandbar configuration.
Check the forecast before you go
See wind, waves, weather and session windows for Viejamar (Puerto López) in the full forecast view.
Viejamar (Puerto López) wind and wave forecast summary
- Wind
- 1–7 ktsGusts 16 kts
- Direction
- W266°
- Strongest day
- Sat, Oct 247 kts
- Windy days
- 0/712 kts or more
- Waves
- 1.0–1.8 m11s period
- Temperature
- 25–30 °C
Over the next 7 days, Viejamar (Puerto López) is forecast for daytime winds of 1–7 kts, peaking around 7 kts on Saturday, October 24 with gusts to 16 kts. The prevailing direction is W. Waves run 1.0–1.8 m with a period of about 11s. Based on the Wavind model, in the spot’s local time.
Other spots in the area
What to know before you launch
Safety, access, restrictions, rescue, and local rules can change. Treat these details as informational and confirm them locally before launching.
Hazards
- Rip currents
Rescue & support
- Lifeguard
- None — No lifeguards present.
- Rescue & Self-Rescue
- Limited — No dedicated rescue service mentioned; regional guidance indicates rescue is limited.
- Emergency Info
- National emergency number: 911. Nearest medical facility: Centro de Salud Puerto López.
- Localism / Vibe
- None — No localism is indicated.
Rules of the spot
Standard surfing etiquette applies.
- The best surfing conditions are usually found in the early morning before the onshore wind picks up.
- Viejamar is an exposed beach break, so expect conditions to be more dynamic than at less-exposed nearby beaches.
Getting there & access
- Nearest City
- Puerto López
- Nearest Town
- Parroquia Salango
- Nearest Airport
- Eloy Alfaro International Airport (Manta)
- Parking
- Limited roadside parking or space near local accommodation.
- Public Transport
- Inter-city buses run frequently along the Ruta del Spondylus; local transport is via motor-taxis.
- Access
- Accessible via the E15 coastal highway (Ruta del Spondylus). The spot is reached by a short dirt path from the main road.
- Cost Level
- Budget
- Local Language
- Spanish
What's on the beach
- Accommodation
- Nearby town — Guesthouses and small hotels are located directly behind the beach and in the nearby town of Salango.
- Food & Drink
- Local eateries (comedores) in Salango serve traditional seafood dishes.
- Equipment Rental:
- Equipment rental is described as limited; surf rentals may be available through nearby accommodation.
No schools or services are listed for this spot yet.
Off the water
The Puerto López Coast (Manabí) – Salango area is an eco-tourism-focused stretch of the Pacific with whale migration tours, coastal culture, and nearby nature attractions.
Known as the 'Poor Man's Galapagos,' offering hiking and sightings of blue-footed boobies and frigatebirds.
Exhibits artifacts from the Valdivia, Machalilla, and Manteño-Huancavilca cultures.
Humpback whale migration tours available from June through September.
Fresh Spondylus and local fish dishes prepared with peanut sauce.
Protected white sand beach within Machalilla National Park, ideal for swimming and hiking.
From riders who've been here
Latest reported conditions
Spot questions
Frequently asked questions
When is the best season at Viejamar (Puerto López)?
The best overall months at Viejamar (Puerto López) are December, January, February, March, April.
Which wind directions work at Viejamar (Puerto López)?
Viejamar (Puerto López) works with W winds. Offshore directions are E.
What skill level is Viejamar (Puerto López) suitable for?
Viejamar (Puerto López) suits these riding levels: Surfing: Beginner to Intermediate.