Break Bio: Playa Colorado Nicaragua

Playa Colorado Nicaragua is by far one of the most famous surfing spots in the country and rightly so. The name itself conjures images of deep cavernous Nicaraguan barrels and broken boards. This beast of a wave breaks over a shallow sandbar, left and right, depending on the condition of the sandbar. To really score it the river mouth needs to be flowing, which makes a solid sandbar and provides some sick barrels. HINT HINT the river only flows during the rainy season. Luckily for us at GFS it’s only a five minute boat ride to get there (just sayin).

Surfer at Playa Colorados Nicaragua | Photo Credit: Jake Zlotnick

Crowd Factor:

The crowd at Playa Colorado Nicaragua can get pretty hectic during the high season, which just so happens to be when this wave really starts pumping. So it’s no surprise that everyone is out there, and getting a fair share of waves can pose a challenge. If you are looking to surf alone this may not be the right call. However, there are always a few peaks to choose from and you can score some solid dawn patrol sessions with fewer guys out.

Tide:

This wave breaks on pretty much any tide you throw at it however, try to catch it at mid tide. Too low and it can close out and too high and it can get fat and backwashy. All depends on the sandbar. I’ve definitely seen guys get mega drained and make it out during low tide.

Swell:

Playa Colorado does a pretty decent job at picking up a fair amount of swell. However, it works best with a S or SW swell. It can break anywhere from waist high to double overhead, so pick your poison.