Last week we rented a car and drove about 1hour up the coast to the La Liberdad area where there are a number of point breaks. For the first 2 days we drove back to Red Sky each day but on the third day we met Tyler from California who for the past 5 years has spent 6 months of the year surfing in various locations around the world such as Indonesia and Central America and the other 6 months back in Los Angeles where he owns a small surf shop.
Tyler offered to show us some of the more off the beaten track surf spots as well as the communities along this stretch of coast. We visited El Tunco where he and probably another 100 or so people like him stay for the season at a beachfront property known as La Guitarra. There are about 20 small quite basic bungalows that have 2 beds a toilet and shower and a front veranda complete with hammock. The room rate per night for 1 person is $12.00, that's right twelve dollars! We met lots of surfers , guys and girls from all over the world , Finland , Israel , Brazil , Germany , it is a little like a united nations summit . There are several other similar establishments within the El Tunco area. Rather than continue to drive back and forth each day we decided to get Mat a room whilst we went back to Red Sky to pack a few things and return ourselves and also get a room.
We spent 4 nights (Mat spent 7) based in El Tunco. Tyler , Matt , a friend of Tyler's called Jewels, Leanne and I spent the days surfing at one of the 5 breaks that are all within 15 mins drive. Leanne took a couple of surf lessons and managed to stand up a couple of times and is having fun learning. The town has many little eateries. Dinner for the 3 of us including a couple of beers cost $20.00.
Our favourite hang out is at Kayu bar and grill which overlooks our favourite break Sunzal. I tore a rib cartilage which made it painful to paddle the board so quite a few hours were spent watching the waves and the surfers here. We have met a few of the locals here and enjoyed their company.
Just like at home the beach is a very popular holiday location so by Wednesday the crowds of locals began to arrive for the Easter Holidays. On Thursday morning as we walked the beach there were quite a few bodies sleeping where they had fallen the night before having had a little too much fun ----"sand monsters" Mat calls them as the sand is black and because they are covered in it so are they!
We headed back to Red Sky Friday afternoon for the weekend. On Monday we will pick up Tyler and head in the opposite direction to a place he knows called Playa Los Flores in San Miguel where we will surf and explore some more.
I have added a photo album to the gallery called El Tunco . There are photos of most of the people and things mentioned above as well as a few surfing pics.
Bye for now,
LOL J, L n M