Coastalsurvey

The Wave-Finder's guide to Central America

This compact guidebook (measuring less than 5 X 3.5 inches) provides detailed information on the better known spots in Central America. It covers Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama in clear, well-written prose.

This guide to Central America is part of a series produced by the London-based Wavefinder. Most of the Wavefinder guides share a similar format. See the Wavefinder website for more.

The guidebooks stuff a lot of information into a small package. For instance, the revelation that American freebooter William Walker tried to conquer Costa Rica in 1856 (Juan Rafael Mora and the Costa Rican army threw him out).  They also provide general information on swell directions, prevailing winds and the best seasons for waves.
What these pocket guides don’t do is identify secret spots. Outside of the known surf breaks, the descriptions get pretty sketchy. The maps, at this scale, are also next to useless.  However, these guides would be a useful companion to a good road map.