Playa Colorado

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Colorados: A very good and consistent beachbreak that works best on South-West swells during mid-tides (depending on swell size) to mid-high tides. A river flows out right front and keeps the sandbar replenished. The surf tends to always be best from just on the north side to right in front of the river mouth. The south side of the river mouth is usually always walled out.

Colorados' perfection size is 8-foot or less (depending on sandbar quality) -- anything bigger will usually wall out. Incoming sets will first bump up some on a reef way outside (which will even break on larger swells), before sinking back down then rising again at the lineup. The wave/peak can be quite shifty (which spreads out the crowd a little bit) with a fast peeling right, quite often with a hollow barrel. The lefts are usually a little less hollow than the rights, but still very racey and ripable.

Colorados is best and most hollow on low to mid tides.On higher tides, it becomes a bit backwashy and less hollow. The best wind is obviously calm or light offshore. Although Nica is known for the steady offshore flow due to Lake Nicaragua, sometimes it can blow a little too hard offshore. When these offshores are strong, you can often spot people getting pitched over the falls trying to get over the ledge.

Colorados is one of the most popular spots in Nicaragua, frequented mostly by visiting surfers, however the number of local surfers is steadily growing (especially among the kids). Unless you are staying at Playa Iguanas, access is often obtained by boat, or a long walk south from Rancho Santana.

Panga Drops: Located at the north end of Playa Colorado, Panga Drops is a fun, less crowded alternative to the more popular Colorados. Pangas enjoys the same offshore bathymetry benefits as Colorados, but it is a horseshoe reef rather than perfectly crafted sandbars. On a proper South-West swell, the reef will peel off both shifty lefts and rights that can barrel. Pangas is never as consistent or all-time as Colorados, but it is always worth checking out if you're not in the mood for crowded line-ups.