Sihua Surf House

PLAYA SIHUAPILAPA, EL SALVADOR

Tropical beach scene with palm trees, a hammock, white chairs, and a pool in the background.

Sihua Surf House is an open-air beachfront retreat sitting on a private 7.5-mile black sand beach in Playa Sihuapilapa, El Salvador. Equal parts surf camp and jungle sanctuary, this is the place to go when you want total privacy, raw nature, and the kind of trip your group will never stop talking about.

QUICK INFO

Where?
Playa Sihuapilapa, El Salvador

Five minutes from the surf town of Mizata on a private U-shaped black sand beach that stretches 7.5 miles in both directions. You're in the jungle, on the ocean, and completely away from it all — in the best possible way.

Best for?
Surf trips, family getaways, group retreats, and anyone who wants a private beach without the resort price tag.

How many guests does this sleep?
Up to 10 guests

Services Included?
Fully equipped kitchen, charcoal grill, AC and blackout curtains in every bedroom, pool, hammock area, and fresh coconuts from the property trees when in season. The caretaker family lives on site so you're never without help.

Best way to get there?
Fly into El Salvador International Airport (SAL) and drive west toward the coast. Stop at Super Selectos in Sonsonate or Puerto La Libertad on the way in for groceries, produce, and drinks — there's a small local store 5 minutes away but stock up before you arrive.

Cost?
Check Airbnb for current pricing

Beach scene with three white chairs, a hammock hanging between palm trees, and towels on the sand. Clear blue sky with moon visible.

There aren't many places in the world where you can fall asleep in a hammock and wake up to sea turtles nesting underneath you. Sihua Surf House is one of them.

The property sits on a whale nursing cove — during the right season you can spot them from the beach — and during turtle season the turtles come right up to the hammock area to lay their eggs. It's the kind of nature experience that doesn't feel real until it's happening in front of you.

The house itself is split into two buildings, the main open-air living space has floor-to-ceiling glass doors that blur the line between inside and outside, and the second house has three spacious bedrooms with AC, including a master with ocean views from both the bedroom and the bathroom. The private beach is yours for the whole stay, 7.5 miles of black sand perfect for long walks, horseback riding, or just doing absolutely nothing.

Mizata is five minutes away if you need a meal out — Nawi and El Pausa are both great. But honestly, once you're here you won't want to leave. Ask for Patricia and Fani when you arrive and tell them I sent you.

A tropical beach with palm trees, a blue sky with scattered clouds, and calm ocean water reflecting the sky and surroundings.
A sunny day by a pool with a house, palm trees, and mountains in the background. Several people are sitting under the covered patio area.
A woman with sunglasses smiling while sitting in a swimming pool, surrounded by palm trees and a house with a shaded patio.
Colorful hammock hanging on a porch with potted plants and hanging lanterns, exterior setting with shadows on the ground.
Woman sitting outdoors on a patio, looking down at her phone, with palm trees and ocean in the background, during daytime.
Two women sitting on a bench outside a house, with tropical plants and palm trees in a sunny yard.
A modern bathroom vanity with a round mirror, faucet, soap dispenser, and folded towels on the countertop and shelf, illuminated by natural sunlight.
Two women in swimsuits sitting on a white bench at a beachside resort, with palm trees and the ocean visible through large glass windows behind them.
A woman with long curly hair smiling and laughing, sitting on a wooden chair with a pillow, in a room with sunlight casting shadows on the wall, next to a window with cream curtains.
A view looking up at tall palm trees with green fronds against a clear blue sky, with sunlight peeking through the leaves.
Three colorful striped beach towels laid out on the sandy beach with ocean waves in the background.