Surf in Troncones

Three set-ups cover most days. The beach breaks along the village are sandbars mixed with rocky outcrops; they work on most swell directions, are best around mid tide and get rocky and shallow at low tide, so they suit intermediates more than first-timers. Troncones Point, also called Manzanillo Bay, sits at the north end of the beach: a left that wraps off the rocks and peels into the bay, with a steep take-off into a deeper cove and a possible barrel section. It needs a solid south to west swell, is at its best from May to September, often around mid tide, and holds double overhead and more.

There is an exposed rock in the middle of the bay, so locate it before you paddle out. Past the next headland to the north, Playa Majahua has gentler sandbars that suit beginners and improvers on small days. Winter brings smaller north-west swells and lighter winds, the kindest season for learning. Offshore winds blow from the north and north-east, and early mornings are often glassy. For long, mellow lefts, La Saladita is about 20 minutes north by car. Water stays around 26–30 °C.

The village beach faces south-south-west, so the sun rises behind you and to your left, and the first couple of hours give clean side-to-front light on the beach breaks. Around midday in winter the sun sits over the sea and everything turns backlit; through the afternoon it swings west for glare, silhouettes and a sunset over the water. For the point, stand on the beach inside Manzanillo Bay and shoot back at the wave as it peels towards you; the take-off is a few hundred metres away, so bring 300–600 mm, and morning light falls on the wave face from this angle.

The beach breaks are closer, and 100–400 mm from the sand covers most peaks. Swimming at the point is only for strong water photographers on moderate days, given the rocks and the steep drop; the beach breaks are easier on small mornings. The frame worth waiting for is a steep summer take-off at the point, shot from down the line as the wall wraps into the bay.

Ixtapa–Zihuatanejo airport (ZIH) is about 40–45 minutes away: drive north-west on Highway 200 past Zihuatanejo and turn off towards the coast for Troncones, about 32 km from Zihuatanejo. The village is small, with places to stay, restaurants, board rental and surf lessons close to the sand, and the beach breaks a short walk from most rooms. The point is at the north end of the beach. Check current travel advisories for Guerrero before you go and drive only in daylight.