Overview
El Burro is a reef break on the east coast, also known as Glass Beach. The soft beach sand hides a hard, uneven reef underneath, so it breaks with more edge than the setting suggests, and there are a few beachbreaks nearby if you want an alternative. It peels both left and right and comes into its own through the summer.
When It Works
El Burro draws swell from northwest through north to east, and it really lights up on a big north swell, with north the direction to look for. It's usable from 0.9 m / 3 ft to 4.6 m / 15 ft, which leaves a wide window to find a session between too small and too big.
Wind and Tide
Look for west offshore wind to groom it clean. The reef works across low, mid, and high tide, though a rising tide is generally the better call. Drop down toward the lower tides and the A-frames pull hollower if you want a bit more punch.
Local Tips
This one is friendly enough for beginners. Keep in mind the reef comes with urchins, there's a local crew in the water, and windsurf and kite rigs fly around through the afternoons, so mornings are the calmer window. Board rental is on hand if you need a stick.
Access
You'll find El Burro where the road runs close to the beach, just south of the hotel strip. There's free roadside parking, plus a lifeguard, a surf school, a snack bar, and rock walls you can duck behind to get out of the wind.
