Playa Carmen surf forecast

Mal Pais · Puntarenas · Costa Rica

Open the live forecast →

The beach at the crossroads between Santa Teresa and Mal Pais; consistent sand-and-rock peaks that are the busiest in the area.

Break

beach break, lefts and rights; faces SW

Level

intermediate

Best swell

SW, W, S

Best wind

NE, E (offshore)

Best tide

all tides

Season

Year-round; biggest swells April-October, steady offshores December-April

Typical size

1-2.5 m

Crowd

high

Hazards

rips; rocks; crowds

Nearby spots

• Santa Teresa, Santa Teresa
• Playa Hermosa (Santa Teresa), Santa Teresa
• Playa Manzanillo, Manzanillo (Cobano)
• Playa Escondida, Jaco
• Playa Jaco, Jaco
• Puerto Caldera, Caldera

Questions

Is Playa Carmen good for beginners?

It is best for intermediate surfers (rips; rocks). Beginners nearby can try Playa Jaco, Jaco.

What swell, wind and tide work best at Playa Carmen?

SW, W, S swell, NE, E wind (offshore), at all tides. Typical size 1-2.5 m.

Live swell, wind, tide, a 14-day outlook, satellite pictures and webcams for Playa Carmen are in the Surf Spoting app.