Pavones surf forecast and spots
3 spots within 11 km of Pavones: 1 beach break, 1 reef break, 1 point break. 1 suit beginners.
Live forecasts for every spot →
Best spots today in Pavones
- Intermediate: Punta Banco (Good, 1.1–1.7 m, cross-onshore around 06:00)
- Advanced: Punta Banco (Good, 1.1–1.7 m, cross-onshore around 06:00)
Tomorrow, Wednesday 4 November
- Intermediate: Punta Banco (Good, 1.1–1.7 m, cross-shore around 08:00)
- Advanced: Punta Banco (Fair, 1.1–1.7 m, cross-shore around 08:00)
This weekend near Pavones
Saturday 7 November
- Intermediate: Punta Banco (Good, 1–1.4 m, cross-onshore around 08:00)
- Beginners: Punta Banco (Fair, 1–1.4 m, cross-onshore around 08:00)
- Advanced: Punta Banco (Fair, 1–1.4 m, cross-onshore around 08:00)
Sunday 8 November
- Intermediate: Punta Banco (Good, 0.7–1.1 m, cross-onshore around 16:00)
- Beginners: Punta Banco (Fair, 0.7–1.1 m, cross-onshore around 16:00)
The best daylight hour of each spot, rated for each level. Model forecast updated 3 Nov, 15:51 UTC; it changes every few hours, so check the live forecast before you go.
The spots
- Pavones · point break, advanced, best on SW/S swell with E wind, low tide. One of the longest left-hand river-mouth points in the world, near the Panama border in the Golfo Dulce. It only works with a good south swell, and long rides are…
- Punta Banco · reef break, intermediate, best on SW/S/W swell with NE/N/E wind, all tides. Reef peaks with solid rights and lefts off the village at the end of the road, about 5 km south of Pavones. It is far less crowded than Pavones on a big swell; waves…
- Playa Zancudo · beach break, beginner, best on S/SSW/SW swell with E/ENE/NE wind, mid tide. Long, sheltered sand beach inside the Golfo Dulce, about 17 km north of Pavones. Usually small and soft, it only wakes up on solid southwest swells, when sandbar peaks…
Best time to surf in Pavones
Good days per month for intermediate surfers; tap a month for where else to surf then.
Best months for intermediate surfers: April to July. The water goes from about 28 °C in November (Boardshorts / rash vest) to 30 °C in April (Boardshorts / rash vest). 1 of the 3 spots suit beginners, such as Playa Zancudo.
| Month | Rideable days | Good days | Beginner days | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3 | 0 | 0 | 29 °C |
| Feb | 4 | 0 | 0 | 29 °C |
| Mar | 9 | 0 | 0 | 30 °C |
| Apr | 13 | 0 | 0 | 30 °C |
| May | 14 | 2 | 1 | 30 °C |
| Jun | 14 | 1 | 1 | 29 °C |
| Jul | 13 | 0 | 1 | 30 °C |
| Aug | 10 | 0 | 1 | 30 °C |
| Sep | 9 | 0 | 1 | 29 °C |
| Oct | 10 | 1 | 1 | 28 °C |
| Nov | 9 | 0 | 0 | 28 °C |
| Dec | 3 | 0 | 1 | 29 °C |
Days per month at the best third of the 3 spots for each level, from two years of wave and wind model data.
Questions
What are the best surf spots in Pavones?
The best-known are Pavones, Punta Banco, Playa Zancudo. In all, 3 spots lie within 11 km: 1 beach break, 1 reef break, 1 point break.
Where can beginners surf in Pavones?
Playa Zancudo: sandy, more forgiving spots. Surf them on small days, ideally with a lesson or near the lifeguards.
When is the best time to surf in Pavones?
For intermediate surfers April to July.
What wetsuit do I need to surf in Pavones?
The sea goes from about 28 °C in November (Boardshorts / rash vest) to 30 °C in April (Boardshorts / rash vest).
Also: surf spots in Puntarenas · best spots in Costa Rica for beginners · best time to surf in Costa Rica · Costa Rica surf forecast this week. Reading the forecast: the forecast and the lineup together, wind and tide.