SurfSeerPavones, Costa Rica · Coastal intelligence
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v2.0 · Best time to rideLive
Favorites
5.4/ 10
MAYBE
Pavones, Costa Rica · 10 PM–11 PM · Fair
↑

Pavones, Costa Rica

MapBeginner-friendlyLive · -

4h 46m of daylight left

Sunset at 11:55 PM

Tomorrow > Today

Today scores 8.5, but tomorrow climbs to 9.5 during the 8 AM–9 AM window. Plan around it.

5-day→
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MAYBEMaybe
5.4/ 10 · Fair

Best time to ride

10 PM–11 PM

Next 12 hours

Could be okay if you're nearby.

  • Tide window opening

Conditions

Wave

2.4 ft→

Sweet spot 2.5–8 ft

Period

13s→

Sweet spot 12–18 s

NESW

Wind

5 mph SW→

Onshore

Tide

Next · Low 05:39 AM

Session plan

Maybe

Could be okay if you're nearby.

Pavones, Costa Rica · Beginner-friendly
MAYBE

Peak window

10 PM–11 PM

Avg score 8.5/10

Why this score

Wind is affecting shape.
Wave height2.4 ft
Swell period13s
WindOnshore 5 mph

Current: 2.4 ft @ 13s • 5 mph wind. wave height is okay but not doing the heavy lifting period has some energy but isn't classic groundswell light wind is keeping things clean wind direction is fighting the banks and shape

Next 12 hours

Peak window 10 PM–11 PM
Today's read·Auto-generated from the forecast

Mixed conditions — 2.4 ft with onshore winds. If you go, 10 PM–11 PM looks the cleanest stretch.

7 PM
5.42.4ft
8 PM
5.42.4ft
9 PM
7.92.5ft
10 PM
8.52.5ft
11 PM
8.52.5ft
12 AM
8.52.5ft
1 AM
9.02.5ft
2 AM
9.02.5ft
3 AM
9.02.5ft
4 AM
9.02.5ft
5 AM
9.92.6ft
6 AM
9.92.6ft

↑ Sunrise 11:22 AM↓ Sunset 11:55 PM

Next 5 days

Best window

Best this week

9.5/10

Sunday, Jul 19 • 8 AM–9 AM

Wave 2.6 ft
Period 13s
Wind max 7 mph
Temp 79–83°F
Saturday, Jul 18
8.5 / 10
Best: 6 PM–7 PM
Wave: 2.5 ft
Period: 13s
Wind max: 6 mph
Sunday, Jul 19
9.5 / 10
Best: 8 AM–9 AM
Wave: 2.6 ft
Period: 13s
Wind max: 7 mph
Monday, Jul 20
8.8 / 10
Best: 6 PM–7 PM
Wave: 2.5 ft
Period: 12s
Wind max: 6 mph
Tuesday, Jul 21
7.0 / 10
Best: 8 AM–9 AM
Wave: 2.4 ft
Period: 12s
Wind max: 6 mph
Wednesday, Jul 22
8.0 / 10
Best: 8 AM–9 AM
Wave: 2.1 ft
Period: 12s
Wind max: 3 mph
DayBest windowScoreWavePeriodWind maxTemp
Saturday, Jul 186 PM–7 PM8.52.5 ft13s6 mph78–83°F
Sunday, Jul 198 AM–9 AM9.52.6 ft13s7 mph79–83°F
Monday, Jul 206 PM–7 PM8.82.5 ft12s6 mph76–81°F
Tuesday, Jul 218 AM–9 AM7.02.4 ft12s6 mph79–82°F
Wednesday, Jul 228 AM–9 AM8.02.1 ft12s3 mph79–81°F
Spot intelWetsuit, hazards & notes
Good for beginners today

Beginner basics

Where to go

Pavones is a long, point-break wave that demands paddling fitness and reef awareness. The inside section past the river mouth is the mellowest, but it's still a rocky pointbreak.

What to avoid

The main outside takeoff has rocks and locals who paddled an hour for the wave — don't drop in or sit on the peak. Strong currents push you down the point fast.

Best beginner conditions

Wait for a small day (waist-high SW swell, sub-3 ft) with light E wind on a mid-incoming tide. Better still, learn first at Playa Hermosa or Dominical's beach breaks before tackling Pavones.

New to surfing? Read the beginner guide →

Wetsuit

Wetsuit

Summer setup

Season-based baseline. Water temp varies week to week.

Full guide

Boardshorts / Bikini

Or 2mm top on windy mornings

2mm Springsuit / Shorty

If you get cold easily

Spot notes

How this break works

Wave type
Long left-hand point break — one of the longest in the world
Best swell
S–SW (April–October peak)
Best wind
E–NE (offshore)
Best tide
Mid — best on incoming

Hazards

  • · Rocks at the takeoff
  • · Strong current
  • · Crowded on big days

Crowd

Medium — remote location filters it

Respect the lineup — etiquette.

Nearby breaks

Other spots within reach

If this one's flat — or just too crowded — these are the closest options worth checking.

1072 mi

Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Heavy beach break barrel — 'Mexican Pipeline'

Check forecast→

1140 mi

Chicama, Peru

World's longest left point break — multiple sections

Check forecast→

1357 mi

Sebastian Inlet, FL

Famous inlet jetty + sandbar (First Peak)

Check forecast→

1387 mi

Cocoa Beach, FL

Soft beach break + pier

Check forecast→

SurfSeerCoastal intelligence for surfers.