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Central America

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Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean offer varied waves, warm water and relatively cheap accommodations, so it’s no surprise that this region is also popular with surfers.

The Pacific Coast of Mexico is really two coasts — Baha and the Mainland. In Baha Norte, north of Punta Abreojios, the biggest waves come between October and May from storms formed near the Aluetians. In February at Todos Santos, near Ensenada, swells from arctic storms can top 20 feet. Water temps are cool in the north of Baha, generally around 16C/60F.

Baha Sur sees its best surf from June to October when Southern Hemisphere lows push swell across the Pacific and hurricane swell can drive waves far up into the Sea of Cortez. Water temps are warmer in the south too. At Cabo San Lucas on the southern tip you can trunk it all year long in water temps that bottom out around 23C/74F.

Mainland Mexico has 4000 kilometers of surf — all the way from the Guatemalan border right up to Mazatlan, where Baha begins to block the open ocean swell. Peak season is June through October with beachbreaks like Puerto Escondido holding up to 8-meter waves, but waves can be had all year. Best of all you don’t really need wetsuit surfing Mainland Mexico. Although a vest might help keep the chill off on the coolest winter days. Water temperatures bottom out around 26C/79F.

The main swell season for the Pacific coast of Central America — Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama — is May through October. Like Mexico, this coast always has some waves, they’re just a lot bigger in the Northern Hemisphere summer. Summer also brings light onshore winds in the afternoon and rain. Winter is typically dry with ENE winds.

North of Nicaragua, the Caribbean coast of Central America is blocked by the large islands to the east and therefore inconsistent for surf. The Caribbean coast of Nicaragua (the Miskito Coast) is buffeted by onshore winds most of the year and has a high incidence of malaria and dengue fever.

In Central America the premier surf destinations on the Caribbean side are Costa Rica and Panama. Both countries have a varied coastline with small islands offshore and lots of reefbreaks. The main season for waves here is the Northern Hemisphere winter — December through March.

Nearly all of the islands in the Caribbean have some surf on their day. Tradewinds in this region blow from the east. In the Northern Hemisphere winter the winds come from the northeast; in the summer they shift to the southeast.

The most consistent season for surf in the Caribbean is  from November through April. Hurricane season runs from June through October and can bring waves to shores that are normally flat.

The string of islands in the eastern Caribbean, from Puerto Rico in the north running down through the Windwards to Trinidad in the south, have the most consistent surf.

See More Articles on Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean

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Coastalsurvey reports on surfing destinations worldwide through first-hand accounts from people who have been there. Coastalsurvey is a tool for budget surf travelers as well as a repository for stories, pictures, maps, videos and reviews for travelers exploring the coastlines of this planet.

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