Playitas • Surf Spot Statistics

Best Surf Season (December - April)

The dry season is the prime window at Playitas. With the North Pacific high and strong Central American trade winds in place, offshore N, NNE, NE and ENE flow becomes much more frequent, grooming the persistent SSW/SW groundswell into clean, hollow peaks. Average periods run 12-14 seconds and the most common waves are 2-5ft (0.5-1.5m), with March and April pushing into the 3-6ft (1-1.8m) range. This is when Playitas is at its most user-friendly and photogenic.

Fair Surf Season (May - October)

As the Intertropical Convergence Zone drifts north, Costa Rica enters the green season. Southern Hemisphere winter storms send longer period, larger southwest swell into the coast - average heights climb to 1.3-1.4m (4-5ft) and 5-6ft (1.5-1.8m) sets become common. However, the same tropical setup brings onshore S, SSW and SW winds and daily rains, so the surf is more challenging. Look for early morning offshore windows and predawn incoming tides to score the best waves.

Low Surf Season (November)

November is the stingiest month for consistency, with the lowest percentage of ideal wind (15 percent) and average swell height dropping to 1.2m (4ft). The transition between wet and dry seasons can leave the ocean messy, wind-affected and disorganized. It is not flat, but it requires patience and picking the days when a north wind and a late-season SSW pulse align.