Surfing Mompiche Point: The Complete Guide

Mompiche Point is a point break located in Esmeraldas, Ecuador, offering a left-hander along South America's vast coastline. Mompiche is one of Ecuador's premier waves - a long, tubular left point that peels for 300+ meters on good days. Rated as advanced difficulty with lightly crowded conditions, this point break is a worthy destination for surfers looking beyond the usual suspects.

Best Conditions

Swell Direction: The ideal swell direction is WNW (292°), with workable conditions from W to NNW (270°–330°). Swells outside this window will either miss the break or produce disorganized waves.

Swell Size: Mompiche Point needs a minimum of 1.2m / 4ft to start working and handles swells up to 2.4m / 8ft before conditions deteriorate.

Swell Period: Look for a swell period of at least 12 seconds, with 16 seconds being the sweet spot. Longer periods deliver more organized, powerful waves with better shape.

Secondary Swell: Also works with SW swells when 4ft+

Wind: True offshore here blows from the SE (135°). The full offshore range spans ESE to SSE (110°–160°). Glassy conditions under 4km/h from any direction also produce excellent surf. Plan for early morning dawn patrol sessions.

Tide: This spot works best at mid to high tide. Optimal tide range is 0.4m–1.5m.

When to Go

Primary Season: The prime window at Mompiche Point runs December, January, February, March, April (Dec–Apr). This is when swell consistency and direction align most reliably with the break.

Secondary Season: A secondary window opens May, June, July, August, September, October, November (May–Nov). While not as consistent, patient surfers can still score quality sessions during this period.

Season Notes: Best December-April with NW swells. Also works with SW.

Water Temperature: Expect water temperatures around 26°C / 79°F. Boardshorts or a thin rashguard are all you need.

Getting There

The nearest airport is ESM, approximately 2 hours by road.

Access: 2hr drive from Esmeraldas. Jungle village setting.

Hazards & Tips

Known Hazards:

🪨 Rocks — Rocky entry/exit or in lineup
🌀 Strong rips — Dangerous currents

Rocky point. Strong currents on bigger swells.

Safety Tips:

Study the currents before paddling out. Know your exit strategy

Skill Level: This spot is rated advanced (6/10). Crowd Level: Typically lightly crowded (4/10).

Check the Live Forecast

Planning a session at Mompiche Point? Check the live forecast on Strike Mission to see today's conditions and the 10-day outlook. Our Strike Score algorithm rates this spot from 0 to 100 every day, factoring in swell direction, size, period, wind, and tide — so you know exactly when to paddle out.

Don't leave your next surf trip to chance. Let the data tell you when Mompiche Point is firing.

*Conditions data sourced from Strike Mission's verified spot database.*