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Level 5/10

Malpais

Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica
🪨Rocks🌀Strong rips

Malpais and its more famous neighbor Santa Teresa occupy the sun-baked southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, offering a constellation of breaks that range from mellow beach break walls to punchy reef points. The main right-hand point at the southern end provides the region's most defined wave, reeling along rocky outcrops with occasional barrel sections. The area's remote location—accessible by rough roads or ferry—has cultivated a distinct bohemian surf culture. Development has arrived, but the consistent waves and spectacular sunsets continue to draw surfers seeking the quintessential Costa Rican surf village experience.

10-Day Forecast
Today5
54
Fair
1.3m@9s
7km/h
Thu6
58
Fair
1.2m@10s
6km/h
Fri7
70
Good
1.0m@15s
8km/h
Sat8
66
Good
1.3m@13s
6km/h
Sun9
60
Fair
1.2m@15s
11km/h
Mon10
66
Good
1.0m@14s
6km/h
Tue11
60
Fair
0.7m@15s
6km/h
Wed12
72
Good
0.8m@14s
6km/h
Thu13
66
Good
0.9m@14s
6km/h
Fri14
60
Fair
1.1m@17s
7km/h
5+ days out, less certain

Today's Conditions

Find Flights
Best session: MorningAM 7 km/h · PM 5 km/h · Tide at 6am (2.4m)
Swell
1.3m
SSW(195°)
Score: 14/25
Period
9s
Short period / windswell
Score: 4/25
Wind
7km/h
S(173°)
Score: 17/25
Weather
27°C
1.1mm98%
First light 5:01amSunrise 5:31amSunset 6:01pmLast light 6:31pm
Secondary0.3mConfidence
100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...
0°45°90°135°180°225°270°315°NESW
Swell
Wind
Showing forecast for today

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 9:27am–4:20pm · through lowIdeal tide: 0.4–1.5m
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
°C
25°
28°
29°
27°
25°
24°
28°
29°
28°
27°
25°
30°
30°
30°
28°
26°
29°
29°
29°
26°
25°
27°
29°
28°
27°
26°
30°
30°
30°
28°
26°
28°
30°
29°
28°
26°
28°
29°
28°
26°
25°
28°
30°
29°
27°
26°
28°
31°
30°
28°
2m1.0
sec
9s
9s
9s
9s
9s
10s
10s
10s
10s
10s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
17s
17s
17s
17s
17s
swell
windkm/h
7g13
7g19
9g27
7g27
3g13
10g18
5g16
9g25
9g25
1g8
4g7
9g23
10g27
10g25
7g17
3g12
2g13
2g34
9g27
11g25
9g15
18g37
8g41
11g29
6g27
1g8
6g18
9g32
6g24
8g17
2g11
5g19
9g27
7g28
7g27
5g18
4g21
8g24
6g26
5g26
5g10
2g17
8g23
7g27
5g27
6g12
3g20
9g28
9g31
7g28
tidem
6:27am2.4m
12:47pm0.4m
6:51pm2.1m
12:51am0.5m
7:16am2.4m
1:41pm0.5m
7:45pm2.0m
1:47am0.5m
8:12am2.3m
2:40pm0.5m
8:48pm2.0m
2:51am0.6m
9:16am2.2m
3:55pm0.5m
10:01pm1.9m
4:06am0.5m
10:30am2.2m
5:02pm0.4m
5:18am0.5m
11:38am2.3m
6:06pm0.3m
6:25am0.4m
12:44pm2.5m
7:05pm0.2m
1:21am2.4m
7:25am0.3m
1:40pm2.6m
7:59pm0.1m
2:13am2.6m
8:20am0.2m
2:31pm2.7m
8:47pm0.0m
3:01am2.7m
9:12am0.1m
3:19pm2.7m
Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

6:27 am
High tide - 2.44m
12:47 pm
Low tide - 0.39m
6:51 pm
High tide - 2.11m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

54
Fair
Components
Swell Direction21/25
Swell Size14/25
Swell Period4/25
Wind17/25
Raw Score56/100
Adjustments
🌊 Tide+1
💨 Gusty Wind-3
Adjusted Score54/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score54
🌊 Partly in the tide window

Plan Your Strike

Return flights to SJO, departing today with a 5-day trip window.

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction
SSW (200°)
Direction range
180° - 230°
Size range
0.6m - 2.5m
Ideal size
1.9m
Height multiplier
0.97×
Ideal period
14s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction
ENE (70°)
Offshore range
30° - 110°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide
mid
Optimal range
0.4m - 1.5m

Water temp

28°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Difficulty

5/10

Crowd level

5/10

Access: Drive or ferry from mainland.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tide is best at Malpais?

Malpais works best on a mid tide, ideally between 0.4m and 1.5m on the local tide chart. The tide chart above shows today’s strike window.

What wind direction is offshore at Malpais?

Offshore wind at Malpais blows from the ENE (70°). Anything in the 30° to 110° range grooms the faces; outside it, expect chop or bumpy conditions.

What swell size and direction work best at Malpais?

Malpais wants SSW swell (180° to 230°) between 0.6m and 2.5m, with a period of 14s or more for quality waves.

When is the best time of year to surf Malpais?

The main season at Malpais is Apr-Oct. A secondary window runs Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar. Year-round. Rainy season best.

How do I get to Malpais?

Fly into SJO, then allow about 180 minutes by road. Drive or ferry from mainland.

What kind of wave is Malpais?

Malpais is a point break, a right-hander. Difficulty is rated 5/10.

Best Season

Peak: Apr-Oct

Secondary: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar

Year-round. Rainy season best.

Getting There

Airport
SJO
Drive time
180 min
Data quality
community

Strike Log

Community Discussion