Beach

both

Level 5/10

Playa Avellanas

Guanacaste, Costa Rica

🌀Strong rips

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Playa Avellanas is Tamarindo's cooler cousin—a quality beach break famous for Lola's restaurant and the curious spectacle of pigs wandering the beach. The wave is a noticeable step up from Tamarindo's beginner-friendly peaks, with more power and better shape that attracts intermediate surfers seeking progression without the crowds. The dirt road access filters out day-trippers, preserving a more authentic vibe than the tourist strip. When larger swells arrive, "Little Hawaii" (the main peak) produces genuinely impressive waves that have hosted professional contests.

Playa Avellanas surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast

Today3

Firing

1.8mSW@13s

7km/h

1.8m@13s

7km/h

Wed4

Good

1.2mSW@13s

9km/h

1.2m@13s

9km/h

Thu5

Firing

1.2mSW@14s

5km/h

1.2m@14s

5km/h

Fri6

Good

1.1mSW@13s

11km/h

1.1m@13s

11km/h

Sat7

Fair

0.9mSSW@13s

13km/h

0.9m@13s

13km/h

Sun8

Good

0.8mSW@14s

4km/h

0.8m@14s

4km/h

Mon9

Fair

1.0mS@13s

9km/h

1.0m@13s

9km/h

Tue10

Fair

1.0mS@11s

11km/h

1.0m@11s

11km/h

Wed11

Fair

0.9mS@10s

10km/h

0.9m@10s

10km/h

Thu12

Good

0.9mS@15s

5km/h

0.9m@15s

5km/h

Groomed 5+ days out, less certain

View 2-year historical scores →

Today's ConditionsToday's Conditions

Find Flights

Best session: AfternoonAM 9 km/h · PM 4 km/h · Tide at 3pm (0.4m)

Swell

1.8m

SW(227°)

Score: 25/25

Period

13s

Mid-period swell

Score: 23/25

Wind

7km/h

SE(142°)

Score: 20/25

Weather

25°C

1.5mm100%

First light 5:04amSunrise 5:34amSunset 5:19pmLast light 5:49pm

Windswell

—

Secondary

0.2m

Confidence

100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.8m @13s SW in window

Wind7 km/h SE cross-shore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 5:04–7:06am · risingStrike window: 10:20am–5:49pm · through lowIdeal tide: 0.3–1.6m

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

24°

26°

25°

26°

25°

24°

28°

26°

25°

24°

29°

26°

25°

24°

27°

26°

25°

24°

25°

26°

25°

24°

28°

27°

28°

26°

24°

29°

32°

30°

28°

26°

30°

32°

30°

27°

25°

29°

33°

30°

26°

25°

29°

32°

30°

26°

2m1.0

sec

13s

12s

13s

12s

17s

13s

14s

15s

14s

13s

14s

15s

13s

12s

11s

10s

15s

10s

swell

windkm/h

10g11

9g21

5g21

1g11

7g17

4g7

4g19

13g38

8g25

6g23

5g14

2g12

4g13

8g15

9g19

3g10

9g20

13g28

14g30

11g25

10g23

14g26

14g32

14g34

12g28

3g25

1g15

6g23

6g18

9g14

12g27

7g32

9g35

8g29

13g25

15g33

15g41

7g42

4g39

8g17

12g30

16g42

8g41

3g35

8g13

7g24

5g34

3g35

5g30

tidem

2:33am0.4m

8:45am1.8m

3:03pm0.4m

9:26pm1.9m

3:48am0.4m

10:00am1.8m

4:11pm0.4m

4:57am0.3m

11:06am1.8m

5:12pm0.3m

5:54am0.2m

12:04pm1.9m

6:02pm0.3m

6:44am0.1m

12:55pm2.0m

6:51pm0.2m

1:05am2.2m

7:27am0.1m

1:37pm2.0m

7:37pm0.2m

1:46am2.2m

8:07am0.0m

2:17pm2.0m

8:17pm0.2m

2:25am2.2m

8:47am0.0m

2:56pm2.0m

8:55pm0.2m

3:02am2.3m

9:25am0.1m

3:32pm2.0m

9:32pm0.3m

3:42am2.2m

10:02am0.1m

4:09pm2.0m

Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

2:33 am

Low · 0.42m

8:45 am

High · 1.84m

3:03 pm

Low · 0.37m

9:26 pm

High · 1.95m

Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

Firing

Components

Swell Direction23/25

Swell Size25/25

Swell Period23/25

Wind20/25

Raw Score91/100

Adjustments

🌊 Tide+5

💨 Gusty Wind-3

Adjusted Score89.27/100

Confidence

Multiplier×1.00

Final Score89

🌊 Optimal tide window

Plan Your Strike

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

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Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.8m @13s SW in window

Wind7 km/h SE cross-shore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

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Spot Details

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction: SW (230°)
Direction range: 200° - 270°
Size range: 0.8m - 2.5m
Ideal size: 1.6m - 2.1m
Height multiplier: 0.97×
Ideal period: 14s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction: E (90°)
Offshore range: 45° - 135°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide: mid
Optimal range: 0.3m - 1.6m

Water temp

28°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Difficulty

5/10

Crowd level

5/10

Access: Dirt road from main highway. Famous Lola's beach bar.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of wave is Playa Avellanas?

Playa Avellanas is a beach break in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, with peaks that run both left and right.

What swell works best at Playa Avellanas?

Playa Avellanas picks up swell from the SSW round to the W, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the SW. It starts working at around 0.8m and handles up to about 2.5m, with the sweet spot around 1.6 to 2.1m. Period matters too: aim for 14s or longer, as anything under 10s tends to be weak. These are the numbers our scoring uses, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.

What wind is offshore at Playa Avellanas?

An E wind is dead offshore at Playa Avellanas, and anything from the NE round to the SE keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 5am to 10am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.

What tide is best at Playa Avellanas?

Playa Avellanas is at its best around mid tide, roughly 0.3m to 1.6m on the local chart.

When is the best time of year to surf Playa Avellanas?

The most reliable run of swell at Playa Avellanas comes Apr to Oct. There's a second window in Nov to Mar too. Year-round. Bigger swells in rainy season.

How cold is the water at Playa Avellanas?

The water at Playa Avellanas averages around 28°C, so boardshorts or a rashguard will do. It shifts a few degrees through the year, so check the season before you pack.

Is Playa Avellanas good for beginners?

It's more of an intermediate wave, rated 5/10 for difficulty, so newer surfers are best off sticking to the smaller days. Expect a moderate crowd (5/10) when it's on. Moderate rips. Less crowded than Tamarindo.

How do I get to Playa Avellanas?

The nearest airport on our list is LIR, then it's roughly a 1.5-hour drive. Dirt road from main highway. Famous Lola's beach bar.

What other surf spots are near Playa Avellanas?

The closest breaks we track are Playa Negra (4.1 km), Tamarindo (17 km) and Playa Grande (20 km), handy when Playa Avellanas isn't working. We track 6 spots around Guanacaste in total.