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

Today11

Firing

1.4mSW@13s

6km/h

1.4m@13s

6km/h

Mon12

Firing

1.5mSW@14s

8km/h

1.5m@14s

8km/h

Tue13

Firing

1.7mSW@14s

5km/h

1.7m@14s

5km/h

Wed14

Firing

1.5mSW@13s

6km/h

1.5m@13s

6km/h

Thu15

Good

1.4mSW@12s

7km/h

1.4m@12s

7km/h

Fri16

Good

1.0mSW@17s

7km/h

1.0m@17s

7km/h

Sat17

Good

1.3mSW@15s

10km/h

1.3m@15s

10km/h

Sun18

Good

1.5mSW@14s

7km/h

1.5m@14s

7km/h

Mon19

Good

1.4mSW@14s

9km/h

1.4m@14s

9km/h

Tue20

Firing

1.3mSW@13s

6km/h

1.3m@13s

6km/h

5+ days out, less certain

View 2-year historical scores →

Today's Conditions

Find Flights

Best session: AfternoonAM 9 km/h · PM 5 km/h · Tide at 2pm (2.3m)

Swell

1.4m

SW(234°)

Score: 20/25

Period

13s

Medium period swell

Score: 23/25

Wind

6km/h

N(355°)

Score: 18/25

Weather

27°C

0.7mm98%

First light 5:01amSunrise 5:31amSunset 5:28pmLast light 5:58pm

Secondary0.8mConfidence

100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell

Wind

Showing forecast for today

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 5:01–7:14am · droppingStrike window: 9:51am–12:23pm · risingStrike window: 4:55–5:58pm · droppingIdeal 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°

27°

30°

27°

26°

25°

28°

27°

25°

24°

28°

29°

27°

25°

29°

30°

26°

24°

29°

26°

25°

29°

30°

29°

26°

24°

26°

28°

27°

26°

24°

27°

29°

28°

25°

26°

27°

26°

25°

24°

26°

28°

27°

26°

2m1.0

sec

13s

14s

13s

12s

13s

12s

11s

17s

16s

15s

14s

13s

swell

windkm/h

10g19

9g22

7g27

4g22

7g13

8g14

6g16

11g27

10g23

6g14

3g6

3g13

7g21

8g25

3g5

5g13

6g18

9g24

5g18

8g14

10g18

3g19

11g27

8g28

8g22

9g16

7g20

13g31

4g31

4g14

10g18

7g27

16g35

11g41

1g43

9g14

4g21

12g28

5g32

6g32

7g11

7g22

13g34

10g36

5g34

8g14

5g20

10g26

7g29

2g29

tidem

2:13am2.5m

8:32am0.0m

2:36pm2.3m

8:40pm0.1m

2:52am2.4m

9:11am0.0m

3:15pm2.3m

9:19pm0.1m

3:30am2.4m

9:50am0.0m

3:55pm2.2m

9:57pm0.2m

4:06am2.3m

10:25am0.1m

4:30pm2.0m

4:43am2.1m

11:02am0.1m

5:10pm1.9m

5:24am2.0m

11:44am0.3m

5:53pm1.8m

6:05am1.9m

12:26pm0.5m

6:41pm1.8m

12:38am0.7m

6:52am1.9m

1:20pm0.6m

7:34pm1.7m

1:35am0.8m

7:48am1.8m

2:16pm0.6m

8:35pm1.7m

2:50am0.8m

8:55am1.7m

3:25pm0.6m

Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

2:13 am

High tide - 2.46m

8:32 am

Low tide - 0.03m

2:36 pm

High tide - 2.27m

8:40 pm

Low tide - 0.12m

Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

Firing

Components

Swell Direction22/25

Swell Size20/25

Swell Period23/25

Wind18/25

Raw Score83/100

Adjustments

🌊 Tide+1

💨 Gusty Wind-3

Adjusted Score81/100

Confidence

Multiplier×1.00

Final Score81

🌊 Partly in the tide window

Plan Your Strike

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

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Location & Conditions

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Swell

Wind

Showing forecast for today

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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 tide is best at Playa Avellanas?

The Playa Avellanas profile favors mid tide, ideally between 0.3m and 1.6m on the local tide chart. Compare this preference with the forecast tide and local conditions before choosing a session.

What wind direction is offshore at Playa Avellanas?

The Playa Avellanas profile uses wind from E (90°) as its preferred direction, with an offshore range of 45° to 135°. Wind speed matters too: light winds outside that range can still produce surfable conditions, while strong offshore winds can make takeoffs difficult.

What swell size and direction work best at Playa Avellanas?

The Playa Avellanas scoring profile favors swell from SW (200° to 270°), a swell-height range of 0.8m to 2.5m, and a reference period of 14s. These are model inputs, not guaranteed breaking-wave heights or a promise that the surf will suit every ability.