Beach

both

Level 3/10

Montanita Beach

Guayas, Ecuador

👥Crowded🌀Strong rips

YouTubeWatch on YouTube CustomizeCustomize this spot

Montanita Beach is the beginner-friendly beach break in front of the famous surf town. At high tide, mellow waves offer perfect learning conditions, while numerous surf schools line the sand.

Montanita Beach surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast

Today4

Fair

1.0mSW@13s

8km/h

1.0m@13s

8km/h

Thu5

Fair

1.1mSW@15s

7km/h

1.1m@15s

7km/h

Fri6

Fair

1.0mSW@14s

6km/h

1.0m@14s

6km/h

Sat7

Fair

0.8mSW@14s

8km/h

0.8m@14s

8km/h

Sun8

Fair

1.0mSW@16s

9km/h

1.0m@16s

9km/h

Mon9

Fair

0.9mSW@15s

7km/h

0.9m@15s

7km/h

Tue10

Fair

0.8mSW@14s

7km/h

0.8m@14s

7km/h

Wed11

Poor

0.7mSW@14s

7km/h

0.7m@14s

7km/h

Thu12

Fair

1.0mSW@16s

5km/h

1.0m@16s

5km/h

Fri13

Fair

1.0mSW@15s

6km/h

1.0m@15s

6km/h

5+ days out, less certain

View 2-year historical scores →

Today's ConditionsToday's Conditions

Find Flights

Best session: MorningAM 3 km/h · PM 11 km/h

Swell

1.0m

SW(216°)

Score: 14/25

Period

13s

Mid-period swell

Score: 23/25

Wind

8km/h

NW(306°)

Score: 13/25

Weather

26°C

1.0mm86%

First light 5:30amSunrise 6:00amSunset 6:11pmLast light 6:41pm

Windswell

—

Secondary

0.6m

Confidence

100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.0m @13s SW outside window

Wind8 km/h NW onshore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 5:30–10:38am · through lowStrike window: 1:40–6:00pm · droppingIdeal 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

24°

28°

27°

25°

24°

25°

27°

26°

23°

27°

26°

28°

26°

23°

27°

28°

27°

24°

28°

30°

28°

27°

24°

27°

29°

28°

26°

25°

26°

27°

24°

26°

29°

27°

24°

25°

27°

28°

27°

25°

26°

28°

26°

2m1.0

sec

13s

15s

14s

16s

15s

14s

16s

15s

swell

windkm/h

2g7

4g13

10g26

14g30

7g19

7g12

5g15

5g14

13g30

4g16

4g7

4g15

3g14

10g24

5g17

7g18

8g21

7g27

10g28

5g23

5g9

6g17

12g28

14g32

9g30

1g9

6g19

11g28

10g30

5g32

3g9

5g17

11g28

9g32

3g30

6g9

1g16

11g27

12g33

5g34

4g13

0g17

7g23

8g26

3g25

4g13

2g16

8g21

9g24

5g26

tidem

6:01am0.4m

12:09pm1.7m

6:16pm0.4m

12:37am1.9m

7:02am0.3m

1:13pm1.8m

7:16pm0.3m

1:31am2.0m

7:52am0.2m

2:05pm1.9m

8:07pm0.3m

2:15am2.0m

8:36am0.1m

2:50pm2.0m

8:50pm0.3m

2:55am2.1m

9:14am0.0m

3:30pm2.0m

9:30pm0.3m

3:32am2.1m

9:50am0.0m

4:07pm2.0m

10:06pm0.3m

4:06am2.0m

10:24am0.0m

4:43pm2.0m

10:42pm0.3m

4:40am2.0m

10:58am0.0m

5:18pm2.0m

11:19pm0.4m

5:14am1.9m

11:32am0.1m

5:54pm1.9m

5:50am1.8m

12:07pm0.2m

6:32pm1.9m

Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

6:01 am

Low · 0.42m

12:09 pm

High · 1.68m

6:16 pm

Low · 0.39m

Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

Fair

Components

Swell Direction2/25

Swell Size14/25

Swell Period23/25

Wind13/25

Raw Score52/100

Adjustments

🌊 Tide+5

💨 Gusty Wind-4

⚠️ Weak Component-5

Adjusted Score48/100

Confidence

Multiplier×1.00

Final Score48

🌊 Optimal tide window

Plan Your Strike

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

Search Flights on Skyscanner

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.0m @13s SW outside window

Wind8 km/h NW onshore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

See where's firing right nowToday's best waves worldwide, scored live

Free Strike Report

Know when South America is about to fire

Get the best strike windows in South America — and worldwide — in your inbox every Monday & Thursday. Live Strike Scores, the swell behind them, zero fluff.

¿Prefieres español? Recibe el Strike Report en español, gratis →

For real surf travel

Get the full Montanita Beach trip window

Pro unlocks the 10-day forecast window, unlimited alerts, and custom spot tracking that help turn a good-looking surf report into a better travel decision.

See Pro Pricing Track Montanita Beach free

10-day window

See the trip window before flights get expensive.

Unlimited alerts

Let the app watch your score threshold for you.

Custom spots

Track the breaks that actually matter to your travel plans.

Spot Details

CustomizeCustomize this spot

Swell Requirements

Optimal direction: W (270°)
Direction range: 225° - 315°
Size range: 0.9m - 1.8m
Ideal size: 1.3m - 1.6m
Height multiplier: 1.00×
Ideal period: 14s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction: ENE (67°)
Offshore range: 45° - 90°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide: high
Optimal range: 0.4m - 1.5m

Water temp

25°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Difficulty

3/10

Crowd level

8/10

Access: Main beach in front of town.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of wave is Montanita Beach?

Montanita Beach is a beach break in Guayas, Ecuador, with peaks that run both left and right.

What swell works best at Montanita Beach?

Montanita Beach picks up swell from the SW round to the NW, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the W. It starts working at around 0.9m and handles up to about 1.8m, with the sweet spot around 1.3 to 1.6m. 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 Montanita Beach?

An ENE wind is dead offshore at Montanita Beach, and anything from the NE round to the E keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 6am to 11am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.

What tide is best at Montanita Beach?

Montanita Beach is at its best around high tide, roughly 0.4m to 1.5m on the local chart.

When is the best time of year to surf Montanita Beach?

The most reliable run of swell at Montanita Beach comes Dec to May. There's a second window in Jun to Nov too. Year-round. Better at high tide.

How cold is the water at Montanita Beach?

The water at Montanita Beach averages around 25°C, so boardshorts or a rashguard will do. It shifts a few degrees through the year, so check the season before you pack.

Is Montanita Beach good for beginners?

Yes, it's one of the friendlier waves around, rated 3/10 for difficulty. It gets busy (crowd 8/10), so mind the pecking order. Very crowded. Beginner zone.

How do I get to Montanita Beach?

The nearest airport on our list is GYE, then it's roughly a 3-hour drive. Main beach in front of town.

What other surf spots are near Montanita Beach?

The closest breaks we track are Montanita La Punta (0.4 km), Montañita (0.9 km) and La Rinconada (2.5 km), handy when Montanita Beach isn't working. We track 6 spots around Guayas in total.