Point

right

Level 6/10

Punta Roca

La Libertad, El Salvador

🪸Sharp reef🦔Urchins👥Crowded👊Localism

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Punta Roca is El Salvador's world-class gem—a long, peeling right-hand point break in La Libertad that has hosted WSL events and produced some of Central America's best surfers. The wave wraps around the rocky point, offering multiple sections and 200+ meter rides on the right swell. The local surf culture is strong and passionate, demanding respect in the lineup. SW swells pulse in consistently from March-October, making this one of Central America's most reliable destinations.

Punta Roca surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast

Today4

Fair

1.2mSSW@13s

6km/h

1.2m@13s

6km/h

Thu5

Fair

1.1mSW@13s

5km/h

1.1m@13s

5km/h

Fri6

Fair

1.1mSW@13s

4km/h

1.1m@13s

4km/h

Sat7

Poor

0.8mSW@12s

5km/h

0.8m@12s

5km/h

Sun8

Poor

1.1mSSE@11s

4km/h

1.1m@11s

4km/h

Mon9

Fair

1.0mS@7s

4km/h

1.0m@7s

4km/h

Tue10

Poor

0.6mS@11s

6km/h

0.6m@11s

6km/h

Wed11

Poor

0.6mSSW@11s

5km/h

0.6m@11s

5km/h

Thu12

Poor

0.6mSSW@15s

2km/h

0.6m@15s

2km/h

Fri13

Fair

0.9mSW@14s

4km/h

0.9m@14s

4km/h

5+ days out, less certain

View 2-year historical scores →

Today's ConditionsToday's Conditions

Find Flights

Best session: MorningAM 4 km/h · PM 4 km/h

Swell

1.2m

SSW(212°)

Score: 13/25

Period

13s

Mid-period swell

Score: 8/25

Wind

6km/h

SE(131°)

Score: 17/25

Weather

27°C

0.3mm93%

First light 5:22amSunrise 5:52amSunset 5:29pmLast light 5:59pm

Windswell

0.1m@1s

Secondary

0.3m

Confidence

100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.2m @13s SSW in window

Wind6 km/h SE onshore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 5:22–8:44am · risingStrike window: 11:03am–5:59pm · through lowIdeal tide: 0.3–1.5m

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°

29°

26°

25°

27°

28°

26°

24°

29°

28°

26°

22°

28°

29°

28°

26°

24°

28°

26°

25°

27°

28°

27°

23°

27°

30°

29°

27°

24°

27°

30°

29°

27°

25°

27°

30°

28°

26°

25°

28°

30°

29°

26°

2m1.0

sec

12s

11s

16s

15s

13s

12s

14s

13s

12s

11s

12s

11s

12s

13s

11s

13s

15s

14s

swell

windkm/h

4g14

5g16

8g29

6g20

2g10

0g8

3g17

7g23

1g10

1g3

2g12

9g25

4g20

1g8

2g9

3g14

9g26

6g20

5g13

1g3

3g19

5g26

7g19

3g22

1g4

2g11

9g28

5g28

0g15

4g10

3g19

8g27

7g32

3g11

2g16

6g22

7g24

7g23

2g10

2g16

5g22

2g22

3g20

1g5

4g14

8g23

6g25

3g23

tidem

3:44am0.4m

9:52am1.6m

4:08pm0.3m

10:30pm1.7m

4:53am0.3m

11:02am1.6m

5:10pm0.3m

5:54am0.2m

12:03pm1.6m

6:01pm0.2m

6:45am0.1m

12:52pm1.6m

6:50pm0.2m

1:07am1.9m

7:32am0.1m

1:39pm1.7m

7:35pm0.2m

1:49am2.0m

8:16am0.0m

2:18pm1.7m

8:16pm0.2m

2:27am1.9m

8:56am0.0m

2:58pm1.7m

9:00pm0.2m

3:08am1.9m

9:35am0.0m

3:39pm1.7m

9:35pm0.2m

3:47am1.9m

10:10am0.1m

4:15pm1.7m

10:14pm0.3m

4:23am1.9m

10:48am0.2m

Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

3:44 am

Low · 0.36m

9:52 am

High · 1.61m

4:08 pm

Low · 0.32m

10:30 pm

High · 1.74m

Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

Fair

Components

Swell Direction17/25

Swell Size13/25

Swell Period8/25

Wind17/25

Raw Score55/100

Adjustments

🌊 Tide+3

💨 Gusty Wind-3

Adjusted Score55/100

Confidence

Multiplier×1.00

Final Score55

🌊 Mostly in the tide window

Plan Your Strike

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

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Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.2m @13s SSW in window

Wind6 km/h SE onshore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

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Spot Details

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction: SSW (200°)
Direction range: 180° - 230°
Size range: 1m - 3.5m
Ideal size: 2.1m - 2.9m
Height multiplier: 0.97×
Ideal period: 16s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction: N (0°)
Offshore range: 330° - 60°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide: all
Optimal range: 0.3m - 1.5m

Water temp

28°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Difficulty

6/10

Crowd level

7/10

Access: Easy paddle from the pier.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of wave is Punta Roca?

Punta Roca is a point break in La Libertad, El Salvador, that mostly breaks right. It's on our list of the world's 100 best waves.

What's the story behind Punta Roca?

In the 1970s only a few locals surfed it, until internationally known surfers including Gerry Lopez started making regular trips. The middle section of the point breaks in front of the town cemetery.

What swell works best at Punta Roca?

Punta Roca picks up swell from the S round to the SW, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the SSW. It starts working at around 1m and handles up to about 3.5m, with the sweet spot around 2.1 to 2.9m. Period matters too: aim for 16s or longer, as anything under 12s 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 Punta Roca?

A N wind is dead offshore at Punta Roca, and anything from the NNW round to the ENE 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 Punta Roca?

Punta Roca has a preferred tide range, roughly 0.3m to 1.5m on the local chart.

When is the best time of year to surf Punta Roca?

The most reliable run of swell at Punta Roca comes Mar to Oct. There's a second window in Feb and Nov too. March-October SW swell season. Consistent year-round.

How cold is the water at Punta Roca?

The water at Punta Roca 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 Punta Roca good for beginners?

It's more of an intermediate wave, rated 6/10 for difficulty, so newer surfers are best off sticking to the smaller days. It gets busy (crowd 7/10), so mind the pecking order. Rocky reef. Strong local surf culture. Respect the lineup.

How do I get to Punta Roca?

The nearest airport on our list is SAL, then it's roughly a 35-minute drive. Easy paddle from the pier.

What other surf spots are near Punta Roca?

The closest breaks we track are La Bocana (6.3 km), Sunzal (8.2 km) and El Zonte (15 km), handy when Punta Roca isn't working. We track 5 spots around La Libertad in total.