Reef
both
Level 4/10

Las Gatas (Zihuatanejo)

Zihuatanejo, Mexico
🪸Sharp reef

Las Gatas is a protected reef break in Zihuatanejo Bay that offers mellow, fun waves in a beautiful setting. The wave is forgiving and accessible, making it a good option for intermediate surfers visiting the charming fishing town of Zihuatanejo.

Las Gatas (Zihuatanejo) surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast
Today19
80
Firing
1.2m@14s
8km/h
Sun20
82
Firing
1.1m@13s
7km/h
Mon21
54
Fair
1.6m@10s
11km/h
Tue22
19
Poor
2.4m@10s
12km/h
Wed23
13
Poor
3.6m@12s
20km/h
Thu24
44
Poor
2.9m@12s
13km/h
Fri25
62
Fair
2.4m@13s
3km/h
Sat26
54
Fair
2.9m@14s
4km/h
Sun27
45
Fair
3.1m@14s
9km/h
Mon28
50
Fair
2.4m@13s
7km/h
5+ days out, less certain

Today's Conditions

Find Flights
Best session: MorningAM 7 km/h · PM 7 km/h · Tide at 8am (0.7m)
Swell
1.2m
SSW(195°)
Score: 25/25
Period
14s
Long period groundswell
Score: 25/25
Wind
8km/h
S(187°)
Score: 13/25
Weather
29°C
0.1mm80%
First light 6:04amSunrise 6:34amSunset 6:44pmLast light 7:14pm
Secondary0.2mConfidence
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: 11:36am–7:14pm · through lowIdeal tide: mid
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
27°
29°
31°
31°
29°
26°
29°
32°
32°
29°
25°
27°
32°
31°
26°
24°
28°
32°
30°
29°
25°
25°
26°
25°
26°
25°
28°
29°
30°
29°
25°
28°
31°
29°
27°
25°
27°
29°
28°
27°
25°
26°
28°
27°
26°
25°
25°
25°
25°
24°
4m2.0
sec
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
10s
10s
10s
10s
10s
10s
10s
10s
10s
10s
12s
12s
12s
12s
12s
12s
12s
12s
12s
12s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
swell
windkm/h
5g8
9g24
8g26
11g28
4g19
4g13
2g13
10g31
14g37
2g17
4g6
4g15
11g29
20g45
12g28
7g20
6g17
20g44
19g46
12g30
9g24
14g22
25g46
23g58
27g56
16g32
8g29
18g44
15g43
10g35
5g10
3g15
3g19
2g21
5g21
3g9
4g15
7g22
1g24
6g23
2g11
8g21
13g31
11g32
10g30
1g15
3g17
7g21
10g26
13g29
tidem
1:06am0.0m
8:18am0.7m
2:30pm0.3m
7:00pm0.5m
1:21am0.0m
8:30am0.7m
2:30pm0.3m
7:06pm0.5m
1:38am0.0m
8:40am0.7m
2:30pm0.3m
7:30pm0.5m
1:55am0.1m
8:54am0.6m
2:42pm0.3m
7:30pm0.5m
2:04am0.1m
9:00am0.6m
2:50pm0.3m
7:30pm0.5m
2:30am0.0m
8:54am0.5m
2:30pm0.2m
8:00pm0.5m
2:30am0.1m
8:30am0.5m
2:42pm0.1m
8:18pm0.4m
2:42am0.1m
8:30am0.4m
2:45pm0.1m
8:50pm0.4m
2:30am0.2m
8:30am0.4m
2:54pm0.1m
9:30pm0.4m
1:30am0.4m
7:30am0.5m
3:10pm0.2m
Ideal tide (from tide preference)Strike windowNight

Tide times today

1:06 am
Low tide - 0.03m
8:18 am
High tide - 0.69m
2:30 pm
Low tide - 0.30m
7:00 pm
High tide - 0.45m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

80
Firing
Components
Swell Direction21/25
Swell Size25/25
Swell Period25/25
Wind13/25
Raw Score84/100
Adjustments
💨 Gusty Wind-4
Adjusted Score80/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score80

Plan Your Strike

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

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction
SSW (200°)
Direction range
180° - 220°
Size range
0.6m - 1.8m
Ideal size
1.1m - 1.5m
Height multiplier
0.90×
Ideal period
13s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction
NNE (22°)
Offshore range
0° - 45°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide
mid

Water temp

28°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Difficulty

4/10

Crowd level

4/10

Access: Zihuatanejo Bay. Boat or water taxi common.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tide is best at Las Gatas (Zihuatanejo)?

The Las Gatas (Zihuatanejo) profile favors mid tide. Compare this preference with the forecast tide and local conditions before choosing a session.

What wind direction is offshore at Las Gatas (Zihuatanejo)?

The Las Gatas (Zihuatanejo) profile uses wind from NNE (22°) as its preferred direction, with an offshore range of 0° to 45°. 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 Las Gatas (Zihuatanejo)?

The Las Gatas (Zihuatanejo) scoring profile favors swell from SSW (180° to 220°), a swell-height range of 0.6m to 1.8m, and a reference period of 13s. These are model inputs, not guaranteed breaking-wave heights or a promise that the surf will suit every ability.

When is the best time of year to surf Las Gatas (Zihuatanejo)?

The main season at Las Gatas (Zihuatanejo) is May-Oct. A secondary window runs Apr, Nov. Summer swells. Protected bay.

How do I get to Las Gatas (Zihuatanejo)?

The spot profile lists ZIH as a nearby airport. The estimated road transfer is 15 minutes. Zihuatanejo Bay. Boat or water taxi common.

What kind of wave is Las Gatas (Zihuatanejo)?

Las Gatas (Zihuatanejo) is a reef break, a peak with lefts and rights. Difficulty is rated 4/10.

Best Season

Peak: May-Oct

Secondary: Apr, Nov

Summer swells. Protected bay.

Getting There

Airport
ZIH
Drive time
15 min
Data quality
verified

Strike Log

Community Discussion