Beach

both

Level 4/10

Playa Maderas

San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

🌀Strong rips

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Playa Maderas is Nicaragua's most beloved intermediate wave—a fun beach break near San Juan del Sur that has become the heart of the country's growing surf scene. The wave offers consistent left and right peaks that work for all skill levels, from beginners finding their feet to experienced surfers looking for playful sessions. The vibe here is pure Central American warmth: sunset sessions, beachfront bars, and a community of international travelers who've discovered Nicaragua's incredible value proposition. When the southwest swells pump from April through October, Maderas delivers daily surfable conditions at a fraction of Costa Rica's prices.

Playa Maderas surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast

Today3

Good

1.3mSW@15s

9km/h

1.3m@15s

9km/h

Wed4

Good

1.1mSW@15s

8km/h

1.1m@15s

8km/h

Thu5

Fair

1.1mSW@15s

8km/h

1.1m@15s

8km/h

Fri6

Good

1.1mSW@15s

6km/h

1.1m@15s

6km/h

Sat7

Fair

1.0mSW@12s

9km/h

1.0m@12s

9km/h

Sun8

Good

1.7mWSW@13s

11km/h

1.7m@13s

11km/h

Mon9

Fair

1.0mW@13s

20km/h

1.0m@13s

20km/h

Tue10

Poor

0.6mSW@15s

25km/h

0.6m@15s

25km/h

Wed11

Poor

0.6mSW@15s

22km/h

0.6m@15s

22km/h

Thu12

Poor

0.6mSW@15s

19km/h

0.6m@15s

19km/h

Groomed 5+ days out, less certain

View 2-year historical scores →

Today's ConditionsToday's Conditions

Find Flights

Best session: MorningAM 13 km/h · PM 6 km/h

Swell

1.3m

SW(222°)

Score: 19/25

Period

15s

Groundswell

Score: 25/25

Wind

9km/h

SSE(161°)

Score: 12/25

Weather

26°C

1.1mm99%

First light 5:06amSunrise 5:36amSunset 5:18pmLast light 5:48pm

Windswell

—

Secondary

0.2m

Confidence

100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.3m @15s SW in window

Wind9 km/h SSE onshore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 5:06–6:45am · risingStrike window: 10:43am–5:48pm · 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

26°

30°

27°

25°

26°

29°

26°

25°

24°

26°

29°

27°

26°

25°

26°

24°

25°

27°

25°

23°

27°

29°

26°

25°

28°

29°

28°

26°

28°

30°

28°

26°

25°

27°

29°

28°

27°

26°

28°

30°

29°

27°

2m1.0

sec

15s

12s

13s

15s

swell

windkm/h

12g25

15g35

6g29

7g21

5g12

2g5

3g15

13g31

14g29

11g18

4g7

4g12

10g26

13g30

7g15

2g4

3g17

7g25

9g20

8g19

10g21

13g27

8g31

3g26

9g20

10g24

15g34

13g35

8g30

5g19

16g32

24g50

21g52

18g49

17g46

23g49

26g57

29g65

24g66

19g62

20g42

24g53

27g63

22g62

16g56

15g33

20g43

23g52

20g53

16g50

tidem

2:33am0.4m

8:44am1.8m

3:03pm0.4m

9:26pm1.9m

3:48am0.4m

9:58am1.8m

4:12pm0.3m

4:57am0.3m

11:06am1.8m

5:12pm0.3m

5:55am0.2m

12:04pm1.9m

6:02pm0.3m

6:45am0.1m

12:55pm1.9m

6:52pm0.2m

1:06am2.2m

7:27am0.1m

1:37pm2.0m

7:37pm0.2m

1:47am2.2m

8:10am0.1m

2:17pm2.0m

8:18pm0.2m

2:27am2.2m

8:51am0.0m

2:57pm2.0m

8:57pm0.2m

3:06am2.2m

9:30am0.1m

3:35pm2.0m

9:35pm0.3m

3:40am2.2m

10:06am0.1m

4:11pm2.0m

Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

2:33 am

Low · 0.41m

8:44 am

High · 1.84m

3:03 pm

Low · 0.38m

9:26 pm

High · 1.94m

Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

Good

Components

Swell Direction17/25

Swell Size19/25

Swell Period25/25

Wind12/25

Raw Score73/100

Adjustments

🌊 Tide+1

💨 Gusty Wind-5

Adjusted Score69/100

Confidence

Multiplier×1.00

Final Score69

🌊 Partly in the tide window

Plan Your Strike

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

Search Flights on Skyscanner

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.3m @15s SW in window

Wind9 km/h SSE 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 (210°)
Direction range: 180° - 250°
Size range: 0.8m - 2.5m
Ideal size: 1.6m - 2.1m
Height multiplier: 0.92×
Ideal period: 14s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction: NE (45°)
Offshore range: 0° - 90°

Tide Requirements

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

Water temp

28°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Difficulty

4/10

Crowd level

5/10

Access: Near San Juan del Sur. Easy beach access.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of wave is Playa Maderas?

Playa Maderas is a beach break in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, with peaks that run both left and right.

What swell works best at Playa Maderas?

Playa Maderas picks up swell from the S round to the WSW, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the SSW. 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 Maderas?

A NE wind is dead offshore at Playa Maderas, and anything from the N round to the E 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 Maderas?

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

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

The most reliable run of swell at Playa Maderas comes Apr to Oct. There's a second window in Mar and Nov too. SW swell season April-October. Consistent beach break.

How cold is the water at Playa Maderas?

The water at Playa Maderas 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 Maderas good for beginners?

It's more of an intermediate wave, rated 4/10 for difficulty, so newer surfers are best off sticking to the smaller days. Expect a moderate crowd (5/10) when it's on. Strong rips on bigger swells. Otherwise beginner friendly.

How do I get to Playa Maderas?

The nearest airport on our list is MGA, then it's roughly a 2-hour drive. Near San Juan del Sur. Easy beach access.

What other surf spots are near Playa Maderas?

The closest breaks we track are Playa Remanso (11 km), Playa Hermosa Nicaragua (15 km) and Manzanillo (17 km), handy when Playa Maderas isn't working. We track 4 spots around San Juan del Sur in total. Fun fact: it's the third most southerly break we track in Nicaragua.

Best Season

Peak: Apr-Oct

Secondary: Nov, Mar

SW swell season April-October. Consistent beach break.

Getting There

Airport

MGA

Drive time

130 min

Data quality

verified

🤙 Strike Specialist

The Strike Specialist in Nicaragua is Sea Nicaragua Travel. Get in touch with them for the best chance of scoring the best waves in Nicaragua — and don't forget to tell 'em Barrel D sent ya.

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