Reef

left

Level 5/10

Punta Ballenas

Mancora, Piura, Peru

🪸Sharp reef🦈Sharks

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Punta Ballenas ("Whale Point") is a left reef break near Mancora, offering a more challenging alternative to the town wave. The name refers to the humpback whales that migrate through these waters.

Punta Ballenas surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast

Today19

Poor

0.9mSW@12s

15km/h

0.9m@12s

15km/h

Sun20

Poor

0.8mSW@13s

18km/h

0.8m@13s

18km/h

Mon21

Poor

0.8mSW@17s

22km/h

0.8m@17s

22km/h

Tue22

Poor

0.7mSW@16s

19km/h

0.7m@16s

19km/h

Wed23

Poor

0.8mSW@15s

16km/h

0.8m@15s

16km/h

Thu24

Poor

0.6mWSW@14s

18km/h

0.6m@14s

18km/h

Fri25

Poor

0.8mWSW@15s

21km/h

0.8m@15s

21km/h

Sat26

Poor

1.3mWSW@14s

18km/h

1.3m@14s

18km/h

Sun27

Poor

1.2mWSW@14s

15km/h

1.2m@14s

15km/h

Mon28

Poor

0.9mSW@13s

18km/h

0.9m@13s

18km/h

5+ days out, less certain

View 2-year historical scores →

Today's Conditions

Find Flights

Best session: MorningAM 3 km/h · PM 22 km/h · Tide at 8am (1.1m)

Swell

0.9m

SW(224°)

Score: 3/25

Period

12s

Medium period swell

Score: 6/25

Wind

15km/h

WSW(251°)

Score: 0/25

Weather

27°C

0.0mm97%

First light 5:45amSunrise 6:15amSunset 6:20pmLast light 6:50pm

Windswell0.3m@2sSecondary0.5mConfidence

100%

Location & Conditions

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Swell

Wind

Showing forecast for today

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 5:45am–6:50pm · through highIdeal 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°

29°

28°

27°

24°

28°

29°

30°

27°

25°

29°

31°

29°

27°

24°

28°

30°

29°

27°

26°

28°

30°

28°

25°

29°

32°

31°

28°

24°

28°

34°

33°

27°

25°

26°

29°

27°

24°

25°

28°

26°

24°

26°

29°

27°

2m1.0

sec

12s

13s

17s

16s

15s

14s

15s

14s

13s

swell

windkm/h

3g4

4g13

20g38

24g43

20g37

12g22

3g19

26g46

23g48

20g39

19g30

16g33

27g46

28g55

22g42

13g24

6g18

26g46

25g48

20g39

14g24

5g22

19g37

22g44

17g39

14g26

0g19

18g35

30g56

27g57

20g33

20g37

23g46

24g57

14g28

11g34

21g46

23g49

19g45

11g24

11g27

18g35

19g38

14g38

13g21

13g28

23g41

23g48

17g50

tidem

2:30am0.7m

8:30am1.1m

3:07pm0.5m

10:06pm1.1m

4:06am0.7m

10:00am1.1m

4:42pm0.5m

5:54am0.7m

11:30am1.1m

6:00pm0.5m

12:43am1.3m

6:56am0.6m

12:42pm1.2m

6:57pm0.4m

1:24am1.4m

7:35am0.5m

1:25pm1.3m

7:38pm0.3m

2:02am1.5m

8:10am0.4m

2:04pm1.4m

8:11pm0.2m

2:30am1.6m

8:41am0.3m

2:44pm1.6m

8:44pm0.2m

2:58am1.7m

9:12am0.1m

3:17pm1.6m

9:18pm0.1m

3:30am1.8m

9:42am0.0m

3:54pm1.7m

9:54pm0.1m

4:02am1.8m

10:18am0.0m

4:30pm1.8m

Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

2:30 am

Low tide - 0.66m

8:30 am

High tide - 1.13m

3:07 pm

Low tide - 0.51m

10:06 pm

High tide - 1.12m

Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

Poor

Components

Swell Direction6/25

Swell Size3/25

Swell Period6/25

Wind0/25

Raw Score15/100

Adjustments

Wind History-4

🌊 Tide+5

💨 Gusty Wind-5

⚠️ Weak Component-10

📉 Undersized Swell-9

🚫 Undersized Capmax 44

Adjusted Score0/100

Confidence

Multiplier×1.00

Final Score0

🌊 Optimal tide window

Plan Your Strike

Return flights to PIU, 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: S (180°)
Direction range: 165° - 200°
Size range: 1.2m - 2.4m
Ideal size: 1.7m - 2.1m
Height multiplier: 0.97×
Ideal period: 16s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction: ESE (112°)
Offshore range: 90° - 135°

Tide Requirements

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

Water temp

23°C

Wetsuit

Springsuit / 2mm

Difficulty

5/10

Crowd level

3/10

Access: Near Mancora. Point break.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tide is best at Punta Ballenas?

The Punta Ballenas profile favors mid tide, ideally between 0.4m and 1.5m 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 Punta Ballenas?

The Punta Ballenas profile uses wind from ESE (112°) as its preferred direction, with an offshore range of 90° 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 Punta Ballenas?

The Punta Ballenas scoring profile favors swell from S (165° to 200°), a swell-height range of 1.2m to 2.4m, and a reference period of 16s. 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 Punta Ballenas?

The main season at Punta Ballenas is Apr-Sep. A secondary window runs Mar, Oct. Near Mancora. S swells.

How do I get to Punta Ballenas?

The spot profile lists PIU as a nearby airport. The estimated road transfer is 120 minutes. Near Mancora. Point break.

What kind of wave is Punta Ballenas?

Punta Ballenas is a reef break, a left-hander. Difficulty is rated 5/10.

Best Season

Peak: Apr-Sep

Secondary: Mar, Oct

Near Mancora. S swells.

Getting There

Airport

PIU

Drive time

120 min

Data quality

community

🤙 Strike Specialist

The Strike Specialist in Peru is Peru Surf Trip And Soul. Get in touch with them for the best chance of scoring the best waves in Peru — and don't forget to tell 'em Barrel D sent ya.

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