Esterillos • Surf Spot Statistics

Best Surf Season (December - April)

For a south-facing beach like Esterillos, the surf calendar is shaped by the clash between southern-hemisphere swell and tropical wind regimes. The best window spans December through April, when the ITCZ shifts south and drier trade-wind weather takes over. While the average swell height is a modest 3-4ft (0.9-1.2m), the period remains in the 12.3-14.0s range, meaning even small pulses hold real power. Just as important, offshore flow from the north through northwest quadrant becomes more frequent, especially in January, February and March, grooming long-period SSW/SW groundswell into clean, rippable walls. This is the classic dry-season surf season, with warm sunshine, lower rainfall and reliable morning glass.

Fair Surf Season (May - September)

As the ITCZ migrates north into Central America, the rainy season kicks in and the southern-hemisphere storm track gets closer to Costa Rica. Average swell heights climb to 4-5ft (1.2-1.5m), with the SSW direction contributing up to 94% of the waves and a healthy share in the chest-to-head-plus range of 5-6.5ft (1.5-2m). Periods remain long at 13-14s, so there is plenty of power at Esterillos. The catch is wind: southeasterly, southerly and southwesterly breezes dominate, and the share of truly offshore N/NNW flow drops. Expect surfable but more sectiony, often wind-affected waves between rainbands, with the occasional clean window when a northerly surge pushes through.

Low Surf Season (October - November)

Although the swell machine never fully shuts down, October and November are the toughest months to score Esterillos at its best. Rainfall peaks, the average wind quality falls to just 23-28% ideal, and the dominant SE-to-W flow often turns the ocean messy. Swell heights remain 4-5ft (1.2-1.4m), but the period slips to 12.4-12.7s and the SSW/SW swell is frequently accompanied by onshore wind. Big days can still fire when a southern-hemisphere groundswell lines up with a rare NW/WNW outflow, but consistency and clean conditions are at an annual low.