Playa Marbella

Best Surf Season (November - April)

November through April marks the sweet spot for Playa Marbella as the North Pacific subtropical high flexes its muscle and the infamous Papagayo winds - strong offshore northeasterlies funneled through the Central American cordillera - paint the bay with clean, glassy texture. Meanwhile the Southern Hemisphere's winter low-pressure systems get the swell machine humming, sending long-period SSW and SW groundswell thousands of miles north to the Guanacaste coastline. Average heights hover in the fun, rippable 4-5ft (1.3m) zone, but the true beauty lies in the combination of ultra-consistent offshore wind, minimal rainfall and water temps near 28°C (82°F). When a stronger South Pacific storm aligns, look for overhead bombs with world-class shape.