Playa Matapalo • Surf Spot Statistics

Best Surf Season (May - October)

The green season is when Playa Matapalo shifts into high gear. As the Intertropical Convergence Zone migrates north and the South Pacific storm track becomes more active, the average swell height climbs to 3.6ft (1.1m) and the period holds strong in the 12-14s band. The swell mix is dominated by long-period SSW/SW ground swell, and the trade-wind pattern keeps offshore flow in place an ample 71-81 percent of the time. The ENE-to-SE onshore quadrant is nearly windless during this stretch. Rain may be a daily visitor and the air is warm and sticky, but the ocean is full, the water is bath-like at 28-29°C, and the consistency is about as good as it gets.

Fair Surf Season (April & November - December)

These are transitional months when Matapalo still serves up plenty of good days but without the same intensity. April sneaks in with the longest average period of the year (14.1s) and a real 3-5ft (1-1.5m) pulse as the dry season begins to break down. November and December see the tail end of the SSW conveyor belt, slowly dropping from 3.3ft (1.0m) to 2.6ft (0.8m) while offshore WNW winds remain frequent. Rain becomes less frequent in December, skies clear, and the lineup loses the winter crowds; you trade a bit of size for beauty and solitude.

Low Surf Season (January - March)

The dry season settles in and the swell engine turns down. Average wave heights fall to 2.3-2.6ft (0.7-0.8m), with most of the energy in the 1.5-3.3ft (0.5-1m) bin. Periods are still surprisingly long-12.8 to 13.6s-so the waves tend to be clean, lined-up and rideable rather than stormy and sloppy. A WNW/NW offshore breeze dominates, and ideal conditions occur 65-74 percent of the time. This is clean-lined longboard territory: not steep, not powerful, but ridiculously fun if your expectations are in the right place.