Playa Valor

Best Surf Season (December - March)

Playa Valor is not a spot that pumps, but along this southwest-facing stretch of Costa Rica, the best chance for surfable waves comes during the dry season. From December through March, the intertropical convergence zone shifts south and the northeast trade winds strengthen, delivering the highest percentage of offshore conditions from the NNE/NE/ENE/E window. Rainfall drops to almost nothing, water temperatures hover around 28-29°C (82-84°F), and average swell periods build from 10.9s in January to 12.9s in March. The dominant southwest swell remains mostly tiny - average heights sit in the 0.5-1ft (0.2-0.3m) range - but the surface is far cleaner, and the occasional 1.5-3ft (0.5-1m) pulse can actually produce a shape worth surfing.