Jacó surf forecast
Jacó is a black sand beach about 4 km long, with many peaks breaking over a sandy bottom. It faces south-west and takes swell from the south round to the west.
Jacó surf report, hour by hour
The table shows wave size, wind and tide for Playa Jacó through the day. Look for a north-east breeze, which blows offshore here, and a mid tide.
Updated 01:58next run 06:40Open-Meteo wave and wind models
Today 3 Nov
Skip: average, overhead, glassy.
Tide and daylight
- Low
- 02:39
- High
- 08:46
- Low
- 15:05
- High
- 21:30
- Sunrise
- 05:29
- Sunset
- 17:15
Every hour, 05–21
Tomorrow 4 Nov
Skip: average, overhead, cross-shore SSE.
Tide and daylight
- Low
- 03:52
- High
- 10:01
- Low
- 16:17
- High
- 22:38
- Sunrise
- 05:29
- Sunset
- 17:14
Every hour, 05–21
Thursday 5 Nov
Skip: average, overhead, cross-offshore NNW.
Tide and daylight
- Low
- 04:58
- High
- 11:10
- Low
- 17:14
- High
- 23:35
- Sunrise
- 05:29
- Sunset
- 17:14
Every 3 hours
Friday 6 Nov
Skip: wrong tide, overhead, offshore E.
Tide and daylight
- Low
- 05:56
- High
- 12:07
- Low
- 18:08
- Sunrise
- 05:29
- Sunset
- 17:14
Every 3 hours
Forecast point: Jaco (9.613, -84.631). Waves = estimated breaking height at the beach. Data: Open-Meteo wave and weather models (CC BY 4.0). Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information. Surf at your own risk.
Watch the wind column before noon. Mornings are usually cleanest, because the wind tends to come up before midday and chop the surface. A north-east wind is offshore at Jacó.
Surf spots in and around Jacó
Jacó is a beach break with many peaks over sand, so it is not too hard to catch a wave. Jacó is the de facto capital of Costa Rican surfing, but its main wave is consistently average rather than one of the country's best. Stronger spots sit a short drive away, with Playa Hermosa about five minutes south.
Playa Jacó (main beach)
Beach breakAll levelsWaves break over sand and are usually average. A big south-west swell can still light up the sandbars and bring real size.
Lefts and rights both break here. Peaks tend to hold up a bit better at high tide. Sources: costaricawaves.com · surf-forecast.com · cloudflare.surfline.com
South end of Jacó
Beach breakBeginnersAt the southern end of the bay the waves are slower and smaller. The beach slopes more gently here, and you will usually see plenty of beginners. Sources: costaricawaves.com
Playa Hermosa
Beach breakExperiencedPlaya Hermosa is about five minutes south of Jacó and suits experienced surfers only. Most seasoned surfers prefer it, though some days Jacó is actually the better choice. Sources: en.wikipedia.org · costaricawaves.com
Roca Loca
Beach and reef2 km awayRoca Loca is a beach and reef break about 2 km from Playa Jacó. It is rated fairly consistent. Sources: surf-forecast.com
Perro Fino
Reef break2 km awayPerro Fino is a reef about 2 km from Playa Jacó. It is listed as consistent. Sources: surf-forecast.com
Playa Herradura
Reef and point5 km awayHerradura lies north of Jacó, about 5 km from the main beach. It is a reef and point break that only works now and then. Sources: en.wikipedia.org · surf-forecast.com
What Jaco needs to fire
These are the exact rules behind Kiwi's rating for this spot. Every hour of the forecast is scored on all four, then turned into a rating of 1 to 5 stars.
Swell
South-west swell fills the bay
The beach faces south-west and takes swell from about 170° to 270°, south round to west. Swells from near 235° line up most directly with the beach.
Wind
North-east wind is offshore
A wind from the north-east, around 50°, blows offshore and grooms the faces. Winds from the south and west blow onshore into this south-west facing beach.
Tide
Mid tide works best
Our forecast settings rate mid tide as the best stage at Playa Jacó.
Size
One to two metres ideal
Waves of 1.0–2.0 m are ideal, and under about 0.6 m there is little to ride. From about 3 m the sandbars tend to close out.
Shortcut: a 1–2 m swell from the south-west, a light north-east breeze and mid tide is the Jacó recipe.
The best months to surf Jaco
We replayed Kiwi's rating on every day of the last year and counted how often Jaco's best window reached 4 or 5 stars.
Oct–NovThe year's strongest stretch
November has the most good days, with about 33% of days rated 3+. October has the highest share of very good days, at about 15% rated 4+. This is still the wet season, so expect rain.
Dec–FebDry season, steady surf
About 29–32% of days in January and February rate 3+, while December dips to about 16%. Typical size is around 1.4–1.5 m, and the dry season starts in late December.
Mar–MayFewer good days
Only about 16–23% of days rate 3+ in these months. Size runs a bit bigger, around 1.8–2.1 m.
Jun–SepBigger but messier
June and July often bring 2.1–2.3 m of swell, but July and August have the fewest good days, with only 3–6% rated 3+. Rainy-season waves can turn soft and mushy.
Before you go
Rips and other hazards
Rip currents run along Jacó beach. Swimmers drown here every year after being caught in a rip and panicking.
Watch for crocodiles near the river mouths. Sea lice can also be a nuisance. On big days the sandbars tend to close out. Sources: costaricawaves.com · surf-forecast.com
Getting there
Jacó is about 100 km from San José, a little under two hours on Route 34. Juan Santamaría International Airport is about an hour and a half away via Route 27 and Route 34.
The closest passenger airport is Quepos (XQP), about 58 km away in a straight line. Sources: en.wikipedia.org · surf-forecast.com
Crowds and etiquette
Jacó is popular, and surfers from San José come for the weekend. The water can get busy, but there are many peaks, so it is not too hard to get waves.
Jacó is home to some of Costa Rica's best surfers. Sources: costaricawaves.com
Water temperature and what to wear
The sea stays warm all year, from about 28 °C in November to nearly 31 °C in May.
Wear at least a rash vest to protect your skin from the sun. Sources: surf-forecast.com
Best time of day
Mornings are usually best, because the wind often picks up before noon and makes it choppy. Conditions are generally best when high tide falls in the morning.
The waves start to get good about two hours before high tide. Sources: costaricawaves.com
Boards, shops and lessons
Jacó has around 30 surf shops, the biggest choice of new and used boards in the country, and plenty of rentals. Several well-known Costa Rican shapers work here.
Several surf schools teach on the beach. Jacó hosted the ISA World Surfing Games in 2016 and holds several contests each year. Sources: costaricawaves.com · en.wikipedia.org
Where the numbers come from
The method
Kiwi takes Open-Meteo's wave and wind models (ECMWF WAM, Météo-France, NOAA GFS and Open-Meteo's best-match blend) at a point about 5 km off Jaco. There is no buoy correction here yet: these are the models as they come.
Each hour is scored on the four rules above (swell, wind, tide, size). The stars are calibrated on a full year of data for Costa Rica, so 4 stars at Jaco is a genuinely good day by that country's standard.
What we can say
The season chart and the stars use the same rules, replayed on the archive: a month marked good was good by these rules, not by a surf report.
Without a buoy nearby, the size at the beach is our model's estimate, not a measurement.
Jaco surf questions
Is Jacó good for beginners?
Yes, the beach suits all levels. Head to the southern end, where the waves are slower and smaller and the beach slopes gently. Several surf schools work on the beach.
When is the best time to surf Jacó?
November, February and January have the most good days, with about 29–33% rated 3+. July and August have the fewest.
How cold is the water in Jacó in December?
It is not cold at all, at about 29 °C in December. Wear at least a rash vest to keep the sun off.
What tide is best for surfing Jacó?
Our model favours mid tide. Local guides say it works best from mid to high tide and starts to improve about two hours before high.
Is Jacó crowded?
It can get busy, especially at weekends when surfers come from San José. The many peaks spread people out, so finding a wave is usually not hard.
How far is Jacó from San José?
About 100 km, or a little under two hours by Route 34.
Check the Jacó surf report before you go
See the hourly forecast for wave size, wind and tide. Plan your session for a clean morning at Playa Jacó.