Region dossier · Pacific Americas
From Baja Points to Peruvian Lefts
The northern summer is south-swell season: storms below New Zealand and Chile push long-period energy up the whole Pacific coast. Winter belongs to northern Baja and northern Peru.
- Season
- Apr – Oct (south)
- Water
- 15–30 °C
- Level
- Beginner to expert
- Hubs
- Los Cabos, Oaxaca, Liberia, Lima
Spot Table
| Spot | Country | Type | Best months | Level | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Todos Santos Island (Killers) | Mexico (Baja) | Big-wave reef | Nov – Feb | Expert | Size, boat access |
| Scorpion Bay (San Juanico) | Mexico (Baja) | Right points | May – Sep | Beginner+ | Remote, rough roads |
| Zicatela, Puerto Escondido | Mexico | Beach-break barrel | May – Sep | Expert | Heavy shorebreak |
| La Punta, Puerto Escondido | Mexico | Sand-bottom left | Apr – Oct | Beginner+ | Crowds |
| Tamarindo | Costa Rica | Beach/rivermouth | Year-round | Beginner | Crocodiles in estuary |
| Santa Teresa | Costa Rica | Beach break | Apr – Nov | Beginner+ | Rips |
| Pavones | Costa Rica | Long left point | Apr – Oct | Intermediate+ | Needs big south swell |
| Santa Catalina | Panama | Reef right | Mar – Oct | Advanced | Rock reef |
| Chicama | Peru | Very long left point | Apr – Sep | Intermediate+ | Cold water, wind |
| Máncora | Peru | Left point | Nov – Mar | Beginner+ | Crowds |
Baja California
When it works: depends on which half. Northern Baja faces winter north-west swells from November to March; Todos Santos Island off Ensenada becomes one of the continent's best-known big-wave spots. The southern Pacific side, including Scorpion Bay's chain of right points near San Juanico, needs summer south swells from May to September.
Who it suits: Scorpion Bay's inside points are mellow, long and ideal for longboarders and improvers; outer points get faster. Baja is a road-trip destination: carry water, spare tyres and Mexican vehicle insurance, which foreign policies typically don't cover.
Mainland Mexico: Oaxaca and Beyond
When it works: May to September. Puerto Escondido's Zicatela, nicknamed the "Mexican Pipeline", is a thick beach-break barrel that regularly breaks boards and occasionally people. It is not a learning wave at any size.
Who it suits: At the north end of the same town, La Punta offers a softer left for intermediates, and Carrizalillo's small cove is a learner beach. Further south-east, the Salina Cruz area is known for right points in the right swell; most visitors use a local guide. Summer is also hot and humid with afternoon storms — surf early.
Central America: Costa Rica and Panama
When it works: April to October on the Pacific side, which coincides with the green (rainy) season — mornings are usually clean, afternoons wet. Costa Rica's Guanacaste coast around Tamarindo and the Nicoya Peninsula around Santa Teresa are the softest landing in the Americas: warm water, many surf schools and reliable small to mid-size waves.
Who it suits: Beginners and improvers here; experienced surfers head south. Pavones, near the Panama border, is one of the longest lefts in the world on a solid south swell. In Panama, Santa Catalina's rock-reef right holds size and is for advanced surfers.
Peru: The Land of Long Lefts
When it works: April to September for the central and north-central coast. Chicama, near Trujillo, is often described as the longest left in the world, with rides over a kilometre possible when sections connect. Pacasmayo, a little north, offers similar long walls.
Who it suits: Chicama is not heavy, so confident intermediates do well, but the paddle back is long and many visitors use the boat or jet-ski shuttles offered locally. The Humboldt Current keeps water around 16–19 °C: pack a 3/2 or 4/3. Northern Peru around Máncora works on north swells in the southern summer and the water is noticeably warmer.
Logistics
Flying via Los Cabos, Oaxaca, Liberia (Costa Rica), Panama City and Lima covers most of the region. Rental cars are practical in Baja and Costa Rica; in Peru, buses and private transfers are standard. Vaccination advice varies by country — check your national travel health service.
Next: build the kit list in Planning.