Illustration — no photo of this spot yet
Pavones
One of the longest left-hand point breaks on earth, at the far southern tip of Costa Rica on the Golfo Dulce. On a proper south swell a ride can run several minutes and most of a kilometre. It is a one-wave town and a long way from anywhere — the trade for that is a wave nowhere else in the country comes close to.
Surf outlook
We don't have a forecast outlook for Pavones yet. The seasonal guidance below is based on long-run averages, not on this week.
Live conditions
We don't have a current forecast for Pavones. The seasonal guidance below is based on long-run averages, not on today.
Surf Snapshot
Estimated seasonal guidance — not a live forecast.
When to surf Pavones, month by month
Estimated from our authored seasonality — not a live forecast.
Peak season: May, Jun, July, Aug, Sept (All-time).
| Month | Surf consistency | Wetsuit |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | Rare | Boardshorts |
| Feb | Rare | Boardshorts |
| Mar | Inconsistent | Boardshorts |
| Apr | High | Boardshorts |
| Maypeak | All-time | Boardshorts |
| Junpeak | All-time | Boardshorts |
| Julypeak | All-time | Boardshorts |
| Augpeak | All-time | Boardshorts |
| Septpeak | All-time | Boardshorts |
| Oct | High | Boardshorts |
| Nov | Inconsistent | Boardshorts |
| Dec | Rare | Boardshorts |
Does this wave fit your level?
Rated for Levels 3-6 · Best at Level 5.
Take the 2-minute quiz to see if Pavones fits you today.
Find my Level →Beginner notes
Not a beginner wave and not a beginner place. The bottom is rock and cobblestone, the paddle back after a long ride is genuinely tiring, and the localism at the top of the point is real — start well down the line. Beginners are better served in Guanacaste; this is a Level 3+ destination.
Hazards
- rock and cobblestone bottom
- long paddle back after a full ride
- crocodiles reported at the river mouth
- remote — nearest hospital is hours away
Camps near Pavones
Best months to surf here
In-season months for Costa Rica, from our editors’ season calendar.