Puerto Escondido surf report: swell, period and wind for the next 5 days

Today's ocean in Puerto Escondido at a glance

Before you pick a beach, remember this: wave size and groundswell matter more than the sunshine. A clear day can still have a dangerous ocean. Check height and period in the table: with a big swell, the beaches open to the Pacific (Zicatela, Bacocho) get much rougher, while the sheltered coves (Carrizalillo, Puerto Angelito, Manzanillo) receive softer waves. Either way, the beach flag has the last word.

How to read the surf report in 30 seconds

Three numbers tell you most of what you need:

Swell height, period and direction

Height: how big the waves are (meters, feet in brackets). Period: seconds between waves; the longer the period, the more energy and the more powerful the waves (a long-period swell hits harder even if the height does not look huge). Direction: where the swell comes from decides which beaches take the most impact.

Wind: offshore vs onshore

Offshore wind (from land to sea) usually grooms the wave and keeps it clean; onshore wind (from sea to land) makes it messy. Each hour in the table is already labeled, calculated for Zicatela's orientation; under 8 km/h (5 mph) we mark it as calm. For swimming, height and groundswell matter more than wind.

What groundswell means here

Groundswell (called mar de fondo locally) is generated by distant storms in the Pacific. It travels thousands of kilometers and reaches the Oaxaca coast with a lot of energy, sometimes with no local wind or clouds. That is why a sunny, "perfect" day can bring dangerous waves and strong currents. If the table shows a long period (above 12 s), expect waves with more power even if the height looks moderate, and follow the flags even under a blue sky.

Best times to surf today (and to swim calmly)

Swell works together with the tide and the wind. Look for hours with offshore or calm wind: that is when the wave is cleanest; once the wind turns onshore, it gets choppy. For an easy swim, choose the sheltered coves at low or rising tide. Each day's tides are in the same table and in the Puerto Escondido tide chart.

Surf season in Puerto Escondido

From May to September the biggest swells arrive from the South Pacific and Zicatela reaches its famous size; it is also the season with the most rip currents and red flags. From October the swell starts to drop, and winter tends to be calmer, although a groundswell can show up at any time.

Safety: rip currents and flags