Ultimate 2023 Guide to Surfing in Puerto Rico

The island of Puerto Rico is known as one of the best surf destinations in the world. Puerto Rico has so many surf destinations that it will almost be impossible for you to visit all of them in a single trip. This article aims to give you all the information you need to have the perfect surf trip. Surfing in Puerto Rico is one of the most awesome things to do on the island. From pros to beginners the island has several surf breaks for every level.

Surf season in Puerto Rico

The surf season in Puerto Rico is from October to February. This is when swells are at their biggest and the waves tend to be really glassy with offshore winds. In the summer things tend to be much calmer and you don’t see any large swells. During hurricane season, the swells can get bigger because of the storms out in the ocean but these waves tend to be really choppy and not worth surfing.

Level of Difficulty

Puerto Rico has surf breaks for all levels of surfers. From beginners to pros there are beaches that are suited to every level. The famous surf breaks of Tres Palmas and Domes Beach in the winter are only suited for pros because the waves tend to get really large and there’s a shallow reef right on the beach. Sandy Beach on the other hand has a sandy bottom and the waves, even when large, tend to work well and the white water is a great place for beginners to take a surf lesson.

Crowds

The famous surf breaks in Puerto Rico, especially those in Rincon tend to get really crowded during the high season of winter. If you go during a good swell you can expect that a huge number of other good surfers will also be out in the water. If you go during low season in the summer there are usually almost no surfers in the water but you can expect to find some beginners taking surf lessons. Some of the lesser known locations on the island are obviously much more secluded than the famous surf breaks of Rincon.

Surf lessons and surfboard rentals

You can find companies giving surf lessons in Rincon and San Juan both. If you go outside of these two big towns it will be much harder for you to find somebody to give you a surf lesson and be able to trust them that they will be able to take care of you out in the water. I would recommend only taking surf lessons from companies that have good reviews from previous lesson takers. I have noted down some of the companies that I personally have worked with.

Surfing in Puerto Rico

Surfing in Puerto Rico is one of the most fun activities to do on the island. Since the island faces the Atlantic Ocean on the North, Northeast and Northwest it makes for some amazing winter swells. During the winter the swells can get pretty high and some of the surf breaks in Rincon are frequented by pros from around the world during this time of the year. Beginners have other surf breaks such as the ones in San Juan and Arecibo which are much more protected and have smaller waves that beginners can learn at. No matter what your skill level, this guide will provide you with all the information you need to find the perfect beach break for you.

Rincon

Rincon became famous as the surf town in Puerto Rico after the 1968 world surf championship that took place here. Kelly Slater has surfed the famed waves in Rincon. Rincon is located on the northwest side of the island and is a 3.5 hour drive away from San Juan. The most popular surfing beaches in Rincon are Domes Beach, Tres Palmas, Antonio’s and Sandy Beach. Tres Palmas only tends to work when it’s double overhead when it becomes an overhead barrel breaking on really shallow reef and only suitable for pro-surfers. Sandy Beach is the beach I would recommend for any beginners wanting to practice by themselves or take any lessons. It has a sandy bottom and the waves tend to be much more beginner friendly. Rincon Surf School offers surf lessons. There are a couple of surf shops in town including Desecheo Surf Shop and Mar Azul Surf Shop.

Domes Beach
Tres Palmas
Antonios
Sandy Beach

Aguadilla

The town of Aguadilla where the famous Surfer’s Beach is located is also on the northwest coast of Puerto Rico and just an hour away from San Juan. Rincon has a beautiful five mile coastline that has some of the best beaches to surf on Puerto Rico. Some of the most gorgeous beaches on the island which are also surfable like Crash Boat, Gas Chambers, Bridges, Wilderness and Surfer’s Beach are on this stretch of coastline. If there are no waves anywhere else on the island you can almost always count on one of the beaches in Aguadilla to be working. Surfer’s Beach in Aguadilla is the most consistent beach on the entire island. Some surf shops that offer board rentals here are Surf Zone, Aquatic Dive Surf and Azul Surf and SUP shop.

Crash Boat
Gas Chambers
Bridges
Wilderness
Surfer’s Beach
Punta Borinquen

Isabela

The town of Isabella is the best for beginners surfers. The coastline is gorgeous with caverns and jungles rising up right off the coastline and world class beaches perfect for relaxing and of course surfing. Middles Beach in Isabella is a great place for beginners and pro surfers both. The white waters are a great place for beginners to practice surfing. A little ways through the jungle there is a surf spot where pros and locals go to surf. It has really consistent waves and a good offshore breeze. It is also the site of the annual Corona Pro Circuit. The other more popular beach in Isabela for surfing is Jobos Beach. This beach tends to be a little bit more crowded because there’s a good spot for swimming so a lot of swimmers and beach goers also tend to hang out at this beach. There are also a few restaurants and bars nearby and there’s a surf shop that offers rentals and surf lessons right on the beach.

Middles
Jobos

San Juan

Being the capital of the island it is no surprise that most of the beginners surfers and tourists tend to hang out at the surf beaches of San Juan. Aviones is where you will find the most tourists taking surf lessons and trying to stand up on white water. Because of this, the beach tends to be very very crowded but also equally fun. The beach is located between Punta Maldonado and the Beach Club Guest House. La Ocho on the other hand is a well-kept secret that only the pros in San Juan know about. La Ocho is next to the intimate Escambron Beach which is only frequented by locals. The break has very shallow reefs and powerful waves so I would recommend keeping this only for the pros. The current also tends to be very strong at this speech and it is quite hard to get into the surfline. On good days the beach works very well and there is a really nice right that takes you all the way in. The La Ocho surf shop nearby offers both rentals and surf lessons. La Punta Surf Club also offers surf lessons at Condado Beach nearby most of the resorts and hotels.

Playa Aviones
La Ocho
Condado Beach

La Marginal, Arecibo

Another very popular spot to surf in Puerto Rico is La Marginal pier right on the highway. It has some of the best waves on the island and has also been the site of the Puerto Rico Triple Crown event. A lot of people come to enjoy the pier and the water during calmer swells. The beach has very consistent surf and the peaky wave that gives some very nice barrels during larger swell days.

La Pared, Luquillo

La Pared is located on the northeast coast of the island. It usually has 3 to 5 ft waves on good swells and breaks over sand. This is a really good surf spot for beginners to practice their surfing because of the Sandy Bottom and the lack of current on the beach. The surf break has both left and right hand waves. The local surf shop Boardriders is a good place to stop by after a sesh where you can try some of their burgers, wraps, wings and poke bowls. At the same shop next door you can find rentals and ask for surf lessons.

Los Tubos, Manati

For pro surfers, Los Tubos in Manatee will provide you with the adrenaline rush that you are seeking. The surf break has hosted some local surf competitions. The break works at medium to high swells on an average day. During stormy seasons the waves get as high as 9 to 14 foot waves. Los Tubos are also home to a coral reef restoration project and you can see a lot of sea turtles and marine life here. Due to this you will find a lot of snorkelers in the water as well. There is a very nice acai bowl place next to here called Healthy Love Acai Bar. It is one of the best acai places on the island.

Boca del Cibuco, Cibuco

If you want to tick off surfing in a National Reserve from your bucket list then you have to go to Boca del Cibuco. Situated in the middle of the north coast, this gorgeous surf break offers some very long rights. The waves here break far in the deep water and you can ride them all the way in. Since the waves break in really deep water they tend to hold a lot of power. This beach is not recommended for beginners who do not have experience with powerful waves. The Puerto Rico Triple Crown is hosted here several times throughout the year. There’s a public beach a few minutes walk down the road for much calmer waters without waves where you can swim safely.

Kikita Beach, Dorado

Dorado, known as The Paradise of Puerto Rico, has one of the gems of surfing in Puerto Rico. Kikita Beach is a long strip of quiet sandy beach and one of the most pristine spots on the island. Locals prefer to keep this a secret so please make sure to respect the locals and the nature when you are there. The area is protected by huge sea rocks so the intense swells from the ocean do not hit the beach. There is another spot a few miles through the forest area where the local surfers, bodyboarders and paddle boarders go to have a quiet sesh. Kikita Beach tends to be the point of entry for any storms coming on the island and has some powerful swells during hurricane season.

Conclusion

Puerto Rico has some of the best surf breaks in the world. From the massive waves at Tres Palmas to the smaller waves at La Ocho to the peaky waves at Arecibo, it has all kinds of surf conditions for whatever wave you prefer. Surfing in Puerto Rico is a great experience that every one should experience at least once. From beginners to pros, all levels of surfers enjoy their time catching waves on this island.