3 emes, Mexico
Also within 20 km of San Miguel (Cíbolas de Mar)
- San Miguel Ensenada Surf spot · 1.9 km from San Miguel (Cíbolas de Mar)
- stack's Surf spot · 3.1 km from San Miguel (Cíbolas de Mar)
- staks Surf spot · 3.1 km from San Miguel (Cíbolas de Mar)
- Salsipuedes Surf spot · 12.2 km from San Miguel (Cíbolas de Mar)
- Harry's Surf spot · 14.7 km from San Miguel (Cíbolas de Mar)
Watch this spot We email you when 3 emes is worth the trip.
About 3 emes
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SW (226°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (46°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 3–10 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 550 m out (1 in 56). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 16°C in January, its coldest month (3/2 wetsuit), and 21°C in August, its warmest (2 mm shorty). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually September and November, with about 4 good days in 7; in April, about 1. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is San Miguel (Cíbolas de Mar), 1.5 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 3 surf spots.
Water about 19°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
Save this trip A link to come back to, or to send to the group.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 8 h 10 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to San Diego International Airport (SAN), direct.
See flights MDW → SAN · Skyscanner from about £215 returnAdGetting there. 2 h 05 from the airport to 3 emes.
Accommodation.
Stay in San Miguel (Cíbolas de Mar)Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in San Miguel (Cíbolas de Mar) (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
San Miguel (Cíbolas de Mar) 3 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 9 places to stay · where 3 emes stays
Places to stay in San Miguel (Cíbolas de Mar) · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in San Miguel (Cíbolas de Mar) · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in San Miguel (Cíbolas de Mar) · GetYourGuideAd
Budget 
Mid-range 
Luxury Where it is
3 emes on Google Maps · Directions
The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.
One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Forecast
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for intermediates | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 62, good | 3 ft13 scrumbling | 311kJ | offshorewind from the north-east, 5 knots, offshore | 25°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 66, good | 3 ft12 scrumbling | 342kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 2 knots, offshore | 23°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 61, good | 3 ft12 scrumbling | 283kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 2 knots | 22°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 46, fair | 3 ft11 ssoft | 217kJ | wind from the east, 4 knots | 22°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 48, good | 3 ft11 scrumbling | 199kJ | wind from the north-west, 9 knots | 21°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 47, fair | 4 ft6 smushy | 97kJ | offshorewind from the north-east, 5 knots, offshore | 22°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 43, fair | 3 ft6 smushy | 64kJ | wind from the east, 3 knots | 24°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 23, too small | 2 ft7 smushy | 42kJ | wind from the east, 1 knot | 23°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 17, too small | 2 ft10 scrumbling | 47kJ | wind from the south-west, 5 knots | 21°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 28, poor | 3 ft5 smushy | 34kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-east, 10 knots, offshore | 21°C |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Direct flight MDW to SAN, then 2h 05 by road. About 8h 10 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf San Miguel Ensenada
Best 14:00 to 17:00 local time: 4 ft at 11 s, wind 4 kn (7 km/h).
- Wed 21 OctSurf San Miguel Ensenada
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 12 s, offshore wind.
- Thu 22 OctSurf San Miguel Ensenada
Best 11:00 to 14:00 local time: 3 ft at 11 s, wind 2 kn (4 km/h).
- Fri 23 OctSurf San Miguel Ensenada
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 6 s, offshore wind.
- Sat 24 OctSurf San Miguel Ensenada
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 6 s, offshore wind.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight MDW to SAN, then 2h 05 by road. About 8h 10 door to door
The plan picks the best of 4 spots near San Miguel (Cíbolas de Mar) each day: 3 emes, San Miguel Ensenada, stack's, staks.
The trip from San Miguel (Cíbolas de Mar), with every spot near it
Rough cost
About £695–£1,275 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return MDW to SAN, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag | £215–£445 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £70–£115 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £160–£265 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £150–£280 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £65–£105 |
| Total | £695–£1,275 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near San Miguel (Cíbolas de Mar)
- Tapanco Steak HouseSteakhouse · 0.4 km from the centre
- San Miguel RestauranteBreakfast and brunch · 0.5 km from the centre
- Birrieria Doña YessiMexican · 0.9 km from the centre
- Pesquera MéxicoSeafood · 1.7 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
Book the trip
Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.