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Ballenas, Puerto Rico

Stay in Guánica: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Guánica

Watch this spot We email you when Ballenas is worth the trip.

About Ballenas

Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.

The spot faces S (164°), so it takes swell from the S. The wind blows offshore from the N (344°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 1–5 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very gently: 10 m deep about 1.2 km out (1 in 120). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 27°C in January, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 30°C in September, its warmest (no wetsuit). For beginners the best month is usually November, with about 2 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Guánica, 7.7 km away (about 15 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.

Water about 30°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 10 h 25 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to SJU, direct.

    See flights MDW → SJU · Skyscanner from about £240 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 2 h 10 from the airport to Ballenas.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in GuánicaAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Surf lessons in Guánica · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Guánica · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Ballenas on Google Maps · Directions

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Forecast

The score for beginners, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small

DayScoreSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct401 ft4 smushy4kJ31°C
Mon 19Oct351 ft4 smushy4kJ31°C
Tue 20Oct341 ft4 smushy7kJ30°C
Wed 21Oct462 ft4 smushy9kJ31°C
Thu 22Oct552 ft4 smushy12kJ30°C
Fri 23Oct482 ft4 smushy11kJ31°C
Sat 24Oct392 ft4 smushy15kJ29°C
Sun 25Oct462 ft4 smushy22kJ31°C
Mon 26Oct492 ft5 smushy20kJ31°C
Tue 27Oct522 ft5 smushy19kJ31°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 beginner surfers. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight MDW to SJU, then 2h 10 by road. About 10h 25 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf Ballenas

    Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 1 ft at 4 s, wind 5 kn (9 km/h).

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Surf Ballenas

    Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 2 ft at 4 s, wind 7 kn (13 km/h).

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Surf Ballenas

    Best 14:00 to 17:00 local time: 2 ft at 4 s, wind 6 kn (10 km/h).

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Surf Ballenas

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 2 ft at 4 s, wind 8 kn (15 km/h).

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Surf Ballenas

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 2 ft at 4 s, wind 9 kn (16 km/h).

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight MDW to SJU, then 2h 10 by road. About 10h 25 door to door

The plan picks the best of 2 spots near Guánica each day: Ballenas, Punta de Brea.

The trip from Guánica, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £730–£1,360 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.

WhatHow we worked it outEach
Flightsreturn MDW to SJU, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag£240–£505
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Hire car6 days, shared£70–£115
Stay6 nights, a mid-range double, shared£165–£280
Food7 days eating out£155–£290
Board and wetsuit5 days, or about £85 to fly your own£65–£105
Total£730–£1,360

Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.

Places to eat near Guánica

  • Magic Pizza GuánicaPizza · 1.2 km from the centre
  • Taco Escondido1.1 km from the centre
  • Parrilla Playera1.2 km from the centre
  • Rincon Tropical1.2 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

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Surf lessons · GetYourGuide Board and wetsuit hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.