Ballybunion, Ireland
Also within 20 km of Ballybunion
- Beale Surf spot · 8.6 km from Ballybunion
- ballyheigue ireland southwest Surf spot · 17.8 km from Ballybunion
Watch this spot We email you when Ballybunion is worth the trip.
About Ballybunion
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces W (268°), so it takes swell from the W. The wind blows offshore from the E (88°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 3–11 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves moderately: 10 m deep about 400 m out (1 in 38). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would crumble. The sea is about 9°C in February, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 16°C in July, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually January, February, March and April, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Ballybunion, 0.1 km away (about 5 min by car).
Water about 14°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. 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 16 h 35 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to KIR, changing at Dublin Airport (DUB). About 14 flights a week that month.
See flights ORD → KIR · Skyscanner from about £365 returnAdGetting there. 1 h 10 from the airport to Ballybunion, 51 km.
By bus: TFI Local Link Kerry, Bus Éireann. Time from the published timetables, on a weekday.
Accommodation.
Stay in BallybunionAd
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 Ballybunion (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Ballybunion 1 min by car · rooms from £95 a night · 11 places to stay · where Ballybunion stays
Places to stay in Ballybunion · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Ballybunion · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Ballybunion · GetYourGuideAd
Budget 
Mid-range 
Luxury 
Where it is
Ballybunion 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 | 42, fair | 3 ft8 smushy | 95kJ | offshorewind from the east, 3 knots, offshore | 13°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 41, fair | 5 ft11 scrumbling | 465kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 4 knots, offshore | 11°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 40, fair | 4 ft10 scrumbling | 338kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 13 knots | 11°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 0, too big | 8 ft9 smushy | 994kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 17 knots | 11°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 0, too big | 7 ft8 ssoft | 728kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 8 knots | 10°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 0, too big | 6 ft9 smushy | 617kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 25 knots | 11°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 0, too big | 8 ft9 ssoft | 966kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 12 knots | 14°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 10, poor | 5 ft13 smushy | 651kJ | wind from the west, 17 knots | 12°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 0, too big | 9 ft9 smushy | 1,206kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 21 knots | 13°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 9, poor | 5 ft9 smushy | 335kJ | wind from the west, 21 knots | 10°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
Fly ORD to KIR, changing at DUB, then 1h 10 by road (or about 2h 15 by bus, one change, 7 a day). About 16h 35 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Beale
Best 16:00 to 19:00 local time: 5 ft at 10 s, offshore wind.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to KIR, changing at DUB, then 1h 10 by road (or about 2h 15 by bus, one change, 7 a day). About 16h 35 door to door
The plan picks the best of 2 spots near Ballybunion each day: Ballybunion, Beale.
Rough cost
About £1,110–£2,040 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 ORD to KIR, estimated from distance and season, changing at DUB, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £365–£755 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £110–£180 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £260–£430 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £245–£455 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £95–£155 |
| Total | £1,110–£2,040 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Ballybunion
- Atlantic European and Chinese Restaurant and TakeawayChinese · in the centre
- Perrozzi Family Restaurant & PizzeriaFish and chips · 0.3 km from the centre
- Take N' TasteIndian · 0.7 km from the centre
- The Lounge at Ballybunion Golf Course1.8 km from the centre
- Namirs Restaurant0.2 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
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.