Boca Barranca, Costa Rica

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

Also within 20 km of Barranca

Dona ana Surf spot · 4.7 km from Barranca
Puerto Caldera Surf spot · 8.4 km from Barranca
El Hoyo Surf spot · 8.5 km from Barranca
El ollo Surf spot · 8.8 km from Barranca
Corralillo Surf spot · 9.9 km from Barranca
Tivives Surf spot · 12.5 km from Barranca
Bajamar Surf spot · 15.4 km from Barranca

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

About Boca Barranca

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

The spot faces SW (218°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (38°). It is exposed 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 3.1 km out (1 in 313). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 28°C in October, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 30°C in March, its warmest (no wetsuit). For beginners the best months are usually May, June, July and August, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Barranca, 4 km away (about 10 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot.

Water about 28°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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From Chicago: about 11 h 05 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to SJO, direct.
See flights ORD → SJO · Skyscanner from about £255 returnAd
Getting there. 2 h 05 from the airport to Boca Barranca.
Car hire · Discover CarsAd
Accommodation.
Stay in BarrancaAd
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 Barranca (ad) on Booking.com →
Closest towns to stay in
- Barranca 7 min by car · rooms from £65 a night · 6 places to stay · where Boca Barranca stays
  Places to stay in Barranca · Booking.com Ad
- Caldera 10 min by car · rooms from £65 a night · 9 places to stay
  Places to stay in Caldera · Booking.com Ad
- Bajamar 28 min by car · rooms from £65 a night · 4 places to stay
  Places to stay in Bajamar · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Barranca · GetYourGuideAd Board and wetsuit hire in Barranca · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Boca Barranca on Google Maps · Directions

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Forecast

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

Forecast and score for intermediate surfers at Boca Barranca, each day
Day	Score for intermediates	Swell	Energy	Wind	Temp
Sun 18Oct	53, good	3 ft13 ssoft	274kJ	wind from the north-north-east, 1 knot, offshore	31°C
Mon 19Oct	50, good	3 ft10 ssoft	140kJ	wind from the west, 2 knots	30°C
Tue 20Oct	42, fair	3 ft11 ssoft	139kJ	wind from the south-south-east, 2 knots	30°C
Wed 21Oct	38, fair	2 ft10 ssoft	110kJ	wind from the north-north-east, 1 knot, offshore	29°C
Thu 22Oct	47, fair	3 ft12 ssoft	176kJ	wind from the north-east, 2 knots, offshore	30°C
Fri 23Oct	56, good	3 ft12 ssoft	221kJ	wind from the south-south-east, 2 knots	29°C
Sat 24Oct	53, good	3 ft11 ssoft	206kJ	wind from the north-east, 3 knots, offshore	30°C
Sun 25Oct	27, too small	2 ft9 ssoft	61kJ	wind from the north-north-east, 2 knots, offshore	31°C
Mon 26Oct	31, too small	2 ft9 ssoft	77kJ	wind from the east-north-east, 3 knots, offshore	31°C
Tue 27Oct	29, too small	2 ft8 ssoft	54kJ	wind from the east-north-east, 4 knots, offshore	30°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 Oct
Travel out
Direct flight ORD to SJO, then 2h 05 by road. About 11h 05 door to door
Tue 20 Oct
Surf Boca Barranca
Best 15:00 to 18:00 local time: 3 ft at 11 s, wind 2 kn (4 km/h).
Wed 21 Oct
Surf Boca Barranca
Best 06:00 to 09:00 local time: 2 ft at 10 s, offshore wind.
Thu 22 Oct
Surf Boca Barranca
Best 06:00 to 09:00 local time: 3 ft at 12 s, offshore wind.
Fri 23 Oct
Surf Boca Barranca
Best 15:00 to 18:00 local time: 3 ft at 12 s, wind 2 kn (4 km/h).
Sat 24 Oct
Surf Boca Barranca
Best 06:00 to 09:00 local time: 3 ft at 11 s, offshore wind.
Sun 25 Oct
Travel home
Direct flight ORD to SJO, then 2h 05 by road. About 11h 05 door to door

The plan picks the best of 3 spots near Barranca each day: Boca Barranca, Dona ana, El ollo.

The trip from Barranca, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £760–£1,415 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.

Rough cost per person for this trip
What	How we worked it out	Each
Flights	return ORD to SJO, estimated from distance and season, 2 airlines on the route, with a hold bag	£255–£530
To the UK airport	parking or the train, there and back	£35–£65
Hire car	6 days, shared	£70–£120
Stay	6 nights, a mid-range double, shared	£170–£280
Food	7 days eating out	£160–£300
Board and wetsuit	5 days, or about £85 to fly your own	£70–£120
Total		£760–£1,415

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

Places to eat near Barranca

Tequila Sunrise Restaurante ParrilleroBarbecue · 0.1 km from the centre
Marisquería & Sport Bar MarujaSeafood · 0.6 km from the centre
La Esquina del LocoSeafood · 0.7 km from the centre
Marisqueria DixiSeafood · 0.7 km from the centre
Restaurante El ProgresoSteakhouse · 0.9 km from the centre
Bar La Patrona antiguo Bar TitiBar and grill · 1.1 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

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Boca Barranca, Costa Rica

Also within 20 km of Barranca

About Boca Barranca

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Stay in BarrancaAd

Closest towns to stay in

Where it is

Forecast

Your trip, day by day

Rough cost

Places to eat near Barranca

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Getting thereAd

Where to stayAd

In the waterAd