Costa Ballena, Spain
Also within 20 km of Costa Ballena
- Las Tres Piedras Surf spot · 2.5 km from Costa Ballena
- Calita Surf spot · 2.6 km from Costa Ballena
- Las Redes Surf spot · 16.4 km from Costa Ballena
- El Buzo Surf spot · 17.3 km from Costa Ballena
- La cuchiya Surf spot · 17.9 km from Costa Ballena
- La Puntilla Surf spot · 19.3 km from Costa Ballena
Watch this spot We email you when Costa Ballena is worth the trip.
About Costa Ballena
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SW (246°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (66°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–10 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very gently: 10 m deep about 2.4 km out (1 in 238). 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 23°C in July, its warmest (2 mm shorty). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually January, February, November and December, with about 2 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Costa Ballena, 0.8 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.
Water about 21°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 17 h 40 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to XRY, changing at Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD). About 7 flights a week that month.
See flights ORD → XRY · Skyscanner from about £415 returnAdGetting there. 55 min from the airport to Costa Ballena.
Accommodation.
Stay in Costa BallenaAd
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 Costa Ballena (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Costa Ballena 1 min by car · rooms from £70 a night · 15 places to stay · where Costa Ballena stays
Places to stay in Costa Ballena · Booking.com AdChipiona 9 min by car · rooms from £70 a night · 40 places to stay
Places to stay in Chipiona · Booking.com AdEl Puerto de Santa María 35 min by car · rooms from £70 a night · 50 places to stay
Places to stay in El Puerto de Santa María · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Costa Ballena · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Costa Ballena · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Costa Ballena on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
The score for experts, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for experts | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 10, too small | 2 ft5 smushy | 17kJ | offshorewind from the east, 9 knots, offshore | 22°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 4, too small | 1 ft5 smushy | 4kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 1 knot | 21°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 4, too small | 1 ft4 smushy | 7kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 7 knots | 22°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 5, too small | 2 ft4 smushy | 7kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 7 knots | 21°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 5, too small | 1 ft3 smushy | 3kJ | wind from the north, 3 knots | 23°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 5, too small | 2 ft4 smushy | 7kJ | wind from the north, 5 knots | 21°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 9, too small | 2 ft4 smushy | 12kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 3 knots | 21°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 5, too small | 1 ft4 smushy | 4kJ | wind from the north, 4 knots | 24°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 6, too small | 1 ft4 smushy | 4kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 2 knots, offshore | 26°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 5, too small | 1 ft3 smushy | 2kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 1 knot, offshore | 26°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 expert surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly ORD to XRY, changing at MAD, then 55 min by road. About 17h 40 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to XRY, changing at MAD, then 55 min by road. About 17h 40 door to door
Rough cost
About £965–£1,825 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 XRY, estimated from distance and season, changing at MAD, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £415–£865 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £80–£130 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £185–£310 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £175–£330 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £75–£125 |
| Total | £965–£1,825 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Costa Ballena
- Arrocería BallenaSpanish · 0.3 km from the centre
- Burger BallenaBurger · 0.3 km from the centre
- Pizzeria Bar Panino PiùPizza · 0.3 km from the centre
- Congelados María De La O S.L.Seafood · 0.6 km from the centre
- 100 MontaditosSpanish · 0.7 km from the centre
- Chiringuito el PonienteMediterranean · 0.7 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
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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.