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El Eslabon, Mexico

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

Also within 20 km of Zihuatanejo

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

Playa La Ropa, Zihuatanejo. - panoramio
Playa la Ropa. Photo: Wiper México, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

About El Eslabon

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

The spot faces SW (229°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (49°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 3–13 ft of swell. The sea is about 28°C in January, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 31°C in August, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually March, April, October and November, with about 6 good days in 7; in December, about 3. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Zihuatanejo, 1.5 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot and 1 wind sports spot.

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 8 h 45 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to ZIH, direct.

    See flights ORD → ZIH · Skyscanner from about £225 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 30 min from the airport to El Eslabon.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in ZihuatanejoAd

    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 Zihuatanejo · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Zihuatanejo · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

El Eslabon on Google Maps · Directions

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Forecast

El Eslabon does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for intermediates, so you can see what it does.

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

DayScoreInter­mediateSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct06 ft13 s988kJ31°C
Mon 19Oct515 ft12 s687kJ30°C
Tue 20Oct535 ft11 s548kJ30°C
Wed 21Oct565 ft11 s573kJ30°C
Thu 22Oct645 ft12 s556kJ29°C
Fri 23Oct634 ft12 s417kJ29°C
Sat 24Oct534 ft12 s319kJ30°C
Sun 25Oct08 ft8 s591kJ29°C
Mon 26Oct165 ft6 s218kJ30°C
Tue 27Oct253 ft7 s103kJ29°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. 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

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight ORD to ZIH, then 30 min by road. About 8h 45 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf El Eslabon

    Best 15:00 to 18:00 local time: 5 ft at 11 s, wind 4 kn (8 km/h).

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Surf El Eslabon

    Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 5 ft at 11 s, offshore wind.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Surf El Eslabon

    Best 15:00 to 18:00 local time: 5 ft at 12 s, wind 3 kn (5 km/h).

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Surf El Eslabon

    Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 4 ft at 12 s, wind 3 kn (6 km/h).

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Surf El Eslabon

    Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 4 ft at 12 s, wind 3 kn (6 km/h).

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight ORD to ZIH, then 30 min by road. About 8h 45 door to door

The plan picks the best of 2 spots near Zihuatanejo each day: El Eslabon, Las Gatas.

The trip from Zihuatanejo, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £650–£1,215 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 ORD to ZIH, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag£225–£470
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Taxiairport and back, shared£15–£30
Stay6 nights, a mid-range double, shared£160–£265
Food7 days eating out£150–£280
Board and wetsuit5 days, or about £85 to fly your own£65–£105
Total£650–£1,215

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

Places to eat near Zihuatanejo

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

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