El frances, Colombia
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About El frances
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces W (264°), so it takes swell from the W. The wind blows offshore from the E (84°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 5–20 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very gently: 10 m deep about 1.7 km out (1 in 167). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 29°C in January, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 30°C in May, its warmest (no wetsuit). The town to stay in is Santiago de Tolú, 8.7 km away (about 15 min by car).
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 13 h 55 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to CTG, changing at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).
See flights MDW → CTG · Skyscanner from about £260 returnAdGetting there. 1 h 55 from the airport to El frances.
Accommodation.
Stay in Santiago de TolúAd
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 Santiago de Tolú (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Santiago de Tolú 15 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 83 places to stay · where El frances stays
Places to stay in Santiago de Tolú · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Santiago de Tolú · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Santiago de Tolú · GetYourGuideAd
Budget 
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Luxury Where it is
El frances 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 | 2, too small | 1 ft4 s | 1kJ | offshorewind from the east-south-east, 6 knots, offshore | 29°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 1, too small | under 1 ft3 s | 0kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 1 knot | 29°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 1, too small | under 1 ft4 s | 0kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 4 knots | 29°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 1, too small | under 1 ft4 s | 0kJ | wind from the south, 5 knots | 29°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 1, too small | under 1 ft4 s | 0kJ | wind from the south-east, 7 knots | 29°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 1, too small | under 1 ft3 s | 0kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 4 knots | 29°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 0, too small | under 1 ft4 s | 0kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 5 knots | 29°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 1, too small | under 1 ft2 s | 0kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 7 knots | 28°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 1, too small | under 1 ft4 s | 0kJ | wind from the north-west, 4 knots | 28°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 4, too small | 1 ft4 smushy | 3kJ | wind from the south, 2 knots | 28°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 MDW to CTG, changing at ATL, then 1h 55 by road. About 13h 55 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: under 1 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: under 1 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Too small: under 1 ft at best.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Too small: under 1 ft at best.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: under 1 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly MDW to CTG, changing at ATL, then 1h 55 by road. About 13h 55 door to door
Rough cost
About £750–£1,395 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 MDW to CTG, estimated from distance and season, changing at ATL, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £260–£540 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £70–£115 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £165–£280 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £155–£290 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £65–£105 |
| Total | £750–£1,395 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Santiago de Tolú
- Itamburi Restaurante0.2 km from the centre
- Restaurante MaranataBreakfast and brunch · 0.5 km from the centre
- Cevicheria Roberto0.1 km from the centre
- Restaurant Casa Blanca | Tolú0.1 km from the centre
- Restaurante Donde Mamá0.1 km from the centre
- Restaurante la Atarraya0.1 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
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.