El Hoyo, Costa Rica
Also within 20 km of Caldera
- Puerto Caldera Surf spot · 1.6 km from Caldera
- El ollo Surf spot · 2 km from Caldera
- Corralillo Surf spot · 3.1 km from Caldera
- Dona ana Surf spot · 4.8 km from Caldera
- Tivives Surf spot · 5.4 km from Caldera
- Boca Barranca Surf spot · 6 km from Caldera
- Bajamar Surf spot · 8.3 km from Caldera
Watch this spot We email you when El Hoyo is worth the trip.
About El Hoyo
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SW (241°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (61°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 1–5 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves moderately: 10 m deep about 300 m out (1 in 32). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would crumble. 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 and September, with about 5 good days in 7; in January and December, about 0. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Caldera, 2.4 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 5 surf spots.
Water about 28°C: no wetsuit. 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 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 returnAdGetting there. 2 h 05 from the airport to El Hoyo.
Accommodation.
Stay in CalderaAd
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 Caldera (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Caldera 4 min by car · rooms from £65 a night · 9 places to stay · where El Hoyo stays
Places to stay in Caldera · Booking.com AdBarranca 15 min by car · rooms from £65 a night · 6 places to stay
Places to stay in Barranca · Booking.com AdBajamar 18 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 Caldera · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Caldera · GetYourGuideAd
Budget 
Mid-range 
Luxury 
Where it is
El Hoyo 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 | 52, good | 3 ft13 shollow | 274kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-east, 1 knot, offshore | 31°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 47, fair | 3 ft10 scrumbling | 140kJ | wind from the west, 2 knots | 30°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 40, fair | 3 ft11 scrumbling | 139kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 2 knots | 30°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 37, fair | 2 ft10 scrumbling | 110kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-east, 1 knot, offshore | 29°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 46, fair | 3 ft12 shollow | 176kJ | offshorewind from the north-east, 2 knots, offshore | 30°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 54, good | 3 ft12 scrumbling | 221kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 2 knots | 29°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 50, good | 3 ft11 scrumbling | 206kJ | offshorewind from the north-east, 3 knots, offshore | 30°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 25, too small | 2 ft9 scrumbling | 61kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-east, 2 knots, offshore | 31°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 28, too small | 2 ft9 scrumbling | 77kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 3 knots, offshore | 31°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 27, too small | 2 ft8 scrumbling | 54kJ | offshorewind 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 OctTravel out
Direct flight ORD to SJO, then 2h 05 by road. About 11h 05 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Tivives
Best 15:00 to 18:00 local time: 3 ft at 12 s, wind 1 kn (1 km/h).
- Wed 21 OctSurf Tivives
Best 06:00 to 09:00 local time: 3 ft at 10 s, wind 4 kn (7 km/h).
- Thu 22 OctSurf Tivives
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 4 ft at 12 s, wind 2 kn (4 km/h).
- Fri 23 OctSurf Tivives
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 4 ft at 12 s, wind 2 kn (3 km/h).
- Sat 24 OctSurf Tivives
Best 06:00 to 09:00 local time: 4 ft at 11 s, offshore wind.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight ORD to SJO, then 2h 05 by road. About 11h 05 door to door
The plan picks the best of 4 spots near Caldera each day: Corralillo, El Hoyo, Puerto Caldera, Tivives.
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.
| 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 Caldera
- Restaurante y Marisquería LedaSeafood · 0.2 km from the centre
- Restaurante KathiaSeafood · 1.4 km from the centre
- Lastro Sport Bar y RestauranteBar and grill · 0.3 km from the centre
- Restaurante Arrecife el PatioSeafood · 0.3 km from the centre
- Bar y Marisqueria el PuenteSeafood · 0.6 km from the centre
- Cevichera Arrecife PlazaSeafood · 0.8 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.