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FAE, Ecuador

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

Also within 20 km of La Libertad

All 13 on La Libertad's map

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

About FAE

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

The spot faces SW (228°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (48°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–8 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 850 m out (1 in 85). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 23°C in July, its coldest month (2 mm shorty), and 27°C in February, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually February and March, with about 5 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is La Libertad. Within 5 km we also list 5 surf spots.

Water about 23°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 16 h 25 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to GYE, changing at Miami International Airport (MIA).

    See flights MDW → GYE · Skyscanner from about £325 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 2 h 25 from the airport to FAE.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Nearest beds: La Libertad, 10 km (about 20 min by car)Ad

    FAE is 10 km from the beds: plan on the drive each day you surf.

    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 La Libertad, 10 km away 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 La Libertad · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in La Libertad · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

FAE 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

FAE 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 18Oct365 ft12 smushy699kJ27°C
Mon 19Oct484 ft12 smushy497kJ27°C
Tue 20Oct344 ft11 smushy390kJ27°C
Wed 21Oct514 ft15 smushy562kJ27°C
Thu 22Oct395 ft12 smushy760kJ27°C
Fri 23Oct324 ft10 smushy325kJ27°C
Sat 24Oct474 ft11 smushy358kJ27°C
Sun 25Oct464 ft8 smushy188kJ27°C
Mon 26Oct463 ft8 smushy95kJ27°C
Tue 27Oct442 ft15 scrumbling215kJ27°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

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Fly MDW to GYE, changing at MIA, then 2h 25 by road. About 16h 25 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf La Diablica

    Best 07:00 to 10:00 local time: 4 ft at 12 s, wind 6 kn (12 km/h).

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Surf La Diablica

    Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 4 ft at 15 s, wind 4 kn (8 km/h).

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Surf La Diablica

    Best 07:00 to 10:00 local time: 5 ft at 12 s, wind 4 kn (7 km/h).

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Surf La Diablica

    Best 07:00 to 10:00 local time: 4 ft at 10 s, wind 5 kn (9 km/h).

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Surf Ecuasal

    Best 07:00 to 10:00 local time: 4 ft at 11 s, wind 4 kn (7 km/h).

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Fly MDW to GYE, changing at MIA, then 2h 25 by road. About 16h 25 door to door

The plan picks the best of 10 spots near La Libertad each day: Cautivo, Ecuasal, FAE, FAE - 3 cruzes, La Chocolatera, La Diablica, Paco illescas, Pico nerd, Playero de miramar, Punta Carnero.

The trip from La Libertad, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £695–£1,315 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 MDW to GYE, estimated from distance and season, changing at MIA, full-service airlines, with a hold bag£325–£675
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Hire car6 days, shared£50–£85
Stay6 nights, a mid-range double, shared£120–£200
Food7 days eating out£115–£210
Board and wetsuit5 days, or about £85 to fly your own£50–£80
Total£695–£1,315

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

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Nearest beds: La Libertad, 10 km (about 20 min by car) · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Surf lessons · GetYourGuide Board and wetsuit hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.