La barra, Guatemala
Also within 20 km of Puerto San José
- Puerto San Jose Surf spot · 0.3 km from Puerto San José
- Iztapa Surf spot · 12.1 km from Puerto San José
Watch this spot We email you when La barra is worth the trip.
About La barra
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces S (166°), so it takes swell from the S. The wind blows offshore from the N (346°). 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 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 February, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 30°C in April, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually May, July, August and October, with about 6 good days in 7; in January and February, about 2. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Puerto San José, 4.8 km away (about 10 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot.
Water about 30°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 9 h 45 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to GUA, direct.
See flights ORD → GUA · Skyscanner from about £230 returnAdGetting there. 1 h 40 from the airport to La barra.
Accommodation.
Stay in Puerto San JoséAd
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 Puerto San José (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Puerto San José 8 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 40 places to stay · where La barra stays
Places to stay in Puerto San José · Booking.com AdIztapa 12 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 17 places to stay
Places to stay in Iztapa · Booking.com AdMonterrico 56 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 56 places to stay
Places to stay in Monterrico · Booking.com AdEl Paredón 57 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 16 places to stay
Places to stay in El Paredón · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Puerto San José · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Puerto San José · GetYourGuideAd
Budget 
Mid-range 
Luxury Where it is
La barra 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 | 54, good | 6 ft13 scrumbling | 893kJ | wind from the south, 4 knots | 31°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 56, good | 5 ft11 scrumbling | 529kJ | wind from the east, 3 knots | 30°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 64, good | 4 ft11 scrumbling | 450kJ | wind from the east, 3 knots | 29°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 65, good | 4 ft10 scrumbling | 344kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-east, 2 knots, offshore | 30°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 59, good | 5 ft12 scrumbling | 567kJ | offshorewind from the north, 3 knots, offshore | 30°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 64, good | 4 ft12 scrumbling | 470kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 1 knot | 30°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 60, good | 4 ft12 scrumbling | 325kJ | wind from the south-west, 2 knots | 30°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 58, good | 3 ft11 scrumbling | 255kJ | wind from the south, 4 knots | 30°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 45, fair | 3 ft9 scrumbling | 124kJ | wind from the south, 3 knots | 30°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 31, too small | 2 ft7 smushy | 45kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 3 knots | 31°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 GUA, then 1h 40 by road. About 9h 45 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf La barra
Best 15:00 to 18:00 local time: 4 ft at 11 s, wind 3 kn (6 km/h).
- Wed 21 OctSurf La barra
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 4 ft at 10 s, offshore wind.
- Thu 22 OctSurf La barra
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 5 ft at 12 s, offshore wind.
- Fri 23 OctSurf La barra
Best 15:00 to 18:00 local time: 4 ft at 12 s, wind 1 kn (2 km/h).
- Sat 24 OctSurf Puerto San Jose
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 4 ft at 12 s, wind 2 kn (4 km/h).
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight ORD to GUA, then 1h 40 by road. About 9h 45 door to door
The plan picks the best of 2 spots near Puerto San José each day: La barra, Puerto San Jose.
Rough cost
About £720–£1,330 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 GUA, estimated from distance and season, 3 airlines on the route, with a hold bag | £230–£475 |
| 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 | £720–£1,330 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Puerto San José
- Pollo CamperoChicken · 0.2 km from the centre
- Guatemala, Escuintla, Puerto San JoséMexican · 0.2 km from the centre
- Taqueria La Bendición puerto san JoséMexican · 0.4 km from the centre
- Taqueria Taco-ntentosMexican · 0.4 km from the centre
- La Mar GuatemalaSeafood · 0.5 km from the centre
- Nigth club el CerritoBar and grill · 0.5 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.