Puerto Arista, Mexico
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About Puerto Arista
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SW (209°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (29°). 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 very gently: 10 m deep about 1.1 km out (1 in 111). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 28°C in January, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 31°C in May, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually July and August, with about 7 good days in 7; in January and December, about 3. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Puerto Arista, 0.3 km away (about 5 min by car).
Water about 30°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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From Chicago: about 14 h 20 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to TGZ, changing at Mexico City Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX).
See flights ORD → TGZ · Skyscanner from about £220 returnAdGetting there. 2 h 10 from the airport to Puerto Arista.
Accommodation.
Stay in Puerto AristaAd
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 Arista (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Puerto Arista 1 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 44 places to stay · where Puerto Arista stays
Places to stay in Puerto Arista · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Puerto Arista · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Puerto Arista · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Puerto Arista on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
Puerto Arista 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
| Day | Scorefor Intermediate | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 56, good | 5 ft14 ssoft | 686kJ | offshorewind from the north, 18 knots, offshore | 30°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 76, good | 4 ft12 ssoft | 413kJ | offshorewind from the north, 10 knots, offshore | 31°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 64, good | 4 ft12 ssoft | 328kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 1 knot, offshore | 31°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 62, good | 4 ft11 ssoft | 303kJ | wind from the east, 2 knots | 29°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 66, good | 4 ft12 ssoft | 420kJ | offshorewind from the north, 3 knots, offshore | 30°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 73, good | 4 ft11 ssoft | 358kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-west, 12 knots, offshore | 33°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 55, good | 4 ft11 ssoft | 303kJ | wind from the west, 2 knots | 30°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 54, good | 3 ft11 ssoft | 197kJ | offshorewind from the north, 7 knots, offshore | 32°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 32, too small | 2 ft9 ssoft | 67kJ | offshorewind from the north, 12 knots, offshore | 33°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 34, too small | 2 ft14 ssoft | 155kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 7 knots | 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
Fly ORD to TGZ, changing at MEX, then 2h 10 by road. About 14h 20 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Puerto Arista
Best 12:00 to 15:00 local time: 4 ft at 12 s, offshore wind.
- Wed 21 OctSurf Puerto Arista
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 4 ft at 11 s, wind 2 kn (4 km/h).
- Thu 22 OctSurf Puerto Arista
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 4 ft at 12 s, offshore wind.
- Fri 23 OctSurf Puerto Arista
Best 15:00 to 18:00 local time: 4 ft at 11 s, offshore wind.
- Sat 24 OctSurf Puerto Arista
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 4 ft at 11 s, wind 2 kn (4 km/h).
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to TGZ, changing at MEX, then 2h 10 by road. About 14h 20 door to door
Rough cost
About £700–£1,285 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 TGZ, estimated from distance and season, changing at MEX, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £220–£455 |
| 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 | £160–£265 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £150–£280 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £65–£105 |
| Total | £700–£1,285 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Puerto Arista
- La Perla Del Pacifico "la Liza"Seafood · 0.3 km from the centre
- Hotel Playa AristaMexican · 0.2 km from the centre
- Restaurant Las HamacasSeafood · 0.2 km from the centre
- Restaurante Mari CapulloSeafood · 0.2 km from the centre
- Restaurante OCMARSeafood · 0.2 km from the centre
- El Dulcito Puerto AristaLatin american · 0.3 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
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Where to stayAd
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