Punta Rucia, Dominican Republic
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About Punta Rucia
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces NW (322°), so it takes swell from the NW. The wind blows offshore from the SE (142°). 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 2.6 km out (1 in 256). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 27°C in January, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 29°C in August, its warmest (no wetsuit). The town to stay in is Punta Rucia, 0 km away (about 5 min by car).
Water about 29°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 12 h 05 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to PLS, direct.
See flights ORD → PLS · Skyscanner from about £210 returnAdGetting there. 4 h 30 from the airport to Punta Rucia.
Accommodation.
Stay in Punta RuciaAd
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 Punta Rucia (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Punta Rucia 1 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 13 places to stay · where Punta Rucia stays
Places to stay in Punta Rucia · Booking.com AdLuperón 47 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 7 places to stay
Places to stay in Luperón · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Punta Rucia · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Punta Rucia · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Punta Rucia on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
Punta Rucia does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for experts, so you can see what it does.
The score for experts, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Scorefor Expert | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 6, too small | 2 ft8 ssoft | 45kJ | offshorewind from the south-east, 4 knots, offshore | 30°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 7, too small | 2 ft8 ssoft | 42kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-east, 3 knots, offshore | 28°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 22, too small | 3 ft10 ssoft | 172kJ | wind from the north, 4 knots | 28°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 16, too small | 3 ft9 ssoft | 123kJ | offshorewind from the south, 3 knots, offshore | 27°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 13, too small | 3 ft8 ssoft | 79kJ | offshorewind from the south-east, 1 knot, offshore | 28°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 18, too small | 3 ft8 ssoft | 99kJ | offshorewind from the south-east, 5 knots, offshore | 28°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 15, too small | 3 ft9 ssoft | 108kJ | offshorewind from the south, 6 knots, offshore | 28°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 10, too small | 2 ft8 ssoft | 52kJ | wind from the east, 2 knots | 27°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 16, too small | 3 ft9 ssoft | 116kJ | wind from the north, 3 knots | 27°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 18, too small | 4 ft9 smushy | 226kJ | wind from the north, 8 knots | 27°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
Direct flight ORD to PLS, then 4h 30 by road. About 12h 05 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: 3 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: 3 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Too small: 3 ft at best.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Too small: 3 ft at best.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: 3 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight ORD to PLS, then 4h 30 by road. About 12h 05 door to door
Rough cost
About £700–£1,290 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 PLS, estimated from distance and season, 2 airlines on the route, with a hold bag | £210–£435 |
| 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 | £700–£1,290 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Punta Rucia
- Poseidon Restaurant BeachMediterranean · 0.1 km from the centre
- El Negro Tours y Restaurante0.2 km from the centre
- Blue Island0.4 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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