San Rafael, Dominican Republic
Also within 20 km of Paraíso
Watch this spot We email you when San Rafael is worth the trip.
About San Rafael
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SE (125°), so it takes swell from the SE. The wind blows offshore from the NW (305°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up, because of a steep sea floor. It works in 2–8 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very steeply: 10 m deep about 50 m out (1 in 4). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hard and thick, like a slab. The sea is about 27°C in January, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 30°C in September, its warmest (no wetsuit). The town to stay in is Paraíso, 6.8 km away (about 15 min by car).
Water about 29°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 14 h 20 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to STI, changing at Miami International Airport (MIA).
See flights MDW → STI · Skyscanner from about £225 returnAdGetting there. 3 h 05 from the airport to San Rafael.
Accommodation.
Stay in ParaísoAd
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 Paraíso (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Paraíso 12 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 9 places to stay · where San Rafael stays
Places to stay in Paraíso · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Paraíso · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Paraíso · GetYourGuideAd
Budget 
Mid-range 
Luxury Where it is
San Rafael 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
San Rafael 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 | 35, too small | 2 ft4 shollow | 20kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-west, 5 knots, offshore | 27°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 26, too small | 2 ft4 shollow | 11kJ | wind from the north-east, 3 knots | 27°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 19, too small | 2 ft4 shollow | 8kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 4 knots | 26°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 17, too small | 1 ft5 shollow | 8kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 3 knots | 26°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 23, too small | 2 ft4 shollow | 13kJ | wind from the south, 3 knots | 26°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 31, too small | 2 ft5 shollow | 20kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 3 knots | 25°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 50, good | 3 ft5 shollow | 43kJ | wind from the north-east, 4 knots | 26°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 44, fair | 3 ft5 shollow | 41kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 2 knots | 26°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 30, too small | 2 ft5 shollow | 24kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 0 knots | 26°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 26, too small | 2 ft5 shollow | 16kJ | wind from the north-east, 4 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 intermediate surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly MDW to STI, changing at MIA, then 3h 05 by road. About 14h 20 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Sat 24 OctSurf San Rafael
Best 16:00 to 19:00 local time: 3 ft at 5 s, wind 4 kn (7 km/h).
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly MDW to STI, changing at MIA, then 3h 05 by road. About 14h 20 door to door
The plan picks the best of 3 spots near Paraíso each day: El Manda, Patos, San Rafael.
Rough cost
About £715–£1,320 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 MDW to STI, estimated from distance and season, changing at MIA, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £225–£465 |
| 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 | £715–£1,320 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
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.