Zancudo Beach, Costa Rica
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About Zancudo Beach
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces W (257°), so it takes swell from the W. The wind blows offshore from the E (77°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 2–7 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 800 m out (1 in 82). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 28°C in November, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 30°C in February, its warmest (no wetsuit). For beginners the best months are usually January, February and December, with about 6 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Zancudo, 1.2 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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From Chicago: about 15 h 20 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to SJO, direct.
See flights ORD → SJO · Skyscanner from about £255 returnAdGetting there. 6 h 15 from the airport to Zancudo Beach.
Accommodation.
Stay in ZancudoAd
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 Zancudo (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Zancudo 2 min by car · rooms from £65 a night · 6 places to stay · where Zancudo Beach stays
Places to stay in Zancudo · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Zancudo · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Zancudo · GetYourGuideAd
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Zancudo Beach on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for intermediates | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 53, good | 3 ft13 ssoft | 249kJ | wind from the south-east, 4 knots | 32°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 43, fair | 3 ft11 ssoft | 155kJ | offshorewind from the north-east, 3 knots, offshore | 31°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 35, too small | 2 ft12 ssoft | 129kJ | wind from the south-west, 2 knots | 31°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 34, too small | 2 ft11 ssoft | 99kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 1 knot | 29°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 50, good | 3 ft12 ssoft | 206kJ | wind from the south-east, 2 knots | 29°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 51, good | 3 ft12 ssoft | 214kJ | offshorewind from the east-south-east, 3 knots, offshore | 29°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 30, too small | 2 ft11 ssoft | 117kJ | offshorewind from the east, 4 knots, offshore | 29°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 24, too small | 2 ft10 ssoft | 67kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 3 knots, offshore | 31°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 24, too small | 2 ft9 ssoft | 50kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 3 knots | 31°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 20, too small | 2 ft8 ssoft | 40kJ | offshorewind from the east, 2 knots, offshore | 29°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 SJO, then 6h 15 by road. About 15h 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 OctSurf Zancudo Beach
Best 15:00 to 18:00 local time: 3 ft at 12 s, wind 2 kn (4 km/h).
- Fri 23 OctSurf Zancudo Beach
Best 06:00 to 09:00 local time: 3 ft at 12 s, offshore wind.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight ORD to SJO, then 6h 15 by road. About 15h 20 door to door
Rough cost
About £760–£1,415 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 SJO, estimated from distance and season, 2 airlines on the route, with a hold bag | £255–£530 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £70–£120 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £170–£280 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £160–£300 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £70–£120 |
| Total | £760–£1,415 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Zancudo
- Playa Zancudo - El Coquito RestauranteBar and grill · 0.3 km from the centre
- Restaurant La Puerta NegraItalian · 0.6 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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