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Surf Forecasts:

Mal Pais surfForecast / Golfo de Nicoya / Costa Rica

information circle12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 5 am Thursday 08 Jan 2026 CST
Forecast update in hr  min  s Forecast update imminent
Mal Pais surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Mal Pais sea temperature is
28.5° C
 (Which is slightly warmer than usual)

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Mal Pais this week:

The surf forecast for Mal Pais over the next 12 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jan 08) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Mal Pais in the next 12 days are 0.6m 13s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jan 08) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Monday (Jan 12) at 6AM.

Wave TypeTime (CST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9PM (Thu 8th Jan)2ft (0.6m) 13s
Best Surf 9PM (Thu 8th Jan)2ft (0.6m) 13s
Most Powerful 6PM (Thu 8th Jan)2ft (0.6m) 13s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Mal Pais over the next 12 days.

Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent 
12 DaysHourly
Print Table

Short Range Forecast Mostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Thu morning, min 24°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 3-6 Weather Summary Mostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Sun morning, min 24°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Thursday
08
Friday
09
Saturday
10
Sunday
11
Monday
12
Tuesday
13
Wednesday
14
AMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNight
Rating
(10 max)
1
0
1
1
0
1
1
0
1
1
0
1
1
0
1
1
0
1
1
0
1
Swell
Height Map
See all maps
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)
0.4
SW
0.4
SW
0.6
SW
0.6
SW
0.6
SW
0.6
SW
0.6
SW
0.6
SW
0.6
SW
0.5
SW
0.5
SW
0.5
SW
0.5
SW
0.4
SW
0.4
WNW
0.6
WNW
0.6
WNW
0.5
NW
0.5
NW
0.4
WNW
0.4
NW
Period(s) (?)1413131212121213121212121111121211101198
Wave
Graph
(?)Metric surfscale
Energy kJ (?)6462138122118120126130118696968583056887549553521
Wind
(km/h)
5
NNE
15
SW
5
NNW
5
NE
15
S
5
NNE
5
NNE
10
SW
5
N
10
NNE
10
S
10
NNE
10
NE
15
SSE
10
NE
5
NNE
15
SSW
5
N
5
NNE
15
SW
5
NNW
Wind State (?)
onshore
cross-onshore
cross-shore
cross-offshore
offshore
glassy
glassoncross-
off		glasscross-
on		glassglassonglasscross-
off		cross-
on		cross-
off		offcross-
on		offcross-
off		cross-
on		cross-
off		glassonglass
High Tide
/ height (m)
6:40PM
2.54
6:55AM
2.31
7:26PM
2.44
7:43AM
2.15
8:12PM
2.32
8:35AM
2.00
9:02PM
2.20
9:32AM
1.88
9:56PM
2.12
10:36AM
1.82
10:55PM
2.08
11:40AM
1.81
11:53PM
2.09
Low Tide
/ height (m)
12:21PM
0.22
12:53AM
0.44
1:05PM
0.38
1:43AM
0.55
1:51PM
0.55
2:35AM
0.65
2:39PM
0.70
3:31AM
0.72
3:33PM
0.81
4:31AM
0.75
4:33PM
0.87
5:33AM
0.73
5:34PM
0.87
Thursday
08
Friday
09
Saturday
10
Sunday
11
Monday
12
Tuesday
13
Wednesday
14
Sunrise5:58--5:58--6:00--6:00--6:00--6:00--6:01--
Sunset-5:35--5:35--5:36--5:36--5:37--5:37--5:37-
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
Rain (mm)
---------------------
Temp. °C282726282726272726282726282826282826272726
Feels °C (?)302830302830292829302829292929302929292829
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Mal Pais surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.

View detailed surf forecast for Mal Pais at:
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Information about the Mal Pais Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Mal Pais provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 12 days. A general guide to surfing at Mal Pais can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Mal Pais surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Mal Pais) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).

Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Mal Pais may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.

Mal Pais is 51 km (32 miles) from Puntarenas. If you plan a holiday in Golfo de Nicoya, look for hotels and other accommodation in Puntarenas. Puntarenas has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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