Tortuguero Surf Guide

Tortuguero in Limon is an exposed beach break that has fairly consistent surf The best wind direction is from the southwest. Windswells are much more common than groundswells and the ideal wave direction is from the northeast. The beach break offers both left and right hand waves. It's sometimes crowded here. Hazards include rips and jellyfish.

Tortuguero Spot Info

Type:Rating:Reliability:Todays Sea Temp*:
Beach2fairly consistent
29.0°C*ocean temperature recorded from satellite

Surfing Tortuguero:

The best conditions reported for surf at Tortuguero occur when a Northeast swell combines with an offshore wind direction from the Southwest.

What's the best time of year to surf Tortuguero (for consistent clean waves)?

januaryBest Season: winter
The best time of year for surfing Tortuguero with consistent clean waves (rideable swell with light / offshore winds) is during Winter  and most often the month of January. Clean surfable waves are typically found 87% of the time in January while 12% of the time it tends to be blown out. For the remaining 1% of the time it is considered too small by most surfers but may still be OK for beginners and groms at times.
clean
87%
Surfable waves that hold up well for longer rides in prevailing cross-offshore, offshore or light wind conditions.
blown out
12%
Surfable sized waves that are of poorer quality due to prevailing onshore, cross-onshore or windy conditions (may be preferable for kitesurfing).
too small
1%
Waves usually considered too small for good surf. Some wave-magnet breaks may still work though if conditions are right (on occasion).

Explore Tortuguero Location Map

Interactive Tortuguero surf break location map. View information about nearby surf breaks, their wave consistency and rating compared to other spots in the region. Current swell conditions from local buoys are shown along with live wind speed and direction from nearby weather stations. Click icons on the map for more detail. The closest passenger airport to Tortuguero is Limon International Airport (LIO) in Costa Rica, 18 km (11 miles) away (directly). The second nearest airport to Tortuguero is Cap Manuel Nino International (Changuinola) Airport (CHX) in Panama, 97 km (60 miles) away.

  • 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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Please note that some surf spot locations are approximate to protect their exact location while others are not shown at close zoom level.
Tortuguero Surf Forecasts:
Todays Surf Summary
Wednesday, 6 May 2026, 04:39 Local Time
Wednesday 06
3AM6AM9AM12PM
Wave (m)
1.1
ENE
1.1
ENE
1.1
ENE
1.1
ENE
Period (s) 8 8 8 8
Wind (km/h)
5
5
5
10
Wind State glass glass glass on

Swell History at Tortuguero

Surf stats for Tortuguero, see the swell variation by month or season on the history page here.

Wind History at Tortuguero

Wind stats for Tortuguero, see the variation in direction and stength by month or season on the history page here.


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