Surfing
Disclaimer: I do not claim to be a good surfer, I prefer medium-sized waves (3-5ft). The good news is that there are waves of all sizes across the island, though the surf is biggest in the winter. The spots I’ll share are where I have had the best surf sessions.
Domes Beach is considered one of the best surf spots on the island. From my experience, it’s the best. I had the best surf day of my life here. The waves are clean and consistent, the water is clear, and the ride time for each wave is long. It can get crowded, but you can catch it on a day with very few people. If this were not one of the furthest beaches from my house, I would be here all the time. I highly recommend stopping by if you are in Rincón.
I have often seen María Beach considered the best surf spot in Puerto Rico. It’s located right next to Domes Beach, on the other side of a rocky point. The shore is rocky and the paddle out is further than Domes, but the two are very similar. Both have incredible waves in clear water. This beach may be less crowded than Domes on busy days. There are multiple breaks so it never felt crowded to me with around a dozen other surfers.
Jobos has surfing for all skill levels as there are small-moderate waves that break near a sand bar and bigger waves that break further out. I think this is the ideal place to learn. It’s where my wife and I learned and we still love to surf here. The sandbar makes it easy to walk around so you don’t even need to paddle your board which is great for beginners. Or, you can paddle out to deeper water with bigger waves. Sea turtles graze on seaweed around the beginner surf area, I have bumped into them more than once. Magical.
Balneario del Escambrón (La Ocho) is, as far as I am concerned, the best surf spot in San Juan for intermediate surfers. It is not a spot for beginners. The waves are mild during much of the year but get huge in the winter. The paddle out to the swell takes forever and always leaves me questioning my life choices. About 50 feet out from the coast, in front of the viewing platform, there is a wall of coral. Most waves wouldn’t carry you this far but if conditions are right it is possible, so be wary. That being said, I have made some awesome memories surfing here and when I think of surfing in Puerto Rico, this is the spot I think of because I surf here the most. A sunset surf session at La 8, looking out at Old San Juan from the water made pink and opaque by the setting sun, followed by a hamburger at El Hamburger? Unforgettable.
Inches Beach usually has pretty small waves or is altogether flat. When you see 2-3 ft on Surfline, it’s on. Inches is a true reef break. The reef is so shallow that there is even a section sticking out of the water. Wait for waves parallel with the exposed coral. The part you surf over varies in depth, most of it is safe if you fall flat on your back or stomach. There are, however, extremely shallow sections and if you fall over them, you are eating coral. I have done this twice but I’ll keep coming back. I sound like a broken record here but the view from your board looking to the shore will make you grateful to be alive.
I romanticize Playa La Selva in my mind. It’s hard not to, it is a seriously cool spot. Drive down a long, rough dirt road to arrive at an unspoiled and wild coastline. When the conditions are right, the surf is smooth and consistent. The view from the water looking back to land is beautiful with El Yunque’s mountains in the background. It’s a place that makes you feel small. However, the waves can get big and rough here with small windows in between sets, making for a rough paddle out. This isn’t a great place for beginners.
In the winter the waves can get massive. Whenever I check Surfline, the biggest waves reported are often here. The last time I was here, I got caught in front of a big set of waves with my foam board. I got tumbled by four of five waves until my leash broke and my board was pushed to shore and thrown on the rocks. Getting back in ended up being a huge fiasco because there is only one safe entrance and exit and a strong current pushed me away from it when I was coming in, I had to hop on a good samaritan’s board and together we paddled back around to the exit. But before that unfortunate ordeal, the waves were a lot of fun, so… To get to it, you’ll need to drive down a rough dirt road until you get to a small parking lot with a bench near the water. This beach’s secluded location gives it a certain charm but it’s a particularly pretty location.
This is the most common location to learn to surf. The waves are often very small and break close to shore. Even when the waves are awful you’ll see instructors with students out there. Parking is a headache, and I have come here too many times when there are supposed to be waves, only to find it flat, to want to come back here too often.
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