Whether you're an aspiring surfer or a pro, Puerto Rico has some of the best surfing in the Caribbean.
Puerto Rico is the ideal surfing destination: warm waters year-round, fun local surfing culture, and conditions ranging from easy, two-foot waves over a sandy bottom to tall, fast-moving barrels with reef breaks. Surf shops abound, many offering board rentals and lessons, or guided experiences.
The best surfing on the Island is around the northwest coast, from Isabela to Rincón, but if you only have time to explore San Juan you'll still find spots with exciting waves. From October to February swells are at the peak, and during the summer things tend to be calmer.
Rincón
The quintessential surfer destination, Rincón has a statue of a surfer in the middle of town. Located on the westernmost point of the Island, Rincón has beaches on the north and west coasts offering a variety of conditions suitable for experienced surfers. The most popular surfing beaches are Domes, María's, Tres Palmas, and Sandy Beach. There are several surf shops offering rentals, including Mar Azul Surf Shop, Surf Town Rincón, and Desecheo Surf Shop. For beginners that don't want to miss out, Rincón Surf School offers surf lessons and guided adventures.
Aguadilla
Punta Borinquen, the nearly 5-mile coastline stretching from Crash Boat to Surfer's Beach in the northwestern town of Aguadilla, was designated the Caribbean's first World Surfing Reserve by the organization Save the Waves in 2018. Thanks to this designation over a dozen world-class surfing points, including Surfer's Beach, Table Tops, Survival Beach, Wilderness, Wishing Well, Manglito, Gas Chambers, and Crash Boat, are now protected. Well worth the visit by surfers of every level, Aguadilla offers over 300 days of rideable waves on some of the most beautiful beaches in Puerto Rico. Aguadilla also has many surf shops offering board rentals such as Surf Zone, Aquatic Dive and Surf, and Verde Azul Surf and SUP Shop, as well as a surf tour company, PR Surf Adventures.
Isabela
Another popular surfing destination on the west coast is Isabela with surfing conditions for all levels of experience. Middles Beach is the site of the annual Corona Pro Surf Circuit, a stretch of sandy beach with powerful currents and rocky sections offshore where the waves break.
Jobos Beach tends to be livelier since this beach also has sections that are good for swimming. There are also a few restaurants and bars nearby. Hang Loose Surf Shop offers rentals and lessons, and is right on Jobos.
"La 8" – El Escambrón, San Juan
Located in San Juan and accessible from Escambrón beach, this area is ideal for experienced surfers. Nearby is La 8 Surf Shop (ocho means eight in Spanish) which offers board rentals and you can coordinate surf lessons. Also located in San Juan is Spectrum Surf School which offers group and private lessons and board rentals. The best waves are during the winter months, but the rest of the year is considered a great starting point for beginners. Scope out the lineups around the big rock and down the coast towards Old San Juan.
La Pared – Luquillo
La Pared in the northeastern town of Luquillo is a good beach for beginners, with 3 to 5-foot waves with different size breaks over a sandy bottom. Surfing Puerto Rico Adventures offers surf lessons and board rentals.
While staying on the east coast of the Island, you can ride the tide at La Pared, an exposed beach break with a ridable swell and offshore winds. The beach offers both left and right-hand waves from three to five feet with different size breaks within sets.
Los Tubos
For an off-the-beaten-path experience visit Los Tubos in the town of Manatí on the northern coast. The beach faces northwest, creating similar surfing conditions as Aguadilla, and is one of the few beaches that can hold big swells. There are no surf shops nearby so best to rent a board for the day in San Juan or bring your own.
Margara – Arecibo
A little bit of an inconsistent surf, this north coast beach is best to visit during the autumn and winter months. A reasonably exposed reef break, the best wind direction is from the south, and it tends to receive a mix of groundswells and wind swells.
Since there is no reef break, Margara is a good surf in all states of the tide. It is considered a small wave beach by most surfers, but it makes an excellent rookie spot. Some surfers consider the drop and the right and left barrel to be just like a pipe or backdoor rides. Beware of the sea urchins!
Machuca – Barceloneta
Known for its dark-black sand, Machuca beach is part of Hacienda la Esperanza between the towns of Manatí and Barceloneta. This beach bears the name of local surf legend, Jorge Machuca and you can ride both left and right-hand waves and the best swell direction from the north.
