It is warm and inviting. The food is wonderful, and the waves can be some of the best waves in the world.
Mexico has so much to offer, so why wouldn’t you want to find the best surf spots in Mexico.
Mexico also doesn’t have to break the bank. There are ways to watch your money while still enjoying the full Mexican experience.
It is cheap to rent a small casita on the beach you can fill your belly with tacos for under a dollar.
This is why Mexico is the perfect surf vacation.
Let’s go surfing in Mexico.
Top 11 Best Surf Spots in Mexico
11. Rosarito
Roughly thirty-five kilometers south of the border sits the town of Rosarito. This beach is easy to access and therefore does get a bit congested with a definite tourist vibe.
However, this is not necessarily a bad thing. If it gets a bit crowded on land, it is less so in the water. Leaving you and your board to surf great waves without having to fight for them.
The waves are famous and do get busy in the winter months. But it’s not a very serious or competitive vibe in the water.
Rosarito Beach is a long and beautiful beach break. Leaving plenty of room to spread out so everyone can enjoy some noncompetitive waves.
Sometimes you just need to walk a bit further to find your own peak.
10. Calafia
Further south of Rosarito lays Calafia. A right-hand point break that regularly produces bigger waves with plenty of power.
This is for slightly more experienced surfers. Spending some time in the area is the best way to get a feel for it and for the waves.
The best thing about this wave is it tend to work with all tides, so you can surf pretty much any time of day. Which is great if you tend not to be a morning person.
Calafia also tends to get frequent swell, making it one of the best surf spots in Mexico.
9. Ensenada
This is probably one of the first spots that put Mexico on the surfing Map. Written about for many years in the surf magazines of yore, Ensenada was always the place that came to mind when it came to surfing in Mexico.
The beaches here have been surfed by American surfers since the 1960s when they first started venturing down to find some space from the madding California crowds.
They found wonderful open beaches and plenty of space to cruise and travel.
The area has remained popular for day visits. As it is an easy drive over the border from San Diego.
That doesn’t mean that this is not a great spot to camp out for longer than a day.
Baja California in Mexico has some of the best surf spots in Mexico. You are always able to find waves here, year-round.
Which is why it is a hot surfer destination.
Mexico is such a hot spot for surfing that if you haven’t surfed here, are you even a surfer?
8. Playa San Miguel
We are talking about playa San Miguel, not San Miguel de Allende another hot tourist destination in Mexico that should also be on your radar.
Playa San Miguel is another great beach and area for a quick visit and some surf, in Baja California.
It is a great wave. Some even call it the best wave in Baja. But we will let you be the judge of that.
A long and fun pointbreak that gets better as you ride it.
It is because of this that San Miguel does get crowded. Sometimes it can get quite tense in the water, as locals can be a bit aggressive.
It is a high-performance wave, so only recommended for serious and experienced surfers and surfers who are accustomed to surfing in crowds.
The other thing about this area is that the wind swings around to onshore every day, usually around midday.
This means you have to get out there early if you want to enjoy this wave. As it gets blown out early in the day.
7. Playa Hermosa
Not far from San Miguel sits one of the many Playa Hermosa’s in Mexico.
This is where you want to send your friends that aren’t as experienced as you when you are enjoying San Miguel.
This is more of a beginner’s type of wave.
Everyone can enjoy it without too much of a competitive vibe or atmosphere. An easy wave that is fun to ride.
It is also an excellent place to practice your surfing if you want to up your skillset or if you are tired of battling for waves at some of the other Baja locations.
Before heading out for any surf trip make sure not to forget any of these essential surf trip items.
6. Todos Santos
Also in baja is one of the most famous big wave spots in Mexico.
Mexico actually can get a lot of big and powerful waves under the right conditions.
This world-renowned big-wave reef is called Isla Todos Santos or is referred to as Killers.
It is in the Ensenada region, off a small island that sites 20 km out to sea.
So you have to rent a boat to access it. But it is worth the trip and tends not to be crowded as the boat detours the crowds.
The wave is a right-hand reef break, and it is for big-wave surfers only.
There have been big-wave tournaments held here, and American surfer Taylor Knox once held a record for the biggest wave surfed there.
5. Boca de Pascuales
This wave is a fun beach break in the Colima and Michoacan region that gets quite good in the winter months when the water drops in temperature.
Visitors come from all over the world to surf this famous wave. Making it one of the best surf spots in Mexico.
A regular shortboard is sufficient unless you want to surf the biggest swells.
Still, it is advised that you bring a spare board because the waves are powerful have known to snap boards in half.
So be warned and don’t come here if you don’t know what you are doing.
4. Puerto Escondido
The other wave that shows some serious size at times is Puerto Escondido. Another beach break, this one however is located in the Oaxaca region, not in the popular Baja zone.
Puerto Escondido can get very big. It too was the venue for a big wave event a few years ago.
When it is big it is only recommended for serious surfers, but that normally only happens a few days out of the year.
For the rest of the year, these waves are small and fun and geared towards all levels of surfers who want to enjoy the waves of Mexico.
On those rare days that it gets bigger, the storms are forecast days in advance.
Which makes it great to go out and watch the big wave gladiators heading out to battle it out amongst the moving mountains.
3. Troncones
What was once a tranquil fishing village, Troncones is now the centre of several perfect waves in the area, pumping out some of the best surf spots in Mexico.
It is well recognized as a very safe destination for beginners as well as those surfers who are at a skill level above beginner.
There is nothing too scary or dangerous about the area’s waves at all.
It is an ideal location to learn how to surf, or a great spot to hone your surfing skills.
Playa Trocones is a fun but punchy beach break that throws some perfect A-Frame peaks, the stock-standard beach break experience in Mexico.
Playa Troncones also has a really fun point break. It is a long left-hand pointbreak that is also suited to all levels of surfing.
A beginner board, some boardshorts, plenty of suncream for surfers and you’re good to go in this area.
2. The Ranch
Just north of Troncones in the Guerrero region of Mexico lays “The Ranch”
Mexico’s best-kept secret break for many years. Now it is starting to get more and more popular and starting to draw a crowd.
It was a well-kept secret for many years, but now not so much.
It is a point break that also has some world-class waves and great barrels.
This wave is more serious and is for experienced surfers.
Those surfers with loads of confidence are used to riding barrels and getting caught up in the green room.
1. La Saladita
Also in the Guerrero region, sits the point break of La Saladita.
A really long and fun left-hand point break that seems to reel forever.
It is a playful wave and also attracts average-skilled surfers and long boarders who love the soft peeling walls.
A great wave for the old classic surfer that is just looking for a good long wave. The best surf spot in Mexico to come with friends that are at all different surf levels.
Conclusions
That wraps up the top 11 best surf spots in Mexico. I hope that you learned about some new spots that were off your radar or that you will be inspired to book a trip down to Mexico to find your own secret spots to surf.
As mentioned earlier, with so much coastline, Mexico is there to be explored.
There are far too many beach breaks, point breaks and reef breaks to mention.
These are just a few, and I am sure there are many out there that haven’t been discovered or that no one is writing about.
These are just some of the best surf spots in Mexico. Get out there and go explore them on your own.
Megan is the founder of Peter Pan Traveler. She left her full-time career in search of neverland.
Megan has lived in Costa Rica, Mexico, and has sailed around the Caribbean. She is here to help everyone find their neverland and design their perfect vacation.
