Mexico · Central America
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Punta de Mita, specifically the break at El Anclote, is a gentle right-hand point break in Nayarit state on Mexico's Pacific coast. The wave wraps slowly around a cobblestone and flat reef bottom, producing thick, sloping faces that peel at walking pace. This is a quintessential learning and longboarding wave, offering stability and predictability in warm tropical water with the Sierra Madre mountains as a backdrop. The fishing village retains much of its character despite the nearby resort development.
South-westerly Pacific groundswells arrive consistently from May through October, with the largest pulses in July and August. The wave also picks up north-west swells during winter months. It activates on very small swells (2-3ft) and maintains shape up to 5-6ft before the sections become disconnected. North-easterly winds blow offshore and are most reliable at dawn. The sea breeze typically establishes by late morning.
The take-off zone wraps around the cobblestone point at the northern end of the bay. The wave peels right for 50-100 metres along the gradually deepening bottom. Beginners can sit inside where the broken waves reform gently. More experienced riders should position at the top of the point for the longest rides. The deep water beyond the point provides a straightforward paddle-out.
The cobblestone bottom is uneven but relatively deep, minimising impact risk. Sea urchins inhabit the rocky sections near the point. The main hazard is other surfers, particularly beginner groups and stand-up paddlers in the congested inside zone. Stingrays inhabit the sandy patches. The tropical sun is fierce.
Street parking is available in the village near the beach. The break is immediately accessible from the beachfront with no difficult entry. Multiple surf schools operate from the beach. Facilities including restaurants, showers, and shops line the waterfront promenade. The Sayulita-Punta de Mita bus runs frequently.
El Anclote attracts a high volume of beginners and surf school groups, particularly during peak tourist season (December-April). The inside zone is chaotic with foam boards. Further out on the point, the crowd thins to experienced surfers who have paddled past the school zones. Early mornings before 8am offer the best window before lessons begin.
A longboard or a wide fish maximises your fun on this gentle, fat wave. The point produces minimal steep sections for a shortboard to engage with. The wave is best on an incoming mid-tide when the water depth over the cobblestones provides the smoothest face. Punta de Mita is warmer than you expect; board shorts and a rash vest suffice year-round. If the point is too crowded, Bahia de Banderas to the south offers beach break alternatives with fewer people.
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Based on historical weekly averages
Combining historical conditions with school holiday crowd pressure to find the sweet spot.
How busy each week is based on school holiday overlap from feeder markets.
The timing score combines two signals: historical conditions quality (how good the skiing or surfing typically is in a given week, based on 5 years of weather data) and crowd pressure (how many of this destination's feeder markets have school holidays that week).
Crowd pressure is weighted by each feeder country's share of visitors. If 40% of a resort's visitors come from France and France is on holiday, that contributes 0.40 to the crowd pressure score. Crowds can reduce the timing score by up to 35%, ensuring conditions still matter most.
Scores: 5 = great conditions with low crowds (the sweet spot). 4 = great conditions with moderate crowds, or good conditions with low crowds. 3 = average. 2 = below average conditions or very crowded. 1 = poor conditions or peak holiday chaos.
Last 28 days of logged conditions.
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Create Profile →Current conditions refresh every 3 hours when the cron runs. Hourly data updates every 30 minutes. The 7-day forecast, luck factor, and packing notes are all pre-computed at the same time.
We compare the 7-day forecast to the last 5 years of marine data for the same week at Punta de Mita. The delta tells you whether conditions are shaping up better, worse, or about the same as a typical mid-June.
We score each day of the 7-day forecast using the same algorithm as the leaderboard, and highlight the highest scorer.
Open-Meteo's Marine API (swell height, period, water temperature) and Weather API (wind and conditions).
Honestly, no. Every break has tide windows, swell directions and reef contours that a global model cannot see. Treat the score as a starting point, then check a local cam.
The best week for surf at Punta de Mita is the week of 30 November (score 3/5) with low crowds.
Good energy in the water with consistent sets. Mid-period swell giving the waves decent shape and push. Onshore chop spoiling the lineup. Best conditions early morning before the sea breeze arrives.
Heads up: thunderstorms forecast, and jellyfish: peak season.
Indicators derived from forecast data, not official warnings. Always check local lifeguard or official advice.
Moderate water clarity: ~4m visibility
Daily scores over the last 12 months at Punta de Mita