Staying Home Sucks, home

Pan Dulce

Surf spot · Costa Rica

Is it worth the trip?

28Poor out of 100 for your dates

Stay home

Best on Thu 5: too small (4 ft swell at 11 s), 4 hours of offshore wind, sheltered (estimated): holds up in a blow

Each day of your trip, out of 100

Tue 3 · 30 out of 100

Swell
4 ft10 shollow
Energy
277kJ
Wind
SSW 1 kn
Temp
26°C

Wed 4 · 22 out of 100

Swell
3 ft10 shollow
Energy
220kJ
Wind
WNW 6 kn
Temp
27°C

Thu 5 · 37 out of 100

Swell
4 ft11 shollow
Energy
406kJ
Wind
WNW 9 kn
Temp
27°C

Fri 6 · 31 out of 100

Swell
4 ft12 shollow
Energy
355kJ
Wind
NW 6 kn
Temp
27°C

Sat 7 · 19 out of 100

Swell
3 ft9 shollow
Energy
148kJ
Wind
NNE 2 kn
Temp
26°C

Sun 8 · 13 out of 100

Swell
2 ft14 shollow
Energy
164kJ
Wind
SSW 2 kn
Temp
27°C

Mon 9 · 23 out of 100

Swell
3 ft13 shollow
Energy
232kJ
Wind
SW 2 kn
Temp
28°C

Tap a day for waves, wind and the temperature. Full forecast

Forecast: next 10 days

Full forecast
  1. Mon 229, too small
  2. Tue 330, too small
  3. Wed 422, too small
  4. Thu 537, too small
  5. Fri 631, too small
  6. Sat 719, too small
  7. Sun 813, too small
  8. Mon 923, too small
  9. Tue 1027, too small
  10. Wed 1123, too small

The spot in five facts

  • Faces Etakes swell from the E
  • Offshore: Wwind from the land
  • Beginner +who it suits
  • Works 5–20 ftof swell
  • Water 28 °Cno wetsuit

Full forecast

every day, every number
Forecast and score for expert surfers at Pan Dulce, each day
DayScore for expertsSwellEnergyWindTemp
Mon 2Nov29, too small4 ft13 shollowunder 1 ft at break (est.)426kJwind from the north-north-west, 1 knot27°C
Tue 3Nov30, too small4 ft10 shollow1 ft at break (est.)277kJwind from the south-south-west, 1 knot26°C
Wed 4Nov22, too small3 ft10 shollow1 ft at break (est.)220kJwind from the west-north-west, 6 knots, offshore27°C
Thu 5Nov37, too small4 ft11 shollowunder 1 ft at break (est.)406kJwind from the west-north-west, 9 knots, offshore27°C
Fri 6Nov31, too small4 ft12 shollowunder 1 ft at break (est.)355kJwind from the north-west, 6 knots, offshore27°C
Sat 7Nov19, too small3 ft9 shollow2 ft at break (est.)148kJwind from the north-north-east, 2 knots26°C
Sun 8Nov13, too small2 ft14 shollow1 ft at break (est.)164kJwind from the south-south-west, 2 knots27°C
Mon 9Nov23, too small3 ft13 shollow2 ft at break (est.)232kJwind from the south-west, 2 knots28°C
Tue 10Nov27, too small3 ft11 shollow2 ft at break (est.)242kJwind from the north-north-east, 4 knots27°C
Wed 11Nov23, too small3 ft10 shollow2 ft at break (est.)168kJwind from the south-east, 2 knots28°C

Energy is the swell's power, in kJ per metre of wave. Wind is in knots, the arrow where it blows to; green is offshore. More

Tide

  • Mon 2 NovLow 01:48 −1.0 mHigh 07:57 +1.0 mLow 14:19 −1.1 mHigh 20:43 +1.1 m
  • Tue 3 NovLow 03:03 −0.9 mHigh 09:12 +0.9 mLow 15:31 −1.0 mHigh 21:55 +1.1 m
  • Wed 4 NovLow 04:20 −0.9 mHigh 10:29 +0.9 mLow 16:42 −1.0 mHigh 23:03 +1.1 m

Local clock times; heights about mean sea level. On open coasts the times are usually within a quarter of an hour; in bays, estuaries and on the Gulf of Mexico they can be an hour or more out. Tide: EOT20 global ocean tide model, Hart-Davis et al. 2021, DGFI-TUM (doi:10.17882/79489), CC BY 4.0. Times and heights computed by us. A model, not a tide table: check a local table before you go.

Forecast updated . It refreshes every three hours. Forecast data: ECMWF, DWD, Météo-France and NOAA, served by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0). Changed by us. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information.

Map

the spot and its town

Each place wears its best day on these dates, a surf spot for experts: green good, amber fair, pale red poor, as the key says.

Surf spot

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About

the place in full, sources, credits

About Pan Dulce

Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated.

The spot faces E (108°), so it takes swell from the E. The wind blows offshore from the W (288°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 5–20 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves steeply: 10 m deep about 150 m out (1 in 16). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. The sea is about 28°C in October, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 30°C in February, its warmest (no wetsuit). No town nearby. Nearest place to stay we found: Casa Bambu Beach Resort, Puerto Jimenez, 0 km. Nearest beds: Zancudo, 22 km (about 40 min by car). Nearest airport: Puerto Jimenez Airport (PJM), 15 km. Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.

Water about 28°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

The score is the conditions only: the journey, the price and the partners never change it (how we score, how we earn).

Rough cost (estimate): about US$697–US$1,330 each

about US$697–US$1,330 each · 6 nights, 2 sharing: flights, hire car, food, board and wetsuit.

Our estimate from typical public prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book (where they come from). Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 30 October 2026.

How we worked it out 
Rough cost per person for this trip
WhatHow we worked it outEach
Flightsreturn ORD to DAV, estimated from distance and season, changing at PTY, full-service airlines, with a hold bagabout US$301–US$630
Hire car6 days, sharedabout US$94–US$161
Food7 days eating outabout US$208–US$389
Board and wetsuit5 days, or about US$114 to fly your ownabout US$94–US$154
Totalabout US$697–US$1,330

No town nearby, so no stay is in it. For 2 people sharing a room. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra. Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.

Where to stay: nearest beds 22 km away

Ad Links marked Ad may pay us if you book. You pay the same, and they never change a score. How we earn

No town nearby

Nearest place to stay we found: Casa Bambu Beach Resort, Puerto Jimenez, 0 km. Nearest beds: Zancudo, 22 km (about 40 min by car). Nearest airport: Puerto Jimenez Airport (PJM), 15 km.

See places to stay near Zancudo, 22 km away · Booking.com

Getting there: about 16h 05m

About 16h 05m door to door from Chicago

Fly ORD → DAV, changing at Tocumen International Airport (PTY), then 3h 05m by road

An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.

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