Colombia surfing is hardly the best in South America, but there are spots here that will blow your mind with thier rugged backdrops and remoteness, plus some consistent locations on the Caribbean that make up for what they lack in quality with warm water and regular swell.
An introduction to Colombia surfing
Colombia’s surf scene is still a tale of the relatively undiscovered, but it’s quickly gaining attention. With over 1,600 miles of coastline, the country offers a variety of breaks, from mellow beach waves to challenging reef breaks.
It’s split in two. There’s the Pacific coast, known for its powerful swells and pristine beaches. That’s a haven for more experienced folks, headed up by places like Nuquà and BahÃa Solano, which offer punchy breaks on cobblestone reefs below jungle-clad cliffs. They might be hard to get to but the waves there are worth it. The closest comparison we can think of is Madeira, only here the H2O is hot and there’s no major crowding.
On the Caribbean side, beginners and intermediate surfers will find friendly waves in locations like San Andres and Providencia. The vibe is relaxed, the water warm, and the scenery breathtaking. But it’s fickle in these parts, relying – like Costa Rica before it – on the push-through cyclones of the hurricane season, which lasts maybe three months of the year tops.
The downside with Colombia has to be access. That’s gonna’ be the big challenge here, often a case of hopping prop planes and boats. There’s also that lingering question mark over the safety, but – in our humble experience – this corner of South America is now fine.
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This is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in South America (coming soon)
Colombia surfing at a glance
The good:
The bad:
What’s in this guide to Colombia surfing?
How to get to Colombia?
Most travelers arrive in Colombia by air, and the country has several international airports that serve as major gateways. The primary airports include:
- El Dorado International Airport (BOG) in Bogotá, the capital city.
- José MarÃa Córdova International Airport (MDE) in MedellÃn.
- Rafael Núñez International Airport (CTG) in Cartagena.
These airports offer direct flights to and from major cities in North America, Europe, and other parts of Latin America. Major airlines such as Avianca, American Airlines, Delta, and LATAM operate in Colombia. We usually use Skyscanner.com to find the best flight deals on offer.
The thing is, those long-haul flights will only get you so far. There’s a good chance that you’re going to need to tack on a second leg of the journey to get to the surf areas in Colombia.
It’s not all that hard if you’re aiming for the Caribbean region. Make for Cartagena and then use either public transport to get to the urban breaks or rent a car to get up to the beaches nearer Barranquilla.
For the Pacific coast, you’re probably going to need to hop in a prop plane for a short haul – the main surf center on this side of the country, NuquÃ, has not a single road link to the central valleys. Some surf camps in the region will help with this but usually it means factoring in like $100 more on the total coast of a trip. Not too much to pay for empty waves, eh?
The top surf spots in Colombia
The Caribbean coast
Most people surfing in Colombia will still make for the country’s Caribbean side. The main reason? The accessibility. You can even get a long-haul flight straight into Cartagena and drive out to the spots from there.
The other reason this region stays popular is the fact that it’s got by far the easier waves in the country. They’re largely well sheltered beach breaks that cater well to the crowds of vacationers who jet in and fancy giving surfing a go.
Let’s take a look…
Cartagena
Take a break from gawping at the glorious pastel-painted coral buildings of old Cartagena – a UNESCO city with real charm – and make for the jetty break(s). There’s actually a couple of them, with the best forming as relatively fast left off the breakwater by the Las Velas Hotel. Don’t expect anything epic. It’s largely mush and hardly ever sections well.
Check our complete guide to surfing in Cartagena (coming soon)
Pradomar
A kook fest that’s great fun to be part of, Pradomar is the learner spot of the Colombian Caribbean. The angled beach here sucks up any windswell that’s kicking about to give mushy little ankle slappers galore. A few hotels and shacks now rent boards and there’s a good hotel and bar scene to boot. It’s all easy stuff in very warm water.
Galerazamba
The huge arc of murky sand and sandbars at Galerazamba has always been a wind factory when we’ve dropped by. There’s nary a clean face to cut up here but there are loads of peaks up and down the 3-mile stretch to the north of the town. The west-facing beaches are better sheltered and hide one secret: A half-decent right hander that works moderately well in those rare hurricane swells.
The Pacific coast
Take a look at the map – the Pacific coast of Colombia is a pretty wild region. It’s totally cut off from the rest of the country, with just a few oil ports in the south and remote fishing communities stringing the coast going north.
A few of those are now developing as surf destination, chief among them is NuquÃ.
NuquÃ
Nuquà actually reminds us a little of the Ments, only with waves that are smaller and less clean most of the time. The reason we say that is it’s Colombia’s upcoming surf destination for surf camps and lodges and it has that remote feel of the Indo islands from like 20 years back. There are now pretty great surf camps wedged into the wide bays to the south of the town. The only way to get out to them is by boat, so expect very empty line ups. The wave that stands out is Pico de Loro, a spinning left hander that cranks into action on punchy SW swells in the summer months (April to Sept).
Check our complete guide to Nuquà surf (coming soon)
Termales
Only 15 miles south of NuquÃ, Termales boasts a river mouth setup that changes a lot from season to season as the swells push SW and die out because they don’t have enough to make it around he capes. The sandbanks here also move a whole load. One year they can give nice wedgy rights and lefts into the channel, the next they could be flat and powerless.
Playa El Amargal
Welcome to the heart of the Colombian Pacific surf coast. Remember when we said that there were surf camps here that reminded us a lot of what the ments were in the 90s? Well…here they are. Expect rustic jungle retreats that gaze over bays with lippy little reef breakers and left hand points peeling off their south ends. Punta Brava is the quality break in these parts but most campers will have access to a boat that lets them track north to get to Termales or south to the totally deserted waves at Juan Tornillo or the cape.
When to surf in Colombia?
The best time to surf in Colombia differs depending on what side of the country you want to visit…
Pacific Coast
The Pacific Coast of Colombia is known for its powerful and consistent waves. The best time to surf here is:
- Main season (April to October) – During these months, the Pacific Coast experiences larger swells originated way away in the South Pacific near to NZ. Those will combine with morning offshores from the sierras to create the perfect conditions.
- Off-season (November to March) – The waves are generally smaller and more manageable during these months, making it suitable for beginners and intermediate surfers.
Caribbean Coast
The Caribbean Coast offers a different surfing experience with warmer waters and generally smaller waves. The best time to surf here is:
- Main season (December to April) – This period sees more consistent windswells, especially in areas like San Andres and Providencia, though it’s rarely clean. The best days are the ones with push-through hurricane swells off the central Caribbean Sea. You’ll know they’re coming because everyone will be talking about them!
- Off-season (May to November) – The waves can be less consistent during these months, but there’s a chance the wind will dip and you’ll get cleaner sets.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!