There’s a reason Rincon is nicknamed the “surf capital” of Puerto Rico. Located on the northwestern side of the island, Rincon is a vibrant surf community bursting at the seams with surf culture and a laid-back, tropical lifestyle.
Photo courtesy Aidan Murray
Rincon, Puerto Rico Surf Guide
Waves in Rincon
Your best bet for catching a good swell in Rincon is from December to April, as the winter swells are the most consistent and produce the best waves.
Planning a trip based on the waves is always a bit of a game of luck, though.
You could visit Rincon in the dead of winter and catch a flat week, but you could also visit in October and catch a tropical cyclone swell. More often than not, you will find some sort of wave all winter long.
Most breaks in Rincon are reef breaks, with the exception of Sandy Beach. Shocker, right?
From beginners to pros, there’s a wave for everyone in Rincon depending on the swell and the break. It's got point breaks, a-frames, rights, lefts, barrels...pick your poison and hop in the water. Speaking of hopping in the water, be careful where you do that.
There are specific entry points where it's easiest to get in at each beach. Watch where other surfers enter the water or ask someone on the beach – you do not want to take a sea urchin to the foot or a concealed rock to the surfboard.
Photo courtesy Aidan Murray
Surf Culture in Rincon
Surf culture is the backbone of Rincon’s community. Recently, the surf community has been pulling together to protest against an irresponsibly-designed bike path threatening their coastline in and around the Tres Palmas Marine Reserve.
Surfing is vital to the economy in Rincon, bringing in visitors and tourists from all over the world each year. If you’re going out the night before a big swell, expect the bars to be closed before midnight – everyone is more concerned with getting up early for the waves the next day.
Gear Needed to Surf in Rincon
With beautiful water and weather year-round, all you need to wear are board shorts or a bikini to surf in Rincon – and maybe a surf shirt to protect yourself from the strong sun.
Different days call for different boards. The wave size is pretty fickle, even during a consistent swell. There are plenty of spots to rent any type of board you can imagine in the area, so don’t worry too much about packing one if it’s not easy for you to.
The Best Surf Locations in Rincon
Rincon’s coast is dotted with plenty of breaks suitable for different-level surfers depending on the swell.
Tres Palmas
The premier big-wave spot in the Caribbean, Tres Palmas put Puerto Rico on the map for surfing. It needs to be double overhead to even start breaking, so this wave is for only the most advanced (and crazy) surfers. When a big swell hits, you’ll see cars lined up bumper to bumper along the road above Tres Palmas, one of the only sources of traffic you’ll encounter around Rincon.
A deepwater trench gives this spot the power to provide such large waves, drawing up mountainous peaks that send boards and surfers flying over the falls. Luckily, there is a channel that runs south of the reef that makes getting out into the lineup easy, however, Tres Palmas does throw the occasional sneaky outside set into the channel that will take you out and hurl you right back into the inside.
Maria’s & Dogmans
Maria's Beach is named for a woman named Maria Garcia who lived there during the first few decades of surfing on the island. She was incredibly kind and hospitable to surfers, allowing them to camp on her property, giving them coffee and food, and letting them hose off at her house.
Maria’s Beach is the surfing center of Rincon, with several surf camps using the break and an abundance of surfers always in the water. There are multiple takeoff points here, so the crowd does somewhat spread out. That being said, the crowd is usually populated with inexperienced surfers, surf school students, locals ripping through the crowds, and a mixed bag of intermediate and advanced surfers.
Still, if you find a spot and stick to it, you’ll catch some nice rides. The wave is a long peeling right, with a few shorter lefts squeezed in. The reef can be very shallow in some spots, and there are a lot of urchins by the shore.
Down the beach from Maria’s going towards Tres Palmas is Dogman’s. It’s less crowded than Maria’s and better for more advanced surfers. It’s more shallow and usually gets bigger than Maria’s.
Photo courtesy Aidan Murray
Indicators
Around the corner of the Lighthouse from Domes is Indicators, which gets its name from the large exposed rock in the center of the lineup and the fact that it’s an indicator of sets approaching neighboring breaks.
This is another more advanced-level wave. Definitely mostly locals and visitors who know the wave surfing here. The main takeoff spot is very close to the rock jutting out of the water, and there is usually exposed reef in some parts of the water. The crowd will likely be thinner than most other spots, though.
Domes
Domes is named for the dome-shaped inactive nuclear facility near the beach. It used to be a more local-dominant spot in Rincon, but it attracts quite a crowd these days. It’s not really a beginner spot and it’s more of a point break, so if you don't know what you’re doing I would suggest trying another break on any bigger days.
When it gets too big it doesn’t hold well due to the fact that it's in a smaller bay, but it does typically get bigger than other nearby spots.
Antonio’s/Parking Lots & Sandy
With rights, lefts, and a-frames, Antonio's/Parking Lots have two main takeoff areas, helping spread the crowd out. It’s way more spread out than Maria’s, at least. When it’s good, the best spot is right in front of the parking lot next to Casa Islena.
The main issue with this spot is that it's onshore in the NE trades, meaning it’s usually glassy and clean early in the morning but gets pretty sloppy by afternoon compared to spots on the opposite side of the point. When the swell isn’t crazy, it's a great place for beginners and intermediate surfers.
A little ways down the beach is Sandy Beach, the only mainly sand-bottomed break in Rincon. Typically it’s a little smaller than Antonio’s, but overall a very similar break.
What To Do in Rincon When the Waves are Flat
Photo courtesy Aidan Murray
The better question might be, “What’s not to do?”
There’s snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, paddleboarding, yoga, and horseback riding, to name a few.
On Thursday nights, there is an art walk in the main plaza in town where vendors sell jewelry, paintings, sculptures, and other handcrafted items.
There’s usually music and most people stick around to go to the bars and restaurants in town. Marina Beach and Sandy Beach are popular hangout spots during the daytime. For sunset, catch happy hour at Calypso, Beach House, or the Light House. Most bars have live music every night and great happy hour deals.
Rincon’s food scene is not to be overlooked – Check out La Cambija for amazing fish tacos, Bakku for sushi, and…well, pretty much anywhere for fresh and delicious seafood.
Where to stay in Rincon
If you’re looking for more of a “tropical island hotel” vibe, Villa Cofresi is your go-to. Casa Verde Hotel is another, more lowkey option right off of Sandy Beach, and there are plenty of boutique hotels and Airbnbs available all over Rincon.
The Bottom Line: Rincon Surfing
Rincon, Puerto Rico is a surfer's paradise. With tons of options for breaks and plenty to do in addition to surfing, you could stay here for months without getting tired of it. I know I could.