Known as the 'Mexican Pipeline,' Zicatela is an extremely powerful, hollow beach break that jacks up violently on the shallow sandbar of Puerto Escondido, and hosts big-wave and bodyboard contests including the Puerto Escondido Big Wave Challenge. It's considered one of the heaviest beach breaks in the world and is strictly advanced-to-expert terrain, with brutal close-outs and strong rips. The prime season runs May through October when consistent SW/W groundswells line up with morning NE offshore winds.
🌡️ ~30.2°C now · boardshorts or a rashguard, no wetsuit needed
Beginner: not suitable for this level
Intermediate: not suitable for this level
Advanced: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
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New spots, best-month tips and the local crews at Zicatela. Tag us in your clips and we'll share them.
Beginner: not suitable for this level
Intermediate: not suitable for this level
Advanced: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
All-time average wind & swell
Dashed line marks Zicatela's known offshore direction. Bright arrow is the all-time average swell direction, colored arrow is the all-time average wind direction at 6 km/h — hover or tap either arrow for exact values.
Monthly avg wave height (ft)
Monthly avg wind speed (km/h)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 28° | 28° | 27° | 28° | 29° | 30° | 31° | 31° | 31° | 30° | 29° | 29° |
Averages from 3 years of daily wave, wind and water temperature data — what a typical year looks like, not a forecast.
Waves average 3.3 ft (1.0 m), with light winds (~6 km/h). Water is ~28°C: boardshorts or a rashguard, no wetsuit needed. Not one of the standout months for any level.
Waves average 3.5 ft (1.1 m), with light winds (~7 km/h). Water is ~28°C: boardshorts or a rashguard, no wetsuit needed. Not one of the standout months for any level.
Waves average 3.7 ft (1.1 m), with light winds (~7 km/h). Water is ~27°C: boardshorts or a rashguard, no wetsuit needed. Not one of the standout months for any level.
Waves average 4.1 ft (1.3 m), with light winds (~7 km/h). Water is ~28°C: boardshorts or a rashguard, no wetsuit needed. A best month for advanced surfers.
Waves average 5.0 ft (1.5 m), with light winds (~7 km/h). Water is ~29°C: boardshorts or a rashguard, no wetsuit needed. A best month for advanced surfers.
Waves average 5.3 ft (1.6 m), with light winds (~6 km/h). Water is ~30°C: boardshorts or a rashguard, no wetsuit needed. A best month for advanced surfers.
Waves average 4.5 ft (1.4 m), with light winds (~5 km/h). Water is ~31°C: boardshorts or a rashguard, no wetsuit needed. A best month for advanced surfers.
Waves average 4.8 ft (1.5 m), with light winds (~5 km/h). Water is ~31°C: boardshorts or a rashguard, no wetsuit needed. A best month for advanced surfers.
Waves average 5.1 ft (1.6 m), with light winds (~5 km/h). Water is ~31°C: boardshorts or a rashguard, no wetsuit needed. A best month for advanced surfers.
Waves average 4.8 ft (1.5 m), with light winds (~5 km/h). Water is ~30°C: boardshorts or a rashguard, no wetsuit needed. A best month for advanced surfers.
Waves average 4.0 ft (1.2 m), with light winds (~6 km/h). Water is ~29°C: boardshorts or a rashguard, no wetsuit needed. Not one of the standout months for any level.
Waves average 3.1 ft (0.9 m), with light winds (~6 km/h). Water is ~29°C: boardshorts or a rashguard, no wetsuit needed. Not one of the standout months for any level.
For advanced surfers: Apr–Oct. The biggest waves come in June, averaging 5.3 ft (1.6 m), and the smallest in December, at 3.1 ft (0.9 m).
It ranges from ~27°C in March to ~31°C in August, averaged over 3 years of daily readings.
Year-round (~27-31°C): boardshorts or a rashguard, no wetsuit needed.
Not really: Zicatela is best suited to advanced surfers.
The nearest airport is PXM, and the nearest town is Puerto Escondido, Mexico.
