Punta Baja Mexico Surf
A 6 hour drive south of San Diego lies a truly magical place. Punta Baja is a small fishing village located on a rocky peninsula protruding into the pacific. There are probably 10 full time residents but every day fisherman will drive in from the nearby town. The fishing is good but the surf is what makes this place special.
There are 5 breaks on the peninsula. Bettys right, Chuys left, the point, the cove and the crown jewel of them all, the jetty. Betty’s and Chuy’s are on the north side of the peninsula. These are the most consistent breaks because in this area there is always winds swell coming from the northwest. They are not very tide sensitive but you are best surfing these in the early morning or right at sunset because this wind can be a problem. This wind problem for the north facing breaks is what makes the south facing breaks work because the wind is off shore all day every day.
The point is a well know break but it hasn’t been good since they built a jetty in the middle of it in 2013. At least that’s what the old timers tell me. The first time I came to this place was in 2021. I was on a solo trip down Baja. It’s a long drive on dirt roads to get there from the Highway. Being in the middle of nowhere alone, wandering down a road you don’t know completely made me very anxious. When I cresting the hill I saw a perfect right hander peel off the jetty. All the fear and anxiety immediately washed away. This jetty is truly special. Built for the fishing co-op in the jetty points directly east jutting out about 100 yards into the ocean. This jetty creates a sand bar that allows the fishermen to easily put their boats in the water. At the right tide this sand bar breaks like a machine wave. It isn’t all perfect though, it needs a decent amount is swell to break. The steeper the better. When Surfline says 70kj bring a long board. If it’s over 100kj it might be shortboard-able when the tide is below 4ft.
There is a steep section right at take off and then it flattens out a bit. When it’s more powerful it gets steep again on the inside. There is a rip near the jetty so if you take one all the way in you can walk on the sand to the jetty and be ferried out.
A small but fun day
The last wave is the cove. It’s more consistent than the jetty and less tide sensitive. It reminds me a lot of San Onofre. It’s on the softer side but can bowl up nicely. Does well on long period and short. Needs less swell and is always bigger than the jetty. There is a nice break right off the rock you jump off of to get in but there are a few different peaks if you paddle out more. This is a wave that can handle a crowd well. Not that I’ve ever had to share it with anyone more than just my buddies.
A big but short period swell on high tide
The surf at Punta Baja is good here but what makes this place worth going to is the hospitality. There happens to be a Baja 5 star hotel on the peninsula. By that I mean there is an old Mexican couple, Betty and Chuy, who will rent you a room and cook you food. For ~17$ a night you get a room with a view of the surf. Now there isn’t running water but there is electricity if it has been sunny. Betty can cook like the Mexican grandma you always wanted and she gets fish from the fisherman right off the boat. I’d recommend you ask for it fried fish and her ceviche. Surfing for 4 hours then coming into one of Betty’s meals is as good as it gets. If you speak Spanish ask Chuy for some of his stories. He’s lived a full life.
If you don’t speak Spanish then download the Google translate app and download Spanish for offline use. You will also want to download this section of Baja to Google maps because there is no signal on the peninsula. Its on the map so you can route there. There is no website to book this place. Just text Betty on WhatsApp and tell her Colman sent you. +52 664 184 7412
This has been my secret Baja spot for years now but in honor of my friends Betty and Chuy I’m telling you guys. They told me business has been slowing down for them and they would like me to post about them so here you go. The best little hidden gem on the Baja coast, Punta Baja
The cove
Log day
