Dependable when the fancier points around Salina Cruz go quiet, Chivo is a sand-bottom right point on the Oaxacan coast that almost always finds a way to work. SSE to SSW swells between 3-6ft are the sweet spot, ideally with a W or S wind keeping the face clean, at low to mid tide when the walls sharpen up and the occasional tube section opens. Intermediate and advanced surfers will find the most to work with on the rippable, race-y walls, while beginners can pick off smaller inside waves away from the main peak. Bottom: sand-bottom point. Season: May through September. Consistency: medium-high. Book a local guide before you arrive, both because access requires one and because navigating 15-plus breaks in the Salina Cruz zone without local knowledge is a real waste of swell.
Expect a moderate, increasingly competitive lineup as California-based surfers have been flying in direct on good swells. The local vibe is manageable but not relaxed. Traveling with a guide is both a logistical necessity and a social one. Read the lineup, don't drop in, and don't paddle straight to the peak on arrival.
A 4x4 is needed for access, and a local guide is required at all spots in the Salina Cruz area. Free parking is available on site. Several surf camps operate in the zone, which is a sensible base for working through the 15-plus breaks nearby. Water quality is clean with no pollution concerns.
Punta Conejo, the large coastal point just west of Salina Cruz town, is the area's premier pointbreak and worth prioritising when it's on. La Ventosa, just east of town, is a highly consistent beachbreak that handles a wide range of swell sizes and is a solid fallback when the points are too big or too small.
Forecast by Windy.app
