Surf spot

La Barra

Forecast conditions and map view for La Barra in Uruguay. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: Uruguay
Coordinates: -34.9196, -54.8660

Metric
Metric	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00
Wave height (m)	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.6	0.8	0.9	1.6	1.4	1.6	1	1.2	1.7	1.6	1.4	1.1	1.1	1	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.6	1.3	1.6	1.8	1.6	1.8	1.7	1.6	1.5	1.5	1.4	1.3	1.2	1.1	1	0.9	0.9	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.4	0.3	0.4	0.3
Wave direction	SSE	SSE	ESE	E	S	S	S	SSE	S	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	S	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	W	SSE	SSE	S	S	S	S	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	S	S	S	S
Wave period (s)	7	7.1	3.6	6.1	7.7	8.2	8.2	7.3	7.9	7.3	8.9	8.3	6.6	6.5	6.5	6.5	6.3	6.5	6.7	6.8	6.8	7	7	7.2	7.2	7.3	7.3	7.5	7.5	3.8	7.5	7.7	7.1	5.8	6.4	6.2	7.2	7.3	7.3	7.3	7.4	7.4	7.4	7.4	7.4	7.3	7.2	7.2	7.5	7.4	7.1	7.2	7.3	8.4	7.8	8.3
Wave energy (kJ)	16	16	3	9	40	81	109	270	231	270	154	190	258	218	159	104	94	81	75	64	59	53	52	50	45	42	33	26	16	3	10	39	165	175	254	207	351	323	291	256	233	203	179	152	133	109	88	77	55	39	36	26	14	16	18	16
Wind speed (km/h)	15.4	15.4	15.5	26	29.5	27.3	23.4	19.8	17.5	22.6	20.5	22.5	22.5	19.6	13.7	9.2	9	6.8	6.3	9.2	10.5	2.2	13.6	11.9	8.9	10	11.2	18.9	29.6	27.1	18.9	22	11.4	14.5	8.7	12.8	14.4	15.9	18.8	16.1	12.6	11.3	10.5	17.9	21.3	16.6	10.9	11.3	8.7	5.5	5.3	6.4	11.2	14.3	12.5	10.5
Wind direction	SCross	SCross	SSECross	SSECross	SSECross	SCross	SCross	SCross	SCross	SSECross	SSECross	SSECross	SSECross	SSECross	SSECross	SECross-on	ESECross-on	EOnshore	NNECross-on	NECross-on	NNECross-on	EGlassy	SECross-on	NCross-on	NWCross-off	WNWCross-off	WNWCross-off	WOffshore	WSWOffshore	SWOffshore	SSWCross-off	SCross-off	SSECross	SECross-on	SECross-on	ESECross-on	EOnshore	EOnshore	EOnshore	NEOnshore	NNECross-on	NNECross-on	NNECross-on	NNECross-on	NCross-on	NCross-on	NNECross-on	NCross-on	NCross	NCross	WNWCross-off	WSWOffshore	SCross	SSECross	SECross-on	ESECross-on

La Barra, Uruguay is a popular surf spot on the Atlantic coast near Punta del Este in the Maldonado department. It’s known for being a reliable beach break with fast, punchy waves that can work well for surfers looking for fun, energetic sessions.

What it’s like

Wave type: Mostly beach break
Best for: Beginners to intermediate surfers on smaller days; more experienced surfers when it gets bigger and hollow
Wave character: Often quick and steep, with sections that can close out, but also produces good rides when sandbars line up
Wind/swell: Works best with favorable swell directions from the Atlantic and light offshore winds

Conditions and vibe

La Barra tends to get a busy lineup, especially in summer, since it’s close to a major tourist area.
Because it’s a beach break, conditions can change a lot depending on the sandbanks.
The beach is scenic and lively, with a strong surf-and-beach-town atmosphere.

Practical notes

Crowds: Moderate to high in season
Consistency: Can be fairly consistent thanks to its Atlantic exposure
Hazards: Strong currents, shifting sandbars, and powerful surf on bigger swells