Jobos Beach

Jobos is the centre of surfing on the Isabela stretch of the northwest coast, a long beach with a reef break off the point that works reliably through the winter and draws a strong local crew. At the eastern end the limestone has been eroded into a natural arch and a blowhole called the Pozo de Jacinto, where the swell drives up through a hole in the rock; a local legend about a farmer and a lost cow attaches to it, and people shout the name into the hole. Between the surf and the rock, the beach has a sheltered section where the reef breaks the swell enough to swim. Kiosks along the road sell fish and beer to the beach crowd.

What you actually see

• The reef break - the winter surf that made the beach's reputation.
• Pozo de Jacinto - the blowhole driving spray up through the rock.
• The natural arch - eroded limestone at the eastern end.
• The sheltered corner - swimmable water behind the reef.

When to go

October to April is the surf season on this coast, with the biggest swells from December to February. Summer is flat and better for swimming and snorkelling. Weekends are busy with local families and the roadside kiosks are at their liveliest.

Honest expectations

The break is over shallow reef and is not a beginner wave; the beginner beaches are further east. Currents around the point are strong and there is no lifeguard. The rock around the blowhole is sharp and slippery and people have been swept off it in swell. Parking is on the road and fills at weekends.

Nearby

Aguadilla and Crash Boat are twenty minutes west; Rincón is 45 minutes south.