There are so many choices for surfing in Costa Rica. The best surfing trip means finding the right place to enjoy in and out of the waves.
There are so many options for fun surfing in Costa Rica that it would be crazy to try to list them all, especially since I haven't been everywhere! These are great places that also include some other activities to enrich your trip.
Guiones & Nosara
Weather : Good to Excellent year round
Environment : Not a tourist trap
Nightlife : A little
Nature : Very good
Playa Guiones provides hotels, restaurants, and bars within walking distance and excellent surf at high tide and early morning. With a car rental visit neighboring Ostional and Nosara for excellent south to southwest swells.
The ideal time of year here is December to April but the nice thing is surfing is good year round.
Ostional is about 20 minutes north of Guiones and includes some of the largest waves in the country. although sometimes fickle. It is also one of the largest turtle nesting areas in Costa Rica. The beaches are closed to surfers when the hatchlings are struggling to reach the sea. August through September is peak season for nesting.
The Nosara air strip is a convenient way to reach the area from San Jose or fly into Liberia and drive a couple of hours to the Nosara area.
If you don't know any Spanish at all this is a great place to visit. North American expatriates dominate this area and English is widely spoken.
Mal Pais / Santa Teresa
Weather : Good to Excellent year round
Environment : Not a tourist trap
Nightlife : Little to none
Nature : Very Good
Mal Pais is a cool little village in southern Nicoya with a hippie counter culture vibe. Santa Teresa has experienced significant growth recently with shops, hotels, and plenty of surfing oriented businesses.
The most popular surf spots are actually on the beaches of Santa Teresa but numerous favorite spots dot the area. There are plenty of rocky reefs here so seek out some local knowledge to select the right wave and location for you.
The Cabo Blanco Nature reserve is about 9 km south of Mal Pais and is a great day trip (closed on Monday and Tuesday) for nature and a change of pace for a longer surfing trip. There are some fantastic waterfalls around Montezuma.
Best time of year is December through April but is consistent year round.
Playa Grande
Weather : Good to Excellent year round
Environment : Not a tourist trap
Nightlife : Only in nearby Tamarindo
Nature : Decent
Fly into Liberia rather than San Jose to reach Grande. About 1 1/2 hours of treacherous road to reach the beach.
Grande has a consistent break, can get large, and has fun lefts and rights. The beach is about 5 km long and is a beautiful light tan color, not crowded like Tamarindo can get.
The beach is sprinkled with hotels but does not include a town or nightlife (Comunidad Playa Grande is 600 meters inland and offers nothing to tourists). Tamarindo is 45 minutes away by land or take an $.80 2 minute boat ride across the estuary (Rio Matapalo) to the south for some nightlife and shopping.
Turtles nest on Grande year round. The nesting season for the giant leatherback is October-March. Plenty of tourists arrive on the beach at night to see the turtles between October 15 and February 15 each year. The turtles prefer the center of the beach above the high tide mark.
Rip currents are strong here so swimming is only advisable in tide pools just north in Playa Ventanas.
Playa Hermosa
Weather : Good, but a little wetter from May-November
Environment : Not a tourist trap
Nightlife : Short trip north to jaco
Nature : Average
Playa Hermosa is the first break south of Jaco about 2 1/2 hours from the San Jose airport.
This beach is uncrowded, stretches for miles and features big waves with many different breaks. If crowded to the north just head south. The waves tend to close out due to sand bars. Some feel to much work due to the close out but this just depends on conditions.
When conditions are big this would not be classified as an intermediate wave. Takes some work to paddle out. Rip tides like most places.
Jaco, 4 minutes to the north, is the largest hamlet on the Pacific coast and includes many bars and restaurants. A bit dirty and seedy, this is also a popular spot for learning to surf during the day and partying at night. Monkey bar for dancing with locals, and Beatle bar for male tourists looking for a (umm.err) good time...
Want more information about Costa Rica surfing for beginners, places to stay, or other activities? Contact us and we will help you ensure a fun surfing vacation.
