Words by Sarah Simut
Costa Rica is a breathtaking country in Central America boasting incredible coastline on both the Caribbean and Pacific sides. Home to some of the best waves on the planet, Costa Rica is the ideal location for you next surf trip! About a quarter of the country is dense jungle filled with beautiful wildlife, but just like there is not shortage of beautiful vegetation, there is also no shortage of waves. Coast Rica has hundreds if not thousands of breaks waiting to be surfed.
Our little girls' crew headed to Guanacaste Province in North Western Coast Rica, home to popular destinations including Tamarindo and Nosara. The ideal time for a surf trip to Guanacaste Province is during the dry season, December through April. During this time the swell direction is predominantly Northwestern, and the waves are usually smaller and good for beginners and intermediate surfers.
Our trip to Costa Rica was nothing short of incredible. From the kind people to the endless sun and beautiful surf breaks, we quickly found ourselves in love with Costa Rica. With the trip of a lifetime in our back pockets, we wanted to share some helpful tips that we learned from our surf trip to Costa Rica!
{Girls and I running along the beach and getting acquainted in Costa Rica in the Hermosa One Piece in Seaflower.}
Getting There and Flying Tips
Before buying your flight, check your airline's policies for flying with surfboards. Surfboards are considered oversized luggage and sometimes cost more than a normal checked bag.
Quick Tip: Delta Airlines was cheaper than JetBlue when flying with a board bag. Delta was $60 round trip, while the Jetblue was over $150. Airlines like United often offer a free checked bag on international flights. Make sure your board bag isn’t overweight to avoid additional fees.
From LAX we flew on an easy six hour flight to Liberia, Costa Rica, which is in the northern part of the country. With boards (ding-free!) in tow, we took the shuttle to pick up our rental car to begin the two hour journey to our first stop on our coastal road trip: Playa Grande on the Pacific Coast!
TIP! Bring a soft car surfboard rack so that you can strap your boards to the car!
{Happy being in the water after traveling! Surfing in the Harper Surf Suit in Black. One of our favorite black one pieces! }
A Quick Guide to Surf Spots in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica
With a Google Map of the region downloaded to our phones and boards strapped carefully to the roof, we embarked on a 10 day road trip down the Pacific Coast with several stops along the way culminating in Nosara.
Here's a brief guide to some of those stops!
Playa Grande
{Our girls group at our AirBnB and headed to the beach at Playa Grande. Wearing the Brasilia Bikini top in Black.}
Playa Grande is a quaint beach town with steeper breaks ideal for short boarding!
Stay:
Where We Stayed: We rented out an Airbnb from a local family that was an easy 15-minute walk to the beach.
Budget: Playa Grande Surf Camp offers accommodations at a reasonable price. You can get a shared room in The Dorm for about $30 per night.
Mid-Range: Pipe House Playa Grande is cool mid-range option for about $70 per night. At Pipe House you stay in modern-rustic barrels, breakfast is included, and they offer surf trips.
High-End: For a nicer option, there are plenty of AirBnB options close to the beach for about $200-$300 per night.
{The team at our AirBnB in our Seea suits. Wearing (left to right): Macarena one piece in Amos, Brasilia Bikini top in Black, Georgia Bikini in Antibes, Lido one piece in Ella.}
Surf:
Playa Grande is a pitchy beach break better suited to advanced beginners. It’s such a fun and pitchy wave. It’s awesome on a mid to high tide and a little more forgiving. There are left and right peaks along the entirety of the beach. When it’s good, there are some tubes to be ridden for sure. We rode our shortboards here and had a killer sunset surf our last day.
Eat:
After a session at Playa Grande, you can grab some food or a smoothie at Taco Star down by the beach. Casa Inti has amazing breakfast options as well. Cafe Bar Azul is a nice place near the beach that offers great food, drinks, and they often have live music!
Tamarindo
{Catching waves in Costa Rica.}
Tamarindo is a bustling beach town that has grown in popularity over the years, but still manages to retain some of its charm. The quiet beach towns are nice, but from time to time, it’s fun to hit the town.
Stay:
Where We Stayed: We didn’t stay in Tamarindo. The towns we stayed in on this trip were relatively close to Tamarindo. The drive, depending on where we were was about a half hour to an hour long. If you would like to stay closer to Tamarindo, I added some options down below.
Budget: For a hostel option check out Selina Tamarindo. A shared room is about $40 per night, but they also offer private rooms. Included in your stay is one 'Wellness Activity' per day.
Mid-Range: The Beach Bungalows Tamarindo are a boutique yoga/surf hotel with individual teak bungalows. A room at The Beach Bungalows Tamarindo is about $80 per night.
High-End: Again, we recommend AirBnBs if you're looking for a nicer option. They range is price depending on what you're looking for, but you can find a house for about $200.
Surf:
Surfing in Tamarindo is perfect for beginners, which lends itself nicely to the fact that there are plenty of surf schools to choose from, most of which have boards you can rent.
What to do:
Tamarindo is the place for night life and goes crazy after 10pm, no matter the day of the week. Sharky’s by the beach has a DJ and is the spot if you want to dance.
Witch’s Rock
{Our boat trip to Witch's Rock with Hermosa Boat Trips.}
There are many local surf tours and guides offering trips to this now well-known surf spot that's accessible by boat.
Taking a tour with a locally owned business or hiring a local guide is a great way to directly support the local economy. We took a trip to surf a sunset session at this break with Hermosa Boat Trips. They are a locally owned company. The owner, Julio has 15 years of working experience and knowledge in areas of the North Pacific and Santa Rosa National Park. You can book your Witch's Rock surf experience directly on their website. Non-surf friends might enjoy this trip as well - they can enjoy relaxing on the boat or swim to shore to chill on the beach.
Playa Negra/Playa Avellanas
{Preparing to surf at Playa Avellanas.}
Stay:
Where We Stayed: We stayed at an hotel/villa about a 20 minute drive from Playa Negra in Playa Avellenas called Beach Walk Costa Rica. If you're staying with a group this is an affordable option. It is about $200 per night.
Budget: There are not a ton of hostels that we could find around Playa Negra. We found some nearby options like Woodstock Hostel and Avellanas Surf Hostel, but they are a drive away from Playa Negra.
Mid-Range/High-End: Hotel Playa Negra offers cute beach bungalows overlooking the surf break. Depending on the room and season, it is about $200 per night.
Surf:
This spot is famous for its part in the “Endless Summer II”. This beach has a reef bottom and is gentler on a higher tide. It’s a right with some occasional lefts when the tide is higher. The wave is pretty hollow and isn’t recommended for beginners.
Eat:
Right on the beach is the Hotel Playa Negra restaurant. Stop in for a snack or coconut after a day in the sun. For breakfast or post-surf smoothies head to Jalapeño Eatery & Market
For an ultimate dining experience, check out Mycelium. The owners are super rad, and the food is next level! They had live music and if you sit at the bar, you can see the chefs cooking in the kitchen.
Nosara
{Waxing my board and some of the other boards we brought on our trip.}
Stay:
Budget: When we went to Nosara, we stayed at the Nosara Beach Hostel. They have racks for your boards and an outdoor shower to rinse off. It’s a 5-minute walk from the beach where there are tons of peaks to choose from.
High-End: The White Palms of Nosara is a beautiful boutique hotel. Head here for a more lux surf and yoga experience!
Surf:
When it’s 2-4 ft it’s perfect for longboarding. The waves here are so much fun! We rode our mid-lengths when we stayed here, and we had a blast.
Eat:
If you’re hungry after a long surf, be sure to grab a local Tican breakfast at Rosi’s. Stop into Olo Alaia for a coffee or matcha and browse their board selection. If you have time, stop by the farmer’s market on the main road. They have fresh fruit, and other handmade and local goods.
Looking for somewhere to have dinner? Stop by Al Chile. They have amazing tacos, ceviche, and a killer passionfruit margarita. It’s about a 15–20-minute walk from the Nosara Beach Hostel.
{Our Yulex wetsuits hanging out to dry.}
Want more travel tips? Check out our other travel related reads:
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- Surf Trip Essentials Collection
- Need to pack light? Check out our 2-in-1 Traveler Collection
- Sun Safe Collection
