Surf in Costa Rica
Tamarindo remains to be the most popular and well known, "surf mecca" on the northern pacific coast. This area is centrally located on the coast to offer easy access to a wide variety of surf breaks for all abilities including beach, rivermouth and of course, reef breaks such as Witches Rock and Ollies Point. Tamarindo is a great place to use as home base to explore many of the area breaks to the north and south. There are several breaks in town including the rivermouth of Tamarindo and the more challenging break at Langosta. However, the real attraction of Tamarindo is its central location between the world famous break of Playa Negra (south) and Witches Rock (north). Logistically, Tamarindo provides the easiest place to explore the most surf in the shortest time. Moreover, Tamarindo offers a wide variety of accommodations from beachfront hotels, condominiums to private house rentals. This is the best place on the northern pacific coast to go for the perfect mix of a variety of waves, accommodations, restaurants and nightlife. Playa Grande is a good option for those looking to avoid the crowds often found in Tamarindo and surf world class waves right out their front door.. Grande offers one of the area's most consistent waves and there are several private house rentals located right on the beach. This offers surfers a more remote option than Tamarindo while still offering easy access (15 minute drive) to the amenities of the town. Grande has very few services such as restuarants, shops,etc, however, all house rentals are equipped with full kitchens (so, if you are not feeling like cooking, ask about our private chefs or head to Tamarindo).
Access: Tamarindo is accessed by paved road all the way from San Jose (4 ½ hrs)or by shuttle plane (no boards over 7ft) into the local airport. Playa Grande is accessed by paved road from San Jose and a 10 minute ride on the dirt road just outside of Tamarindo or by shuttle plane into the local Tamarindo airport (no boards over 7ft)
Costa Rica Surfing - Pacific North
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Ollies Point: Right point at the rivermouth with fast, hollow waves that roll on the beach endlessly breaking over a rocky bottom (hence, Endless Summer II). Take off at a series of rocks with slow entry. Best conditions at outgoing to mid low tide and south/southwest swells. Access by boat only.
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Witches's Rock: 2 mile stretch of beach with hollow sand bottom beach breaks creating long lefts and rights. Take off can be steep, however offshores generally keep the wave open and easy to surf. Best conditions with a west/southwest swell at incoming to high tide. Access by boat only.
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Playa Grande: exposed beach break just north of Tamarindo with hollow peaks. Can get crowded at the main peak but there are plenty of fun lefts & rights on the outside ref. & beach break. Best at mid - high tide with offshore flow.
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Rivermouth: solid right beachbreak with hollow waves as they hit the inside reef.. Best conditions on a due WEST swell with offshore flow and at mid-high tide.
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Pico Pequeño: a lava finger reef with a right that can be mushy to barrelling. Works best at a mid tide. Located south of the rivermouth.
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Old's Man: known as a classic longboard wave with a sweet shoulder offering high, noseriding lefts & rights. Best at mid tide with offshores.
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Playa Langosta: a reef rock offering a nice right and a shorter left. Due to its location, generally picks up more swell than the rivermouth. Rights can be fast and hollow with the right conditions. Best conditions at mid tide with offshore flow and almost any swell direction.
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Playa Avellanes: a series of rights and lefts from a rivermouth offering a series of peaks including reefs and beach breaks. The northern end of the rivermouth boasts an outside reef break, "Little Hawaii," which works best on a west or northwest swell and is ideal for longboarders.The rivermouth is a rock bottom right that can get very hollow and best at low tide in the am.
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Playa Negra: 12 kms south of Tamarindo offering a rock-reef right break that is fast & hollow at low tide creating a picture perfect ride.Best conditions in the morning with a mid tide going out. Negra will pick up swell from many directions and crowds can be a factor.
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Junquillal: a beach break and a left reef that work better on higher tides. There are many peaks with hollow, fast rights and lefts. The waves jack up off the sandbar creating a tough entry. On a large enough swell, try surfing at Playa Blanca directly in front of the Iguana Azul which offers double overhead epic lefts.
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Playa Marbella: located between Junquillal and Ostional, this is one of the area's most consistent breaks offering excellent conditions with the presence of offshore winds. No services.
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Playa Ostional: beach and reef break with rights and lefts that works on higher tides and south to southwest swells. Located north of Nosara.
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Playa Nosara: great beach break with peaks and shallow rock reef lefts that get barrelling with a large south or southwest swell.
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Playa Pelada: a rock reef on the north side which is best with a north swell at incoming high tide. Not very consistent and gets very crowded.
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Playa Guiones: a beach break with a left point that works better at high tides and early in the morning. This area offers some of the most consistent yearround surf ranging from headhigh to double overhead and much less crowded than the Tamarindo area.
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Playa Camaronal: nice beach break that is surrounded by rocks. This break is very consistent and offers surf yearround. Best conditions from the south, or southwest.
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Playa Santa Teresa: good lefts and rights at this hollow beach break. Tends to pick up more swell than nearby breaks and holds shape better at low tide. Take a right at the crossroads and continue 3 km. Best on west/southwest swell.
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Playa Carmen (Mal País): a beach break that peaks with some rock reef . This wave offers a long right wall and a shorter left breaking over a sloping sand bottom. When these breaks get big, try the nearby reef breaks in Manzanillo or to the south of Carmen. Best on west/southwest swell. |
