Surf guide
Surfing in Costa Rica
Two coasts, pura vida, waves for all
- Surf spots62
- Areas13
- Best seasonDec-Apr
- Flights from$500
- Daily budget from$40/day
Why Costa Rica
The darling of the Central American surf scene: two very different coastlines, warm water year-round and a wave for every level within a few hours of the airport. The Pacific side gets pounded by consistent south-west groundswell from April to October and clean north-west pulses in the dry season, while the short, wild Caribbean coast fires on seasonal storms off Colombia. Political stability, easy infrastructure and staggering wildlife make it the most popular surf-travel destination in the region.
Surf zones & spots
Guanacaste
Consistent Pacific paradise, from beginner beaches to boat-trip barrels · Best: Dec-Apr
- Witch's Rock & Ollie's Point — Boat-access national-park waves, the Endless Summer classics
- Tamarindo — The surf-town hub, beginner beaches, estuary peaks and easy living
- Nosara & the south — Consistent beachbreak and the reefs of Negra and Avellana
Golfo de Nicoya
Endless left points and powerful Pacific beachbreaks · Best: Dec-Apr
- Mal País & Santa Teresa — White-sand beachbreak and the wild peninsula tip
- Puntarenas & the river lefts — Boca Barranca's marathon left and the jetty wedges
- Jacó & Playa Hermosa — The lively surf-town hub and its heavy black-sand beachbreak
Central Puntarenas
Dominical's barrelling beachbreak and the wild Osa coast · Best: May-Nov
- Quepos & Manuel Antonio — Rivermouths, Playitas and the national-park coast
- Dominical & Uvita — The barrelling beachbreak and the mellow Marino Ballena coast
- Osa & the far south — Remote rivermouth waves on the edge of Corcovado
Golfo Dulce
Pavones, one of the world's longest lefts, and the wild Osa · Best: Apr-Oct
- Cabo Matapalo — Three quality right points at the tip of the Osa
- Pavones & the south — The marathon left and the remote far-south reefs
Limón
The Caribbean coast, powerful reefs, reggae and Salsa Brava · Best: Dec-Mar
- Limón & the north — Reef ledges around the city and the wild Tortuguero beachbreaks
- Puerto Viejo & the south — Salsa Brava, Cocles and the mellow Afro-Caribbean coast
When to go
Get one emerging surf spot a week
The Lineup: where to go, when to go, what it costs. No spam, just places worth the flight.