Costa Rica surf guide
Surfing Quepos & Manuel Antonio
Rivermouths, Playitas and the national-park coast
- Spots6
- LevelsAdvanced, Beginner, Intermediate, Pro
- Best seasonMay-Nov
- RegionCentral Puntarenas
The waves at Quepos & Manuel Antonio
Boca Damas
- Beach Break
- Intermediate
- 2-8 ft
- May-Nov
- Crowd 2/5
The rivermouth of Boca Damas delivers long, fast, sectiony and sometimes hollow lefts, plus shorter rights, and it's usually bigger than the nearby breaks, which makes it the pick of the northern Quepos stretch when a swell is running. The bank shifts with the river's flow, so the wave changes character, but on its day it offers a rippable, drawn-out wall with the odd cover-up.
The long walk from Quepos, strong currents, a crucial tidal window and resident crocodiles should convince most surfers to take a boat ride from Damas rather than paddle across. Get that right and you often have it to yourself.
Best on an incoming tide with a solid south-west swell, Boca Damas rewards effort and local know-how. Watch the current and the crocs, arrange a boat, and you'll score a quality, uncrowded rivermouth left a world away from the town beachbreak.
9.47, -84.2 · Swell S-SW, marea entrante
Quepos Jetty
- Point Break
- Intermediate
- 2-5 ft
- May-Nov
- Crowd 1/5
Quepos Jetty is a wave the record should remember more than the forecast: it used to peel point-like into the rivermouth, a fun, wrapping left that was the town's own spot, before the building of the Pez Vela marina killed it. The structure that brought Quepos its sport-fishing money took the wave with it, and today the jetty is a piece of surf history rather than a session.
The only spot left breaking in town is now the occasional Quepos Bombie, a slab out off the point. For rideable waves you're better heading to Boca Damas or south to Dominical.
Included here for completeness, the jetty is a reminder of how quickly a wave can disappear under development. If you're passing through Quepos, appreciate the marina's convenience, the flights, the boats, the restaurants, but don't come expecting the point that once was.
9.43, -84.16 · Solo swell grande (histórico)
Quepos Bombie
- Reef Break
- Advanced / Pro
- 6-15 ft
- May-Nov
- Crowd 1/5
A recently discovered slab located south of the old jetty, the Quepos Bombie breaks way out off the point, making it a rare tow-in option for the very brave. It only wakes on the biggest south swells, when a thick, heaving lump throws itself over deep-water reef far from shore, a wave for jet-skis, big-wave guns and a serious safety crew, not a casual paddle.
This is expert-and-pro territory and then some: cold-blooded takeoffs, real consequence and a long way from help. The vast majority of surfers passing through Quepos will only ever watch it from a boat, if they see it at all.
Listed for the record, the Bombie shows the untapped size lurking off this coast when a mega-swell lands. Admire it, film it, respect it, but leave it to the specialists who arrive with skis, inflation vests and a plan.
9.4, -84.17 · Swell muy grande, tow-in
Playitas
- Beach Break
- Beginner / Intermediate
- 2-6 ft
- May-Nov
- Crowd 3/5
The tourist magnet of Manuel Antonio National Park has fun but semi-consistent beachbreak options along the 3km of Playa Espadilla, and the north-west corner at Playitas holds the best waves from mid to high tide. There's also an outer reef right-hander that lights up with a solid swell and a high tide, adding a step of quality to the sand-bottom peaks.
The locals are chill, the waves suit all standards, and it's simply a great place to hang out between park visits, sloth-spotting and swims. The setting, jungle tumbling to a palm-fringed beach, is about as tropical as it gets.
Come on a south-west swell and favour the higher tides for the cleanest banks, then hunt the outer reef right when the ocean has some size. Playitas won't overwhelm anyone, which is exactly why it's such an easy, enjoyable base in one of Costa Rica's most beautiful corners.
9.39, -84.15 · Swell S-SW, marea media-alta
Playa El Rey
- Beach Break
- Intermediate
- 2-8 ft
- May-Nov
- Crowd 2/5
Eleven kilometres from Roncador, Playa El Rey is an isolated long stretch of beach that hides fair-to-good quality peaks, especially near the Rio Naranjo rivermouth where the banks organise best. It closes out when the swell gets big, but it's always bigger than the nearby breaks, the classic swell-magnet that gives the exploratory surfer punchier waves and total solitude.
There are no facilities out here, so camping is possible but you'll need to bring all your supplies. That remoteness is the whole point: empty peaks, wild scenery and not another surfer in sight when you get the banks right.
Favour a south-west swell and hunt the rivermouth banks; on the days the nearby beaches are too small, El Rey is often the one still delivering. Bring everything you need, expect close-outs on the biggest days, and enjoy one of the region's genuine off-the-map beachbreaks.
9.35, -84.12 · Swell S-SW
Playa Matapalo
- Beach Break
- Beginner / Intermediate
- 2-6 ft
- May-Nov
- Crowd 2/5
Another quiet stretch of endless peaks with no crowds, Playa Matapalo is a laid-back beachbreak between Quepos and Dominical that rewards surfers who like space over spectacle. The long grey-sand beach throws up user-friendly peaks all along its length, spreading what little crowd there is until you're effectively surfing on your own.
There's nothing flashy about it, no marquee section, no barrel factory, just consistent, mellow waves and a sleepy village vibe with a handful of places to stay. That's exactly its charm for anyone tired of the busier names up and down the coast.
Come on a south-west swell across the tides and simply pick a peak; the banks reward a bit of wandering. Matapalo is the antidote to Jacó and Dominical's crowds, an easy, spacious beachbreak that's perfect for improvers, longboarders and anyone chasing empty waves and a slow pace.
9.3, -83.98 · Swell S-SW
Where to stay near Quepos & Manuel Antonio
- Vista Serena Hostel — Surf Hostel: Jungle-view hostel between Quepos and Manuel Antonio with hammocks and a sociable crowd, minutes from Playitas.
- Hotel Costa Verde — Jungle Hotel: Iconic Manuel Antonio hotel in the treetops with monkeys, pools and ocean views above the park beaches.
- Selina Manuel Antonio — Surf & Coworking: Design hostel-hotel with pool, coworking and lessons, an easy modern base for the Quepos surf.
Beyond the surf
- Manuel Antonio National Park: Sloths, monkeys, iguanas and postcard coves, Costa Rica's most famous little park, right behind the Playitas beachbreak.
- Quepos & Pez Vela marina: Sport-fishing marina, restaurants and the area's nightlife, the hub for the northern Central Pacific.
- Rainmaker canopy walk: Hanging bridges and waterfalls through primary rainforest in the hills behind Quepos.
Best time to surf Quepos & Manuel Antonio
Quepos & Manuel Antonio works best around May-Nov. See the full month-by-month breakdown for Costa Rica.
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