First or old-timer, if you don’t surf – or at least try – in Costa Rica, have you really even been? From north to south, this is your luxe surf guide to Costa Rica.
This tropical little nation tucked away in Central America between Nicaragua and Panama is one of the world’s best surf destinations – and with over 1,200 kilometres of coastline and some 300 beaches, there are endless spots to get up and riding. Here are our favourite five wave-rich picks.
Nosara
If you’re into high-end retreats, organic smoothies, and people watching, Nosara’s got your name on it. Located on Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, where the palms are tall and the waters are warm, this once under-the-radar beach town has long been a hush-hush favourite among an international ‘it’ crowd, whose members include Heidi Klum. Today, the secret’s out, and Nosara’s earthy streets have a lot more buzz about them, dotted with hip boutiques, surf shops and restaurants that serve up everything from fish tacos to vegan bakes.
In Nosara, surfers of all levels flock to Playa Guiones, a sandy beach break with multiple peaks that’s surfable at both high and low tides, and long enough (around seven kilometres) for everyone to spread out and catch their own waves. Beginners needn’t worry about rocks or reefs, and while occasional swells can reach up to eight foot, they tend to average around a more manageable three to six. Nosara also has a strong surfing infrastructure, meaning it’s easy to pick up a board or find a local instructor.
©kirstenellis
Where to stay:
Just minutes from the surf, 25-room Sendero Nosara is the hottest stay in town. It’s an effortlessly cool spot where you won’t find better food or people watching.
How to get there:
The roads in and out of Nosara are notoriously rugged, so unless you can handle miles of pure potholes and the occasional flooded river, we’d say jet into Nosara with Sansa Airlines from San José or Liberia.
Learn to surf:
Chorotegas Surf School, one of Nosara’s originals, operates independently out of Sendero and sends every student out with a videographer who’ll help them analyse and refine their surf technique.
Osa Peninsula
For surf with a side of wildlife, Costa Rica’s south is incomparable. Located all the way down by the Panamanian border, the Osa Peninsula is the country’s most remote and densely jungled region. But don’t let this deter you. The few that make it down to Osa, widely considered the most biologically intense place on earth, are rewarded with their pick of pristine, Jurassic Park-style secluded beaches, where scarlet macaws fly overhead and the waves are often world-class.
One of these beaches is Matapalo, where Costa Rica’s Olympic surfer, Brisa Hennessey, was born and raised. It’s known for its legendary right-hand point break which offers long, relaxed waves for beginners, and faster, hollow thrills for pros. There’s also nearby Pavones, which boasts one of the longest left-hand waves in the world (over one kilometre), making it a longboarder favourite. The rugged, secluded beach break at Carate is another Osa icon, famous for its fast, steep waves.
Where to stay:
Lapa Rios, one of the country’s first luxury ecolodges, protects over 1,000 acres of primary rainforest. Its gorgeous suites overlook the warm Osa waters and are as close to nature as you can get.
How to get there:
Fly into Puerto Jimenéz with Sansa Airlines from San José then hop 30 minutes down the coast to Matapalo. Or, for a scenic road trip, drive in via the Panamerican Highway. Roads to Osa are generally well maintained and safe, although occasionally inaccessible during the rainiest months.
Learn to surf:
Pollo Surf School, offering personalised lessons and the promise of serene surf in uncrowded waters, is a great choice for experiencing Matapalo’s dreamy waves.
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
If laid-back luxe and coconut drinks are your vibe, Puerto Viejo’s your spot. Down south on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, this bohemian beach town hums with a chilled-out rhythm – think reggae beats spilling from colourful bars and jungle-lined streets where bikes outnumber cars. It’s a melting pot of cultures, blending Afro-Caribbean and Latin influences into a vibrant, happy surftown energy that’s contagious.
Among surfers, the area is best known for the legendary Salsa Brava, which many consider Costa Rica’s best, most intense wave, reaching heights of up to 12 foot. Notorious for its hollow barrels that steam over a rugged reef, it’s not for the faint hearted. Catch the wave in the wrong spot and you could end up tossed across a dry reef that’s covered in sea urchins. Alternatively, Playa Cocles has a much more forgiving sandy beach break with conditions better suited to intermediate surfers, and beginners can find their feet on the volcanic sands of Playa Negra, where waves tend to be mellow.
Where to stay:
Hotel Aguas Claras is a beautiful boutique stay right on the beach, whose charming, whimsical design was brought to life by mother and daughter artist owners.
How to get there:
Fly into Limón with Sansa Airlines from San José, then head south along the coast for an hour to vibrant Puerto Viejo.
Learn to surf:
Lewis Brother Surf is a top pick for a local surf experience, whether you’re up for Salsa Brava or not.
Santa Teresa
Santa Teresa exudes a relaxed, boho kind of charm, where salty hair and sandy feet are the norm. Best explored by ATV, the town’s long, sun-dusted main street, which runs parallel to Playa Santa Teresa, is lined with open-air coffee shops and beach bars where colourful hammocks hang between palms and waves crash in the background. It’s a favourite among locals for its laid-back surf and nature focus, and the international community concurs – Gisele Bündchen has a home here and locals claim to have spotted Mark Zuckerberg jogging on the beach.
Santa Teresa surfers of all levels have three main options along the extended coast, and a great supporting surf infrastructure. Beginners will appreciate the forgiving, sandy bottom beach break at Playa Carmen where waves tend to be smooth and manageable. Meanwhile, those with a little more confidence can take to Playa Hermosa for larger swells depending on the weather. As for Playa Santa Teresa, this one’s for observers and perma-tanned pros in search of faster paced challenges, often in the form of powerful hollow waves.
Where to stay:
Steps from the waves, Nantipa Hotel’s gorgeous beachfront bungalows are Santa Teresa’s ultimate surf-chic stay.
How to get there:
Fly into Cóbano with Sansa Airlines from San José, then drive down to Santa Teresa. The alternative road trip plus ferry combination costs a similar price, but will eat up a day of your trip.
Learn to surf:
The boutique, family-run Ocean Tribe Surf School has been operating in Santa Teresa for almost two decades and makes a friendly pick.
Uvita
Uvita, on Costa Rica’s central Pacific coast, might just be the country’s best under-the-radar beach spot. Famous for the whale-tail-shaped sandbar of Marino Ballena National Park, it’s a happening little town that’s less remote than the nearby Osa Peninsula, but still offers wild, uncrowded shores that promise nature for the soul without the long trip to get there. It’s also an ideal choice for those who might roll their eyes at the spiritual retreats of Nosara, but still appreciate a town that oozes cool.
Optimal for beginners, the mellow left and right waves of Playa Uvita, visited by humpback whales in September, are ideal. These beautiful waters are part of a national park, making them some of the most pristine out there. But if a calm surf sounds like a snooze, 20 minutes down the road there’s also Dominical, a hollow-wave hotspot beloved by the more advanced surf community. It has more of a laid-back surf vibe than upmarket, nature-focused Uvita (think beach bars, reggae and barefoot locals fresh from the water), but you’ll still find luxuries in the form of bougie organic stores and yoga retreats.
Where to stay:
The architecturally spectacular Art Villas, up in the breezy Uvita hills, feature luxe coconut-inspired glamping pods for two, plus larger residences that might be the most glamorous pads for a group in the whole country.
How to get there:
Fly into Quepos with Sansa Airlines from San José and enjoy the one-hour rainforest drive down to Uvita. Alternatively, make a whole road trip out of it. The scenery never gets old.
Learn to surf
Boutique, eco-conscious Bodhi Surf + Yoga offers surf classes and ‘clinics’ – mini two-day surf courses – plus, it’s the first surf and yoga camp in the world to achieve B Corp certification.
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