Costa Rica is paradise. From the Pacific to the Caribbean, you can find almost everything you need for a good surf trip in Costa Rica.
Black sand to white sand, you'll find a beach to suit your needs. Grinding reef breaks to soft beach breaks, Costa Rica has it all. Costa Rica, has some of the most diverse surfing locations and conditions you'll find in one country. About the only thing you won't find or need in Costa Rica is a wetsuit.
Sitting only a few degrees about the equator, Costa Rica is perfectly positioned to provide a respite from the wetsuits of winter. Warm water, waves and affordable travel.
The Pacific side is the main focus for the traveling surfer. From Ollie's Point in the North to Pavones in the South, there's a wave for you in Costa Rica.
If you're interested in the Northern Costa Rica, Liberia is the airport you'll want to use. The Guanacaste Coast is only an hour away from Liberia airport. You may find cheaper rates to San Jose, but the additional traffic and distance to the shores may not be worth the money saved. And if you're planning on staying in Tamarindo, Playa Grande or around Witches Rock, Liberia airport is your destination. Northern Costa Rica is drier than the rest of the coast, which can be a very good thing. The crowds can be pretty thick in and around Tamarindo, but with just a little exploring, you can find empty surf.
Central Costa Rica is better served by San Jose airport. But watch out on weekends. What looks like it should be a quick drive to Jaco or Hermosa can take hours longer than you expected. If your return flight is on a weekend, you might want to stay your last night in San Jose to save time and guarantee your return flight. You'll be driving down some interesting roads, so remember, you're on 'Tico-time' - relax and enjoy. Once you're at the beach, you'll see how popular surfing has become in Costa Rica. The big name beaches are crowded. If you find yourself alone at Boca Barracan with some swell, you'll think you died and went to heaven, but more than likely, you'll be waiting in line for the next set along with the other tourists and locals. Fortunately, there's a lot of coast that yet to be 'discovered' and if you're willing to look, you just might find a sweet break to yourself.
While Southern Costa Rica doesn't see the consistency of the rest of the Pacific, what it lacks in regularity it make up for in quality. You're going to be a long way from an airport and while a lot of Costa Rica is made for the tourists, the roads to Pavones are less than ideal, particularly in the rainy season. Plan on delays and days without waves, but if you do catch Pavones on the right swell, you will very likely have the ride of your life. Big south swells can make for big surf and a surfing dream, but be warned, southern Costa Rica is as tropical as it gets. It rains a lot, both frequency and amounts of rain. A washed our road or bridge is likely during the rainy season. The mosquitoes are non-stop, there are bugs that lay eggs in your skin and poisonous snakes can ruin a surf trip. If you're wanting to surf the southern coast, leave the family and whiners at home.
The Caribbean coast is a whole different ball game when it comes to Costa Rica surfing. While the Pacific coast is point breaks and sandy and rocky bottoms, the Caribbean is highlighted with live coral reefs like Salsa Brava that are better suited for advanced surfers. This isn't to say it takes an advanced surfer to ride these waves, but reef breaks have a narrow take off zone which is usually dominated by the locals and best surfers. At some beaches there are more sharks than surfers and crocodiles can be a real nuisance. I've never had much luck on the Caribbean side, but I know people who've scored big.
One of the great things about Costa Rica as a surf destination is the abundance of things to do and see for the non-surfer. Whether it's your girlfriend, wife, the kids or even your grand parents, there's plenty to do to keep them occupied while you're surfing world class waves.
