Surf Costa Rica

If you are on this website, we assume that you’ve already done the research and discovered that Costa Rica is one of the top surfing destinations in the world. Here are some of the top reasons summarized below:

  • Warm waters (yes, surfing without a wetsuit!)
  • Consistent year round surf
  • Affordable prices
  • Easy access to breaks
  • Over 700 miles of coastline, both Pacific and Caribbean oceans (and thousands of breaks)
  • Friendly people
  • Host to many international surfing tournaments
  • Great surf camps
  • Not to mention active volcanoes, white water rafting, monkeys, canopy tours, snorkeling, mountain biking, windsurfing, sailing, eco-minded culture, great food, the list goes on and on.

Let’s face it… if you’re going international, there are many places to surf. But Costa Rica has the right combination of travel perks.

Why Surfing in Costa Rica is Incredible

Costa Rica is sometimes called “the Hawaii of Latin-American surfing” because there are thousands of beach breaks and tons of oceanfront. Rivers galore offer tons of rivermouth breaks, especially on the Pacific. On the Caribbean side, you get great reef breaks. Monster waves you don’t see much of. What you do see is good-size kilometer breaks that are consistent year-round.

Because Costa Rica is so small, you can switch to another break rather easily if one isn’t working for you. Same thing for crowds (although crowds have not been the biggest problem here.) Another big reason is the culture. The Costa Rica culture supports surfers, with surf shops, board rentals, bars, restaurants, hotels… there definitely is a strong vibe down here for surfing.

The surf spots can be divided up into three main areas: The Pacific North (Guanacaste-Nicoya), the Pacific South (Punta Arenas) and the Caribbean. Surf towns such as Jaco, Tamarindo and Santa Teresa continue to develop and offer more to their visitors. The best waves occur in the rainy season (northern Hemisphere ‘summer’) on the pacific side, and in the hot dry season (‘winter’) on the Caribbean. Make sure to check out our surfing recommendations page to learn more and make sure you also check out our best time of the year to surf page. We do our best to keep these pages up-to-date and packed with only the useful information that you need. Click to enlarge map on left.

It’s like coming home…

When Should I Come? Where Should I go? How Safe is it?

Costa Rica Profile

  • Full name: Republic of Costa Rica
  • Population: 4.7 million (UN, 2011)
  • Capital: San Jose
  • Area: 51,100 sq km (19,730 sq miles)
  • Major languages: Spanish (official), English
  • Life expectancy: 77 years (men), 82 years (women) (UN)
  • Monetary unit: 1 Costa Rican colon = 100 centimos
  • Main exports: Coffee, bananas, sugar, textiles, electronic components, electricity
  • International dialling code: +506