Costa Rica Surfing Report
This is a report of my trip to Costa Rica. Very nice trip with 7 buddies. I propose here to give you more details on the various cities visited. We are limited to the Pacific coast. Stay done in 2000. We hope this report make you want to go surfing in Costa Rica
For all cities: how to get there? Description of the city, why stay? The different surf spots and my personal opinion.
Tamarindo
We start with the most famous Tamarindo and surrounding areas.
How to get there?
Bus from San Jose to Tamarindo every day at 15:30.
Tip: It is best to start by going to Tamarindo because when you come from elsewhere as we (Quepos or Jaco) is through Puntarenas and Liberia which is very long with many changes of bus. In addition it is easy to find surf in Tamarindo if you come without your own.
City:
Spread over 1.5 km along a paved road and land. The hotels are growing and the city is pretty Americanized. The dollar is king … It is the slightly boring in this region: too many Americans.
On the practical side, there are two supermarkets, a bank, cyber cafes, bars, restaurants. Look no mail, there is none. A wooden box placed in a store serves mailbox! You have to find which store it is!
Accommodation in Tamarindo
The city is quite expensive. Featured
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Cabinas DOLLY: in front of the spot, but a little small. Own. Room for 2 from 20 to 25dollars (July 2000) per night. |
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Coral reef (untested): not too expensive, but rustic. |
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Cabinas Mariellos: bedroom 3 (35 dollars) and 4 (45 dollars). Very good value for money. It is spacious, clean and beautiful garden. There is also a communal kitchen where you can get to eat that allows you to save money because the restaurants are expensive. |
Spots:
North, 30 minutes walk from the beach, there is “Playa Grande”. This beach is better than the swell Tamarindo Beach and in addition there are fewer people!
Playa Tamarindo: 2 spots. A rock on the opposite (safe) with a peak right left. Works best at high tide. Not bad, but not very large (hence its name: pico pequeño). The problem is that there are many world level! Not bad war and there are sometimes 2 or 3 idiots (not Regis?).
The second spot is a bit on the right opposite the river mouth. There is also the world but more space. Works best at low tide.
There may also be a 3rd spot on the left side of the bay. Small but clean!
South of Tamarindo, about 30 minutes walking from the beach (5 minutes by car Hotel BARCELO management), we arrive at “Langosta”, near the mouth of a river. Takes much more swell than Tamarindo. The waves are more powerful and if the wind is, there are ways of tuberculosis. It can get crowded when it’s too small in Tamarindo, but it will.
Governed in Playa Langosta. What style!
Further south, but not tested by us (we will return): Little Hawaii, Avallen.
Me to conclude on Tamarindo
A must, I do not regret it but there really too many Americans and I have not come to Costa Rica to speak American all the time! There are too crowded for my taste. So do not hesitate to shift to playa great if you want to surf cool without the fuss. With hindsight, we also think it is good to rent a car, even if it’s expensive to make the spots around: the rock of the witch, playa negra ….
JACO:
This is the first spot we have made. The aim was to find surf!
How to get there?
Bus every day from San Jose to the terminal coca cola (7:30 10:30 ET 15.30). It is better to go early before departure if you want tickets! Price: 510 settlers (15 francs).
City:
Nice, a lot of shops and surf shops. We find everything from supermarkets (max X menos is best), a post at the other end of town (in blue, not yellow!), Bars, restaurants, banks, car rental … .
Staying in Jaco:
Tip: Avoid arriving a week – end! Indeed, many people come here in SAN JOSE WE.
Some addresses good and cheap:
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Cabinas BOHIO: near the spot. $ 20 for 4 people per night. Often full for cheap. |
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Cabinas Roble: opposite BOHIO cabinas. 30dollars for 5 with a small kitchen. Not bad. |
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Los ranchos near the spot too. Beautiful garden with swimming pool. 6 If you are renting a “villa”. It’s pretty clean ($ 60 for 6). There is a kitchen. |
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Not tested: Cabinas Cabinas Emily and Antonio not too expensive. |
Spots:
The beach of Jaco. Works best at high tide. At low tide it is smaller (although …) and much more powerful. Often saturates the spot as soon as there is 2m or more. We then see big walls that come in close order close half the time. For those who want to take off feelings is good. For those who want to surf the coolest, offset to the left of the beach or go to a spot north (30min drive) called Boca Baranca.
Nearby, there is also Playa Hermosa (10 minutes by car, direction Quepos). Works pretty at high tide. It is powerful and there is level. Avoid low tide when it’s big because it is really powerful. The take off is so hot! When it is smaller, it’s a great spot. Here is a picture of my apple taken on this spot.
Peter cut back in full
My opinion of JACO: Very good, fun place, good atmosphere. Large sensations for 2 or 3 days where the waves returning regularly to around 3m.
Quepos
How to get there?
Bus from SAN JOSE (6h 12h 17h): about 3:30 or travel JACO (6:30 12): about 1h30 away.
City:
It is quite lively. A lot of bars, restaurants. Prices are sometimes a little expensive (tourist resort), but while browsing a little, little food and shelter for not too expensive.
Tip: go eat in the SODAS is good and much cheaper than in tourist restaurants.
There are 2 surf shops, but not much choice.
Accommodation in Quepos
Tip: Avoid arriving a week – end!
Although the spot from Manuel Antonio to 7 km south of the corner is the spot, it is better to stay in Quepos and take the bus. It’s much cheaper and there is more room.
Correct and Cheap Hotel RAMUS (bathroom + fan). 1500colons to 3 per night. SODAS nearby.
Spots:
There is a spot on the “beach” of Quepos near the mouth, but you have to cross a river “limit” with great power. I did and I admit it was a little space …
On reaching the spot the other side, it was average. This works best at high tide. In addition, it takes a lot of waves so that the spot market (spot fallback OK)
The commercial area is located 7 km south of Quepos to Manuel Antonio. The area is hyper tourism (national park …). You can surf all along the beach, but the best waves are on the right, at the bottom. Pretty good spot, not too powerful.
Enjoy the days without swell to visit the park, it’s more beautiful (60F entry for the day).
My opinion about Quepos
Nice, but means for surfing, except when heavy swell. Otherwise the bars are nice, beautiful national park (monkeys, birds, iguanas, beautiful beaches …).
Playa Dominical:
How to get there?
Bus from 9:45 to 1:30 p.m. ET QUEPOS 19h price 620 settlers (18 F). Time: 1:45 drive crap.
City:
It is small and there are not many bars and cabinas. There is a small supermercado. There is still a cafe (very expensive) and a “Gendarmerie” (cool guys …)
Most cabins are located along a road 20m from the beach. The prices are quite high although the city is small and loose.
Accommodation in SUNDAY:
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Cabinas El Coco, opposite the bus stop. It’s very rustic, but cheap 1500colons per night. Bedroom 2 or 3. |
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Otherwise, different cabins along the path near the beach: Saint Clement, tortillas … from $ 10 a night. |
Spots:
Super! The spot is the beach of DOMINACAL. There are several peaks. Attention is powerful and there is current. Getting over on the left (less power). The waves are perfect when there is no wind. At low tide it is hollow, very powerful. I love this spot because this is where I took my first hit “deep”. It’s also where I broke my board …
Be careful when it exceeds 2.50 m, it sends sec. It is better to withdraw 2 km to the south in a bay called (Dominicalito).
If you surf in the middle of some rays and sharks (harmless in the words of local …)
Christmas in all its power to SUNDAY
Me to conclude on SUNDAY:
Excellent. Very exotic, super waves, sharks, rays, tubes, we want more!
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