Costa Rica
Pura vida, Pacific swell, and warm water year-round. Tamarindo for beginners, Nosara for intermediate progression, Santa Teresa for character. The #1 surf trip destination for North American travelers.
Photo by Atanas Malamov on Unsplash
Surfing in Costa Rica, month by month
Why Costa Rica
Warm water (26–29°C) all year, two reliable swell seasons, and a tourism economy built around English-speaking surf instruction. If you're Levels 2-4 and travelling from North America, this is the lowest-friction option.
When to go
- Apr–Oct (wet season): Bigger swell, more rain, fewer people. Best surf for Level 5+.
- Dec–Mar (dry season): Smaller and busier, but every day is rideable for Levels 2-4.
Getting around
Fly into Liberia (LIR) for Guanacaste; San Jose (SJO) for Nosara/Santa Teresa with an internal flight or 5h drive. Rent a 4x4 — the roads to Santa Teresa are unsealed.
Surf camps in Costa Rica
North Pacific — Guanacaste & Nicoya
Best: Apr–OctThe classic first-trip coast: Tamarindo, Avellanas, Nosara and Santa Teresa, all within a few hours of Liberia.
Central Pacific — Jacó & Playa Hermosa
Best: Apr–OctThe closest surf to San José, and the busiest: a long beach break that works most of the year, with a heavier one next door at Playa Hermosa.
South Pacific — Uvita & Pavones
Best: Apr–OctFar quieter, far further south, and home to one of the longest lefts on earth. A separate trip, not a day out from Tamarindo.
Best-of guides
Our editor's ranked pick of the camps in Costa Rica.
