Surfing in Costa Rica

Surfing in Costa Rica is known to be one of the most rewarding experiences for the fans of the wave riding sport. There are great breaks for consistent head-high surfing all year round, and in the opinion of many enthusiasts the best way to enjoy surfing in Costa Rica is to rent a car and follow the swell. The problem with such a practice is that you'll be wasting pretty much of your time in the car even if you have a town basis for your trips. The experts' advice is to find a good location according to the season and make the best out of the experience. Both the rainy and the dry seasons are appropriate for surfing in Costa Rica, so you can choose any time of the year to visit the place.

From December to April surfing in Costa Rica touches its peak season with the offshore winds creating the perfect swell in Witches Rock, Playa Negra or Playa Grande. From May to November, surfing in Costa Rica moves focus on the Central and South Pacific coasts whereas the Caribbean coasts are favored in the summer season when the south swell brings excellent waves for surfing. Even if these are the generally acknowledged conditions, they are by no means one hundred percent sure; from year to year, weather variations and swell changes do occur but within comfortable parameters.

One of the reasons for which surfing in Costa Rica attracts every day more tourists is the safety of the country with such a low violence rate that the most reported crimes are petty theft. Keep your common sense and do anything you'd be doing anywhere else in the world to avoid being the victim of a theft incident. Being left without the digital camera, wallet or the expensive watch left on the dashboard of the car while surfing in Costa Rica could be a common occurrence. Hence, be as careful as you'd be in your home country or home city!

In terms of favorite locations for surfing in Costa Rica, Tamarindo remains the most popular and best known of destinations. Occupying a central position on the coast, Tamarindo brings access to a wide variety of surf breaks from reefs and beaches to river mouths. From Tamarindo you can always go north and south to explore more challenging breaks such as the one at Langosta. Besides surfing, Tamarindo is the right place for scuba diving, snorkeling, sunbathing and swimming, but the number of leisure activities doesn't stop here. They are for you to discover!