Beache's Description
Playa Ollies Point . Potrero Grande
“Ollies Point. Potrero Grande Beach”
This point is located 270 kilometer from San Jose, There is no access, the only way to get there is by boat that you can hire in Playas del Coco, No camping allow, No hotel in the area.
Hight tide is preferable, no low tide. only experience surfers, because there are several rocks thera are suitables condition for surfing 150 days a year with the average wave of 150 to 300 meters.
Playa Roca Bruja “Witch's Rock Beach”
One of the most famous breaks in the country. Most well known for it's fast hollow rights, but when it's smaller the lefts are good also. Beautifull and remote.
Better on high tide, try to avoid it during dead low tide if possible. Offshore winds are predominant from December to March.
DRIVING: Located in the Santa Rosa National Park, it's possible to drive all the way to the beach if there hasn't been too much rain (4x4 DEFINETLY REQUIRED!). The park charges $6/person if you drive in, and although they can give you a small map of the park for a extra 100 colones, you don't really need it to find the beach from the entrance. It takes about 45 minutes to drive from the park entrance to the beach. Once you get to the beach, its about another mile walk up the beach to the break. If you drive in, make sure to stop at Liberia and pick up some food and water. There are NO supplies in the park.
Playa Grande “Grande Beach”
Beachbreak with perfect left and right peaks, holds waves up to almost double-overhead. A very consistent break, Playa Grande almost always has fun, ridable waves, and catches more swell usually
Any tide except dead low. It can go from knee-high to overhead in an hour when the water starts filling in from low tide.
Playa Tamarindo “Tamarindo Beach”
Tamarindo is a great place to use as home base to explore many of the area breaks to the north and south. There are several breaks in town including the rivermouth of Tamarindo and the more challenging break at Langosta.
Tamarindo is accessed by paved road all the way from San José (4½ hours) or by shuttle plane (no boards over 7 feet) into the local airport.
Playa Langosta “Langosta Beach”
Playa Langosta is the southern end of Tamarindo Beach at about 3 km from the centre of town or southeast from the San Francisco Estuary. The brilliant waves and wind invite for surfing and wind-surfing.
here is a wildlife refuge and a marine national park. The beach is large enough that non-surfers will easy find quiet stretches. Parts of the beach have rip-currents and barely submerged rocks, so make local inquires before swimming It is a place made up of large extensions of clear sand beaches. Surrounded by Svannah Oak-, Tamarindo and Coconut trees. Its a good destination for anyone that wants to fish, surf, kayak, dive, snorkel or boat.
This beach offers a right and left point break that curles off the mouth of a small river.
Palaya Avellanas “Avellanas beach”
Playa Avellana is located 10 kilometers south of Tamarindo in Guanacaste province, near the beautiful Playa Junquillal. The biggest allure of this beach is the fantastic surfing it presents to many expert and pro surfers from all over the world. Known as ‘little Hawaii’ by the locals, the offshore swells here can reach as high as 18 feet,
Playa Negra “Negra Beach”
Playa Negra is a popular surfing beach that offer exciting surfing. It is darkish beach 5 kms to the south of Playa Avellanas. It limits to the northwestwith Point and Esturay Pargos. It has rocky ends and 1.5 km of clear sands. There are two different ways to access: From Villa Real, or from Santa Cuz. Its location is north of Playa Junquillal.
Playa Negra offers an epic right-hand reef / point break. Very consistent, perfect and powerfull, known as one of the best breaks in Costa Rica. Playa Negra starts to really turn on when it's a couple feet overhead, and can hold almost triple overhead without closing out. Very playful and fun surfing when its around head high. Playa Negra can get crowded easily. Surfing is best during mid to high tide, because it gets a bit rocky and shallow on low.
Playa Nosara and Pelada, Santa Teresa, Mal Pais
“Nosara and Pelada , Teresa and Mal Pais Beach”
Nosara has two breathtaking beaches: Playa Guiones and Playa Pelada. Both have light colored sand, warm clear water, and are protected by a wildlife refuge so the jungle comes right down to the sand. Playa Guiones is known for its perfect waves while Playa Pelada is protected by some reefs and is a favorite spot for families
Mal Pais and Santa Eresa Beach
Malpais and Santa Teresa have many hotels and accomodations that range from beach hammocks, to cabinas, to four star luxury hotels. In this beautiful and tranquil beach community of Costa Rica there is something for everybody.
Mar Azul is a great wave witch actaully boast a left and right break seperated by a huge slab of rock thats exposed during low tides. Both break best when an overhead swell has hit the left. There are two main rocks that the left breaks off the furthest out near the start of the wave is sometimes exposed when padding for the ride which makes for some excitement. Breaks best on an out going tide and the inside can be dangerous during lower tides. All around an awesome spot though fickle with the tides.
El Carmen: Continue straight on at the crossroads to the beach and you'll see the peak right in front of you. A long right wall and shorter section left break over a gradually sloping sand bottom.
Santa Teresa: Turn right at the crossroads and continue 3 km. To "Cabinas Santa Teresa" and turn down to the beach. Santa Teresa tends to pick up more swell than El Carmen and holds shape better at low tide.
Playa Hermosa: Next beach north from Santa Teresa, and even less crowded. Peaks all along the beach. When the beach breaks get big, the reefs and points start to work.
Playa de Los Suecos: Turn left at the crossroads go 4 km. And park where you see the fishing boats. Walk south 100 yards along the rocks and paddle out through the channel next to the hotel. The wave is a lefthander with a fast take off followed by a long workable wall. Gets hollow with size and offshore.
Punta Barrigona: Between Los Suecos and the crossroads turn down to Mar Azul restaurant. A long lefthander wraps round the point turning into a great hotdog wave as it moves through the inside. Needs a lot of swell to work properly.
Manzanillo: Turn right at the crossroads and go 8 km. To Manzanillo village. The reef is offshore at the north end of the beach. Very fickle wave which needs a lot of swell to work. The Best Sunset in Costa Rica. “Atardecer Dorado” is the Restaurant you need to go, Tia Bertha with Chamalo will take care of you, like never before. Also Tia Bertha has Cabinas and all the facilities you need, Do not Miss this stop, The Food is the best, and Very fresh.
Boca Barranca “Barranca Beach”
Boca Barranca is a long left pointbreak in front of a rivermouth, when it's working the ride can last almost a kilometer! Considered the second longest wave in Costa. Excellent longboard wave, and for hitting the lip on a shortboard.
You can see the break and people surfing from the road when crossing that small bridege in Puntarenas.
Best on a south swell at low tide. Also it's best to surf it early to avoid crowds and catch it glassy. The wind usually comes onshore in the early afternoon
From San Jose: Get on the Carretara Interamericana (Interamarican Highway or HWY1) going North. There will be signs leading all the way there.
If you are coming from the Jaco direction, it's 2 kms past Caldera.
Puerto Caldera “Caldera Port”
This beach offers A-frame right wedges that jack up when they bounce off a jetty, similar to East Coast's Sebastion Inlet. There are also left wedges. Caldera needs a swell before it starts working. Surfing at high tide is best.
Playa Tivives “ Tivives Beach”
Playa Tavives is a beachbreak with left and right peaks, sometimes it has a current.
Valor is the rocky rivermouth left, located just over the hill on the southern side of the river. This a barrelling wave, best for experienced surfers. You'll have to paddle across the river to get here. Surfing the Mid tide is best.
Travel from Jaco north, The turn off is just south of Caldera, off the highway. There aren't any places to stay, or restaurants nearby, which makes it nice to camp and surf here. Make sure to bring your own food and water!!!
Playa Escondida “Escondida Beach”
Perfect, tubing reef break with powerfull lefts and rights. Mid to High tide is when surfing is best. Unsurfable at low tide. Located just north of Jaco, it's possible to drive in, but the only beach access is in a private club. Most people take a boat from Herradura, about $20-$40 per person.
Playa Jaco “Jaco Beach”
Jaco is a small beachbreak with fun left and right peaks, you can surf almost the entire beach. It tends to close out when the waves are over head-high, or during dead low tide. Great beginner wave, or for a warm-up surf before tackling Nearby Hermosa or Escondida.
Jaco Beach is a popular jump-off point for surfers traveling to Costa Rica, being that it is only a two hour (approx) drive from San Jose. You can get off the plane and be surfing on in the same day!
Jaco is very close to Hermosa and Playa Escondida, two breaks that consistently have excellent surf.
Jaco is one of the most bustling beach/surf towns in Costa, as there is actually something to do at night here. There are several bars and Discotechs,
Roca Loca “Crazy Rock”
Powerfull, rocky right hand reef break off a large exposed rock. Lots of water moving around. You have to descend a steep cliff then paddle out in a small channel. It's best surfing this break with someone who has surfed there before, so they can show you the safe way to paddle in and out. Experienced surfers only!
Located about 1.5 Kms South of Jaco, before Hermosa. Drive out of Jaco towards Hermosa, and look for a clearing when you go around the bend. The first time you surf here it should be with someone who has surfed here before.
Playa Hermosa “Hermosa Beach”
Powerfull and consistent beachbreak that sticks out into the Pacific, assuring constant swell. You will rarely be surfing under head high here.
It can be perfect sometimes, delivering a nice barrel, but at other times you might see the barelling waves all over the place, but have trouble finding that perfect wave for yourself!
Hermosa is actually a several mile long stretch of beach, and you can go surfing anywhere along beach. There are a few distinct areas people surf.
It closes out more at low tide, but can still produce a barrel. Better to go surfing Mid-high tide. Bigger during the rainy season (May-December).
Playa Esterillos “Esterillos Beach”
ou can either surf Estrellos Este (east), or Estrellos Oeste (west). Beachbreak peaks, usually with good shape. Both lefts and rights. Surfing is similar to Jaco/Hermosa. It closes out more at low tide, but can still produce a barrel. Better surfing it Mid-high tide.
Easy Access: take the coastal highway out of Jaco or Hermosa going south. About 12 kms, look for signs on the right to Esterillos.
Playa Dominical “Dominical Beach”
Scattered beachbreak peaks along a 1.5 km beach. Very fun waves up to a little overhead, it closes out when it gets bigger than that.
Very fun, rippable beachbreak lefts and rights for all abilities of surfer.
On the North end of the beach, in front of the Baru Rivermouth is a little bigger and more current. Also be carefull of the rocks at low tide.
In front of cabinas is where most people go surfing.
At the south end of the beach is Roca Verde, maybe a little smaller and cleaner, with less people.
There are usually a couple people surfing in Dominical, but the length of the beach spreads the crowd out.
Dominical is a great, easy going little surf town. There are several places to stay right on the beach where you can see the surfing from your room, and everyone is surfer friendly.
Good place to chill out and surf beachbreak Best on Mid tide going low, for the hollowness, but fun on all tides.
Cabo Matapalo “ Matapalo Beach”
the bay from Pavones, it catches the same swells, but is much less surfed. There are actually 3 places to go surfing in Matapalo:
Two world-class right rock/point breaks that can get excellent, breaking for 200 yards when it's good. Both are very rocky in the beginning and end of the wave, experts only surfing with a bigger board if there is a serious swell. These breaks are in the two bays right before the huge landslide.
Pan Dulce: much smaller and mellower beachbreak. Pan Dulce means sweet bread in spanish.
There is also a cloudbreak-type right that only breaks on the biggest swells. This wave breaks off the landslide in front rocks. This area is also known to be very sharkey, adding to the element of danger!
Possibly the most beautiful, untouched area left in Costa Rica. The jungle's trees are filled with monkeys and wildlife everywhere you look. There aren't any stores or restaurants in the area, so come prepared if you aren't staying in any of the Jungle lodges that are here. Make sure and stock up in Puerto Jimenez.
Every surfer should try to visit Cabo Matapolo, it is an amazing place, not just for the surfing!
Puerto Jimenez is the closest town, 12 miles or a 45 min drive. There are restaurants, stores and good hotels there, making it a good jumping off point to Matapolo.
A south or a west swell is what really makes surfing at Cabo Matapalo turn on. The season is from April and October, but flat spells do happen during the season occasionally. A 4x4 with good clearance is needed to get there, as the last 12 miles of road are pretty bad, you have to drive through 3 semi-deep creeks to get there.
Alternatively you could take the collective taxi from Jimenez, which departs daily(except sundays) at 6 am ($3 pp), or get a taxi anytime during the day from Jimenez for $25-$30.
Coming from Pavones: Go to Golfito and take the ferry across the Gulfo Dulce Puerto Jimenez, then take the unpaved road leaving to the SE the rest of the way (12 miles) to Matapalo. Driving all the way around the Gulfo Dulce takes considerably longer, but can be done.
Coming from elsewhere: Take the Interamerican Highway to Chacarita, eat lunch at the only restaurant there, then take the paved/semi paved road all the way the Puerto Jimenez. Leave Jimenez on the road to the SE (just past the gas station), from there it is another 12 miles of unpaved road. You can see perfect waves breaking on reefs that look like they are miles out to sea as you drive this road....
About 30-40 minutes after leaving Pto. Jimenez, you pass a small school on your right, you will cross one more little river. You are 1 minute from the left turn that takes you to the beach area of Matapalo. The road will make a sharp curve to your right, and begin
climbing: this is where you turn left. You'll see the beach access trails on your left.
Playa Pavones “ Pavones Beach”
Legendary left point break that can deliver rides almost 3/4 mile long on a good swell. One of the best, longest waves in Costa Rica. Surfing Pavones can be incredible when it's good, but it's fickle. Not exactly known for it's consistency, Pavones breaks best on South swells, April-November.
Tides: Rideable on all tides, but it tends to close out less on mid-high tides. On low tides the cobblestones become more visible, and the paddle in and out becomes a lesson in the classic rock-walk dance, but at least the rocks are smooth.
You can go surfing any tide really. |
