Best Surf Beaches in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is known for its diverse wild life, cloud forests and soaring volcanoes, but it is also home to some of the best surf beaches on the planet. Costa Rica's west coast is to thank for this, as it lines the Pacific Ocean just right to welcome in an endless supply of world-class waves. The really great thing about these surf beaches, though, is that Costa Rica's Pacific Ocean waters are warm because of its location in Central America / near the equator. That means you can travel here anytime of the year and find great, warm swells that'll keep you out on the water for hours.

A lot of the waves that roll into Costa Rica's beaches are large, hollow waves that are perfect for advanced riders. There are, however, a number of beaches that offer sandbreaks (waves that break over sand instead of rocks / coral) and consistently smaller waves for beginners. So, whether you're an experienced, pro surfer, an intermediate that loves catching waves all afternoon, or a total beginner, Costa Rica has a beach for you.

The west coast of Costa Rica is also full of epic surf towns. Places like Tamarindo, Jaco and Santa Teresa are world-renowned for their surf culture, surf shops and general laid-back vibes. These towns are worth checking out for a beach vacation even if you're not into surfing.

So, if you're planning a trip to Costa Rica and want to get in the water, here are some of the best surf beaches in Costa Rica:

Playa Tamarindo

Playa Tamarindo is the main beach in the town of Tamarindo. It offers a number of sandbreaks with smaller waves, which are perfect for learning on. The beach also gets hit with much larger waves too, making it not only one of the best surf beaches in Costa Rica, but also a good spot to ride if you're looking to progress.

The town of Tamrindo itself is also one of the country's most visited / touristy spots, so it is filled with bars, restaurants, excursions and, of course, surf shops. All of these surf shops offer rentals and lessons for a reasonable price. They're also all located very close to the beach. The only thing to watch out for is the number of beginners in the water. Because of the abundance of surf shops offering lessons, the waters are typically filled with new riders.

The other thing to watch out for is the beaches non-human inhabitants. The waves break at the mouth of an estuary, which is filled with crocodiles. I didn't see any crocodiles while I was there, but they have been known to swim out into the surf break from time to time.

Playa Grande

Playa Grande is a semi-secluded surf beach just north of Playa Tamarindo. You can literally access it by boating across Tamrindo's crocodile-infested estuary. The waves here tend to be more consistently bigger than in Tamarindo, making it one of the best surf beaches in Costa Rica for more advanced / intermediate riders looking to escape all of the surf lessons / crowds.

The beach is also home to Leatherback Sea Turtles. These giant turtles lay their eggs on Playa Grande's sands, so, if you're here at the right time of the year, you'll get a chance to see these creatures hanging out on the land!

Witches Rock (Playa Naranjo)

Playa Naranjo, which is also known as Witches Rock, is not only one of the best surf beaches in Costa Rica, but also one of its most famous. It is so famous that Tamarindo even has a surf camp / shop that bears its name and offers tours to it! Witches Rock is known for having some of the best waves in Costa Rica. It's also known for having a giant rock formation (which is where it gets its name) that juts out of the water where the waves roll in, creating a beautiful backdrop for your surf session.

The beach can be easily accessed if you have a rental car. If you're staying in Tamarindo, a number of the surf shops offer an excursion out to the beach for a reasonable price. These are a solid option, as they typically include a shuttle to and from the beach, rental boards, and other surfers to surf with.

I would recommend checking out Witch's Rock Surf Camp. As their name suggests, they run a solid surf camp right on the beach in Tamarindo (which means you'll have direct access to the other two beaches mentioned above), provide unlimited us of their surf gear for your entire stay, and can take you on an excursion to Witches Rock. All of their surf camp packages include 7 nights accommodation at their hotel, daily breakfast, and round trip transportation to / from Liberia Airport. The camp is for every level of surfer too (beginner to advanced), so definitely check them out!

Playa Hermosa

Playa Hermosa is another one of the best surf beaches in Costa Rica, as it offers large and powerful waves. This makes the beach more suitable for advanced surfers. It is, however, located very close to the town of Jaco, which is another one of Costa Rica's famous surf towns. So, if you're a beginner surfer, it still may be worthwhile coming down to hangout in the town, even if the waves are too big to surf. You'll get to experience one of Costa Rica's coolest surf towns, and get the chance to see some incredible surfers ride some world-class waves.

Playa Santa Teresa

Playa Santa Teresa is a surf beach on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula that is growing in popularity in recent years. Powerful, fast waves tend to roll onto the white sandy beaches here, and, from what I understand, is usually not as crowded as some of the other beaches mentioned on this list, making it one of the best surf beaches in Costa Rica for intermediate / advanced surfers.

Santa Teresa itself is a small surf / beach village that has become known for having some of the best surf beaches in the country within close proximity. Other surf beaches in the area include Playa Hermosa (mentioned above) and Playa Carmen.

So, if you're planning a trip to Costa Rica and want to spend some time riding in the water, definitely check out the surf beaches that Costa Rica has to offer. The endless waves that roll off the Pacific into the country's west coast provides surfing opportunities for every skill level, and the laid-back surf villages along the way make your stay relaxing and authentic. Just remember, this list is only a small portion of the best surf beaches in Costa Rica - the amount of great ones is truly endless.

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