Costa Rica has been a surf destination for decades, and once you spend a few days on the coast it is easy to understand why. The water is warm, there are hundreds of miles of Pacific coastline, and a single trip can include mellow sandy beach breaks, fast hollow waves, reefs, points, river mouths, and some extremely long rides.
Just as important, Costa Rica is easy to enjoy when you are not surfing. You can combine a morning session with waterfalls, wildlife, yoga, great food, jungle hikes, a massage, or a sunset that stops everyone on the beach for twenty minutes.
That combination is what makes a Costa Rica surf trip different from simply chasing waves.
When Is the Best Time to Surf Costa Rica?
There is surf somewhere in Costa Rica throughout the year, but the Pacific and Caribbean coasts respond to different weather and swell patterns.
On the Pacific side, where Anamaya is located, the green season generally brings larger south and southwest swells. May through October is especially popular with more experienced surfers looking for bigger conditions. The dry season usually brings smaller surf, which can make it a great time for beginners and improving intermediates.
Lonely Planet’s current Costa Rica surf guide gives a good overview of the seasonal differences, and the official Visit Costa Rica surfing guide covers the major surf regions on both coasts.
Do not make the mistake of planning only by month, though. Tide, wind, swell direction, swell period, and the shape of an individual beach all matter. A good local instructor can often find a friendly wave on a day that looks intimidating somewhere else.
The Southern Nicoya Peninsula
Anamaya is in Montezuma on the southern Nicoya Peninsula. This puts us between two very different surf experiences.
Montezuma and Playa Grande
Montezuma is smaller, greener, and more relaxed than the major Costa Rica surf towns. Our favorite beginner break is Playa Grande, reached by walking north from town along beaches and jungle trails. The sandy bottom, undeveloped shoreline, and usually manageable waves make it a wonderful classroom.
Read our Playa Grande Surf Adventure to see why the journey to the beach is almost as memorable as the lesson itself.
Santa Teresa and Playa Hermosa
Cross the peninsula and everything changes. Santa Teresa has become one of Central America’s best-known surf towns, with a long beach break, numerous peaks, surf shops, instructors, restaurants, and surfers from around the world.
Surfline describes Santa Teresa as an all-abilities beach break, although the conditions can become much more challenging when a strong swell arrives. Playa Hermosa to the north is generally smaller and gentler and is frequently used by surf schools.
Our Santa Teresa guide goes into the beaches and character of the area in more detail.
Learning to Surf in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a particularly enjoyable place to learn because you are not fighting cold water. That sounds like a small thing until you have spent an hour falling off a surfboard. Warm tropical water makes the learning curve far more pleasant.
The right board also matters. Beginners usually learn on a large, buoyant soft-top because it paddles easily, catches waves early, and gives you a larger platform for standing. A short performance board may look cooler under your arm, but it is usually a terrible way to learn.
Before your first session, read Surfing for Beginners and Surfing Safety and Etiquette. Surfline’s detailed Learn to Surf guide is also worth reading.
A Surf Trip Does Not Have to Be Only Surfing
At Anamaya, surfing can be the center of your vacation without taking over every hour of the week. Morning yoga helps open up a body that may suddenly be doing far more paddling than usual. Massage and bodywork can be extremely welcome after several sessions. Good meals matter when you are burning energy in the water every day.
Our Yoga & Surf Package is designed around that balance.
The best surf trips have a rhythm. Surf when the ocean is good. Rest when it is not. Explore. Eat. Sleep. Meet people. Watch the sunset. Then wake up and check the waves again.
That rhythm is very easy to find in Costa Rica.
Part of our complete guide to surfing in Costa Rica.
