Catch the Wave

Catch the Wave

Costa Rica gets high marks among surfers for its warm, clean ocean water, beautiful tropical scenery, consistent waves, and not-too-crowded conditions. (The place hasn't yet turned into California or Hawaii.)

Tamarindo anchors a popular surfing region on the North Pacific coast. Its protected bay offers smaller waves that translate into great conditions for beginners. The exception is December and January, when the bay is exposed to southern swells that create bigger waves. North of town to Playa Grande and south to Playas Avellanas and Negra always get exposed to those swells and are experts-only destinations year-round.

Farther down the coast, Sámara is little mentioned in surfing circles, but is a good beginner's beach for its small waves.

Some of the country's finest surfing is at Malpaís, at the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. The town is gradually becoming more popular, despite its remoteness.

The Central Pacific town of Jacó gets mixed reviews. As the closest surfing destination to San José, it draws the crowds. Surfers say its waves close out early (good for beginners) but tend toward quick shore breaks (conditions best negotiated by experts).

Playa Hermosa, just south, has 8- to 10-foot waves. The beach is enormously popular, but the waves are long enough that crowding is rarely a problem.

The South Pacific's Dominical is a nice alternative to Jacó. It's a bit farther from San José and therefore less crowded, and its wide beach break and cool beach-town atmosphere make it worth the trip.

Staring at each other from across the entrance to the Golfo Dulce are the point breaks and resulting big waves at Matapalo and Pavones. The latter in particular is famed in surfing circles for being one of the world's longest left-breaking waves.

While the Pacific has consistent year-round conditions, the Caribbean coast has a narrower January-April window of top-notch surfing. In theory, the north coast has the waves, but it's tough enough to get yourself here, let alone a board, and shark-infested waters make it a no-go. Heading south, the reef breaks at Limón draw a few surfers. (It's just not a popular tourist destination.) Cahuita's Playa Negra is fairly consistent for a beach break.

Just beyond Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is the consistent beach break at Playa Cocles. The famed -- and revered -- Salsa Brava, an experts-only reef break, is visible from the town of Puerto Viejo.