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🏄 Where to Surf in Costa Rica – Perfect Waves, Pure Vibes, and Dream Life 🌊🔥

Costa Rica isn’t just Pura Vida… it’s Pura Ola, brother!
If you’re looking for the perfect place to surf, live barefoot, and wake up every morning facing the ocean, you’re in the right country.

With endless beaches, warm water year-round, and waves that make both beginners and pros dream, Costa Rica is one of the best surf spots in the world. Period.

🌴 Why Costa Rica Is a Surfer’s Paradise?
✅ Two oceans (Pacific & Caribbean)
✅ Waves all year long
✅ Spots for all skill levels
✅ Warm water 365 days a year (no wetsuit needed!)
✅ Super welcoming surf community
✅ Wild nature + relaxed vibes = perfect combo

Whether you’re a beginner wanting to try your first board or an expert chasing the next epic tube, Costa Rica awaits you with your board ready.

🌊 Top Surf Spots in Costa Rica

1. Tamarindo – The Gateway to Surf Life
📍 Northern Pacific Coast

The perfect place to start: gentle waves, accessible spots, relaxed surf-town atmosphere, and surf schools everywhere.

👉 Perfect for: beginners and intermediates
🏄‍♀️ Top schools:

• Witch’s Rock Surf Camp – legendary with all-inclusive packages

• Tamarindo Surf Academy – super professional and fun

• Iguana Surf – great for private or group lessons

2. Playa Grande – Powerful Waves and Postcard Sunsets
📍 North of Tamarindo (5 minutes by car or boat)

Here the waves get serious: perfect for those upgrading from soft-top to real shortboard. Located inside a national park, so zero chaos, just waves and nature.

👉 Perfect for: intermediates & advanced
🌊 Pro tip: great spot for sunrise surf. Pure magic.

3. Santa Teresa – Surf, Yoga, and Paradise Vibes
📍 Nicoya Peninsula

An incredible mix of world-class waves, boutique hotels, wild nature, and beautiful people. Surf in the morning, smoothie bowls for lunch, sunsets on the beach… and surf again.

👉 Level: all – there’s always a suitable spot
🏄‍♂️ Recommended schools:

• Del Soul Surf School

• Lucero Surf Retreats

• Surf Vista Villas

🌿 Bonus: surf and yoga at sunset… you’ll feel reborn.

4. Nosara (Playa Guiones) – Spiritual Surf and Endless Waves
📍 Nicoya Peninsula

Nosara is one of the most “zen-surf” places on the planet. An expat community, eco-villages, long, perfect waves for longboarding. And when you’re not surfing? You meditate, eat healthy, and recharge.

👉 Ideal for: longboarders, beginners, yoga-surfers
🏄‍♀️ Top schools:

• Safari Surf School (eco-friendly and well organized)

• Nosara Tico Surf School – loved by locals

5. Pavones – The Legendary Endless Left
📍 Southern Pacific Coast

If you’re a true surf addict, Pavones is a must-visit pilgrimage.
It has one of the longest left-hand waves in the world: you can surf hundreds of meters on a single wave. Not for beginners, but a unique experience.

👉 Perfect for: experts and surf fanatics
🤫 Vibe: wild, remote, authentic. The real Costa Rica.

6. Puerto Viejo (Playa Cocles) – Caribbean Surf & Reggae Vibes
📍 Caribbean Coast

Yes, Costa Rica’s Caribbean side has waves too! Playa Cocles is the most surfable, with powerful reefs, fast waves, and Jamaican vibes that get into your soul.

👉 Spot for experienced surfers
🌴 Mood: reggae, dreadlocks, mojitos, and crystal-clear sea.

🏄 Surf Lessons? We’ve Got You Covered
If you’re new to surfing, don’t worry: there are schools everywhere, weekly packages, private lessons, and even surf retreats deep in the jungle.

📝 What to look for in a good surf school:

• Certified instructors

• Soft-top boards for beginners

• Safe, uncrowded spots

• Theory + practice lessons

• Photo sessions (for your IG, obviously 😎)

🔥 In Conclusion
Costa Rica isn’t just a place to learn how to surf.
It’s a place to learn how to live.

You wake up to the ocean calling, jump in with strangers who become friends, and every night thank life for bringing you here.

The board is ready. The waves are there. Pura Vida awaits you.