Costa Rica Surf Trip 101
First of all, let me say “Pura Vida!” Costa Rica is a beautiful place and I know you will fall in love with the people, wildlife, scenery and of course waves. I made my first trip there in the early 90’s and have returned many times. I have surfed all kinds of great waves around the world, challenged myself, met great people, and still I keep going back! Costa Rica is a special place that will nourish your heart and mind, give you the chance to relax and recharge your batteries and most important, satisfy your appetite for surf!
There a few basic things you will want to consider when planning a Costa Rica Surf Trip. First, how long are you going to stay? If you’re only staying 10 days, then you should consider picking your spot, staying put and make one or two day trips. You don’t want to spend half your trip driving and waiting for ferries and flat tires. Staying a month? Now you’re talking… pick a basic route to follow with a few of the key spots on the way and loop back to your starting point. Or, just play it all by ear, follow the swell, and allow 2 days travel at the end to get back to the airport in Liberia or San José. Whatever you decide, planning a few basic things before you go is smart.
Make sure you have a valid passport and drivers license. Duh. Go get your Hepatitus A&B shots up to date (read more about Vaccinations for Costa Rica). Pack some basic medical supplies and bring any prescription meds you take regularly or even occasionally, for example, I always bring Naproxen for my lower back any time I travel.
The surf on the Pacific side is biggest during rainy season (May-October, while during dry season (November-April) offshore winds prevail and waves are smaller. Hurricane season (May-September) on the Caribbean side is the best time to go if you’re after huge heavy waves, and also December-March when Atlantic storms create powerful swells for Costa Rica’s Caribbean Surf Spots, home to the standout surf spot Salsa Brava, near the port city of Limon.
The range of Cost Rica Surf set-ups varies from sand bottom high performance beach breaks like Playa Hermosa to volcanic rock reefs like Playa Negra, capable of holding triple overhead waves, and heavy coral reef breaks like Isla Uvita, perfect for expert surfers looking for a rush. Beginners can take Surf Lessons or sign up for Surf Camps, concentrated around the mellower beaches in Mal Pais, Nosara, Jaco Beach and Tamarindo.
Waves for all levels of surfer from beginner to expert are possible, and it is important to know your limits as well as challenge yourself. Spend a bit of time studying a break before you paddle out and do your research to know if conditions are too heavy for you, or if rip currents are present.
Having a good travel guide with you is always handy as you probably don’t want to annoy everyone with 100 questions about where to go, what kind of surfboard to bring, what the bottom is like, if there are angry locals… you get it. There’s a really good guide book called Surfers Guide to Costa Rica and I suggest getting yourself a copy so that you can be a bit more “in the know” while you’re there. Or just keep reading - I will tell you almost everything I know.
I love this country, so I take great pleasure in holding your hand through the process of planning your surf trip and getting to know the various areas, breaks, methods of travel, accommodations and places to eat. I’m just about guessing that a Surf trip to Costa Rica is a welcome break from your mundane 9-5 lifestyle and I’m positive that you will probably want to move there by the end of your trip. First things first - prepare yourself to slow down - everything takes a little longer in Costa Rica, so reeeeeelax, you WILL get to your next destination eventually, and your food WILL make it to the table before you starve to death. Pura Vida!
Renting a Car in Costa Rica
Ive always used Economy. They are close to the airport (Juan Santamaria) and no less dishonest then any of the others. They are pretty good with email correspondence and you should be able to get an English speaking person on the phone with a little persistence.
BEWARE! Please don’t be irresponsible or naive about renting a car in a foreign country. Check your car really really well for scratches and dings, make sure your spare tire is good and don’t rush the inspection process at the beginning because you are excited to hit the road. I promise you, when you bring the car back, you want to have all of your ducks in a row.
Check your insurance policy. Make sure you either are covered by your policy - again - doublecheck - or by your credit card - call them and get the lowdown - or buy extra insurance. Anyhing can happen to your car, including accidents, flat tires, theft, vandalism or if you’re really lucky — total loss! Yes, I’ve said it in another post, i watched a suzuki jeep get washed down a river while its drunken Brazilian contingent watched in alchohol numbed amazement.
Now that I’ve scared the shit out of you, get a 4×4. If you’re a surfer, you want a jeep or a truck to get down some of the sketchier roads to your surf destination. And don’t worry, as long as you don’t leave your fancy new Nikon camera on the front seat while you splish splash around in the waves, you’ll do fine.
There are other car rental companies, obviously, but economy is decent and they have a lot of locations. You can pick up a car in one area, and drop off in another in most cases. I’ve done this. On one trip, my friends T-Bag and The Grizz and I had a car for two weeks. When The Grizz went home, we saved money and took the bus for the other two. We started the trip by renting the car in Tamarindo, and ended by dropping it off in San José.
Here’s my only other advice: Get something bigger that the base model four wheel drive. The little tiny 4×4’s are too small. They suck. Suzuki Samurai is good, Toyota Rav 4 is good, Jeep Cherokee is good… Anything like that. If you book something and they don’t have it when you get there, make them upgrade you! Be a bitch- squeeky wheel gets the grease.
Surfboards - What to Bring?
Bring what you normally ride.
Ok, that being said, there are a couple things to consider. First, are you bringing more than one board? Connecting flight? How long is your lay-over? Glassed on fins or removable? Longboard or shortboard? Got an extra $150 bucks for oversize baggage? Taking a domestic connecting flight? Consider these questions. You may not have a double board bag, or have a board with glass on fins that needs extra packing. Longboards might go over your airlines size limit– this stuff changes so check your airline. And, finally, check out your connection time and make sure that it isn’t too tight and your boards miss the flight. It’s happened to people I know. Idiots. Fuck them. Just kidding.
WARNING! Oversize surfboard baggage fees have changed! pay as much as $600! Please read this and don’t get stuck paying more than your seat fare for your boards. Read about what happened to me last time I went to Mexico. Be warned - check your airline website first.
What I’m getting at here is this: Maybe you want to pick up something once you arrive, new or used, or if you’re a beginner, just rent one when you need it. Maybe your whole trip isnt only a surf trip, and you plan to check out one of the volcanoes - Arenal is a worthwhile trip - do some hiking and maybe white water rafting etc. Then, it might not be worth the hassle of wrestling with a board every time you move, and it’s simply easier to rent one. if you’re a beginner, you might want to see if you like surfing before you drop $600 on a shiny new stick. You never know - it’s possible that you’ll hate surfing. You decide.
Now, if you’re an experienced surfer, and you’re single minded in your purpose (most surfer’s have th blinders on when they go to Costa Rica - I admit that I do), then you should bring some kind of a shortboard. Something in the 6′0″ to 6′8″ size, probably a thruster or a fish. Surfboards in this range are generally all you’ll need for an average day in most spots. Beachbreaks on the Pacific side are not incredibly powerful in general (compared to Hawaii) and you will get a lot of good waves with a board like that.
Bring a second board or buy one there. Chances are, you will be glad. I suggest bringing something with a rounded pintail in the 6′6″ to 6′10″ range for bigger, hollower days. When the surf gets bigger, and when the beach breaks get hollow with offshores (note: dry season in Guanacaste offshores prevail) it helps to have a little extra length, and get into the waves faster. When its hollow and fast - a board made for fast beach break will be a lifesaver to get you down the line and into the barrel, instead of behind the lip every time you take off.
Here’s my suggestion:
Shortboard: 6′0″ - 6′6″, 2 3/8, 18 3/4
Rounded Pin: 6′6″-6′10″, 2 1/8, 18 1/4
I dont really ever ride longboards, cheaters, or retro shapes. So if that’s your game - bring it! I still recommend a 6′8″ shortboard for the bigger hollower days in the beachbreak. Its just too much work to try and turtle dive the cumbersome old longboards when conditions are like that. Unless you’re a pro of course.
Going to the Caribbean side? Bring the rounded pin! Don’t say I didn’t tell you!
