Best Surf Spots

Costa Rica is known for its miles of beautiful sandy beaches, amazing landscape and many rich animal species. With the name Costa Rica meaning the “rich coast”, it of course lives up to its name by having some of the best surfing destinations in the world. From being a beginner to being a pro surfer there is a variety of different surf spots for everyone to have the time of their lives. With Costa Ricas Pura Vida lifestyle you will find waves without a problem. Most of these spots are well known for being uncrowded but during tourist season it could be dangerous surfing locations that you are not ready for. Here on the pacific coast side of Costa Rica we will tell you what the best surf spots are for travelers learning how to surf and or are traveling on a family vacation.

Playa Guiones: Costa Rica

This beach is one of the most consistent beaches in all of Costa Rica. It will break with barely any swell and can hold on the days where there is a lot of swell. With a sandy bottom this beach break provides perfect waves that are small enough for beginners to learn on. It was considered one of the top surf lesson spots in the entire world- Best Places To Learn To Surf . Even on a bigger swell there is always waves for beginners to catch but also fun rippable waves for advanced surfers. Not only does Nosara provide excellent surfing conditions, it is located on the coast of a blue zone where people live the longest, happiest, healthiest lives in the world. The water stays around 83 degrees all year round while having the cleanest water in Costa Rica this makes Playa Guiones the perfect choice for a surfing vacation. It’s a perfect small town that has been a well-known surf spot for many years. Nicoya is a center for yoga, alternative healing practices, and healthy living. Homes, shops, and restaurants are spread out in the forest along the coast. The main surfing beach, Playa Guiones, has a beach break surfable at all tides, with multiple line-ups. It’s virtually undeveloped, thanks to a large wildlife refuge that protects nesting sea turtles. Just the water, beach, and grass-covered dunes. It’s one of my favorite beaches for that reason. Go check out our pictures of our customers surfing Playa Guiones @- Playa Guiones Surf Album

playa guiones

Playa Tamarindo: Costa Rica

Tamarindo has long sandy beaches for beginners and also reefs for more advanced surfers. The main beach is where all the action is happening, usually consisting of a lot of beginning surfers and also a lot of swimmers. If you want to surf Playa Grande you will have to drive around to get to the beach or paddle across a river mouth, which I don’t recommend for families or new surfers. Playa grande is a more advanced surfers waves and usually isn’t the best place to go if you are new to surfing. A 15 minute walk from Tarmindos main break you will find Playa Langosta. This surf spot is for more advanced surfers that want to surf a right/left point break. Most of these surf spots get really crowded, but if you go at the right time of year then you can score. Also the town of Tamarindo is very very crowded and more focused on the night party scene. If you are going as a family then I wouldn’t recommend these spots but if your a college student it’s a perfect place. Playa Avellanas is more for intermediate to advanced surfers. It is a great waves for barrels and turns. This is surf spot with reefs and also great point breaks to have on. It does not have a town with shops and restaurants

tamarindo

Marbella: Costa Rica

Even when there is no swell, Marbella always offers very consistent waves. Marbella can get big and rough, but it’s perfect for advanced guests. Marbella is also a less crowded beach since it is so far away. This break is well worth the trip.

marbella

Ostional: Costa Rica

Ostional is a wildlife refuge south of Marbella. It’s one of the world’s most important nesting sites for Olive Ridley Sea Turtles. Here you can see thousands of turtles on the beach and surf amazing waves. This is a wave for advanced and intermediate surfers. Ostional is about a 2 hour drive from Tamarindo. When it’s the turtle season, our guides like to go surf and then stay after sunset to watch the turtles.

ostional

Our most favorite spot to learn how to surf is Norsara, Playa Guiones. With how consistent the waves break, the small easy conditions, the quiet beautiful town, and the jungle atmosphere this is our #1 location to learn how to surf and or take family vacations. Check out our Costa Rican Surf Resort at All Inclusive Resort Costa Rica

Which Costa Rica Airport is the Best to Fly Into

In Costa Rica, there are two main international airports to choose from: San Jose (SJO) and Liberia (LIR). We recommend selecting the one that best suits your budget and geographical needs based on what area you plan to spend most of your time. Since these two airports are located far from each other and offer different benefits for travelers, here is a quick breakdown to help you decide which one you should use when flying into Costa Rica.

If you are trying to get to Corky Carroll’s Costa Rica Surf Resort Liberia International Airport will be closer than San Jose International Airport. Read below for details on travel times to and from the resort.

Here are the two main airports and the difference between locations.

Liberia International Airport

Located in northern Costa Rica within the Guanacaste Province and near the Pacific Ocean is Liberia International Airport. (Also known as Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport.)

“LIR” is the second main international airport in Costa Rica. It is situated right next to Liberia City. Just over an hours drive from some of the most picturesque and popular beaches in the country, Liberia is an excellent choice for those looking to soak up the sun with perfect surf breaks and miles of soft sand.

Over the past 10 years, the Guanacaste region has grown to be a top tourist destination for travelers visiting the scenic and less crowded Northwestern coastline of Costa Rica’s Pacific Ocean. This is where you’ll find some of the best all-inclusive resorts, laid-back boutique hotels, and affordable surf hostels that Costa Rica has to offer, along with biodiverse national parks and watersports. It’s also the closest and most convenient airport for guests staying at our privately-owned surf ranch in Nosara, as the drive takes around 2.5 hours (compared to 5-6 hours if transferring to/from San Jose).

It’s worth mentioning that this airport recently underwent major renovations and improvements in 2012 and 2018 to make traveling even easier. And unlike the rough unpaved roads around San Jose, the well paved roads near Liberia make for a smoother ride with less traffic. If you’re headed to Guanacaste for the beaches, resorts, mountain corridor, or Nicoya Peninsula, the Liberia International Airport is the one to consider.

Liberia is the Best Choice For:

Beaches & Surfing
Avellanas
Coco
Flamingo
Grande
La Fortuna
Montaverde
Nosara
Ocotal
Playa Conchal
Playa Hermosa
Riu
Tamarindo
BoardMembers Surf Ranch – Nosara
Four Seasons Resort
The Hilton
The Westin Golf Resort – Playa Conchal

San Jose International Airport

Centrally located near Costa Rica’s bustling capital city of San Jose is SJO, the prime airport for tourists visiting the Central and Southwest regions of the country. It’s full official name is the Juan Santamaría International Airport.

This airport provides easy access to nature, local culture, and beaches set on the south end of Costa Rica’s Pacific Ocean. It’s also about 30 mins away from a variety of accommodations from budget-friendly hostels to high-end resorts.

If you’re flying on a budget, you might want to consider SJO as an alternative to the smaller and sometimes pricier LIR airport mentioned above. Flights can be $300+ cheaper than flying into Liberia. But the price of cheaper flights is often times offset by the high cost of local transportation like bus or taxi transfers to and from the area, which can cost upwards of $200+ per ride.

If you are staying closer to Liberia or Nosara, it will take 4-6 hours of riding on busses or driving on hectic, high-traffic, rough roads to reach your destination from San Jose. SJO is also a 5 hour drive from our surf resort; nearly twice the distance as Liberia airport.

San Jose International Airport could be the better option for those on a tight budget and have extra time to spare getting around.

San Jose is the Best Choice For:

Budget-conscious traveling
Exploring the hub of local culture and city life
Close to nature & wildlife activities
Beaches in the South
Dominical
Jaco Beach
La Fortuna (Arenal Volcano)
Manuel Antonio
Montaverde
Puerto Viejo
Punta Arenas
Tortuguero
Uvita
DoubleTree Resort – Central Pacific
Los Suenos Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort
Radisson San Jose

Traveling to Corky Carroll’s Costa Rica Surf Resort

Arrivals into Costa Rica

We provide a complimentary van service to our all-inclusive surf resort in Nosara from both airports, using the transportation service CRIC (Costa Rica International Connections). The drivers speak English and Spanish and will wait for you to arrive, even if flights are delayed. If customs or baggage claim is taking a long time, don’t worry, the driver will wait for you.

As mentioned above, Liberia (LIR) is the closest airport to us. When arriving into Liberia please allow 2-3 hours driving time to get to our resort from the airport.

If you choose to fly into San Jose (SJO), please plan on the ride taking 4-5 hours from the airport to our resort.

Once you arrive at the airport of your choice and gather your bags, you will be greeted outside the airport by one of our drivers holding a sign with our logo and your name on it. Like this:

If you are arriving late into either Liberia or San Jose airport, and plan on staying in a hotel nearby for your first night, we will pick you up at your hotel in the morning. Our driver will be waiting outside your hotel a sign with our logo and your name on it.

Departures from Costa Rica

If you are staying at our resort and your departure flight is out of Liberia, we recommend allowing for three hours travel time to the airport and two hours for flight check-in. If your departure flight is out of San Jose, we recommend planning five hours for travel time and two hours for flight check-in.

Once you have booked your flights, we handle the rest. We provide transportation to and from the airport, so you can start you vacation the second you step off the plane. Best of all if you arrive early enough, we’ll have you out in the water surfing before the sun goes down. For more transportation information check out our surf resort FAQs page.

Conclusion

If you’re still unsure which Costa Rica airport is best to fly into, the two most important factors to keep in mind are time and budget.

Liberia is closer to some of the best surfing beaches in the country but flights can be more expensive. San Jose is closer to nature activities and the hustle and bustle of the capital city with generally cheaper flights, but has more expensive local transportation.

Regardless of which airport you choose, you’re bound to fall in love with everything the spectacular country of Costa Rica has to offer. We’ll see in you in paradise!

Best Surf Spots To Learn: Costa Rica