Tag Archive for: Costa Rica

, ,

When to Visit: Costa Rica’s Seasons

When to Visit: Understanding Costa Rica’s Seasons

While most of the world celebrates traditional seasons like winter, spring, summer, and fall, Costa Rica experiences a wet season and a dry season. Although Costa Rica Seasons change, one season brings more rainfall, temperatures are warm year-round with the wet season yielding a little cooler temperatures.

The Dry Season: Costa Rica’s Seasons

The dry season runs from mid-November to April, with occasional showers running through December. After that, it’s cloudless and bone-dry skies with temperatures in the upper eighties until May. Offshore winds yield clean, consistent surf with waves on tap all day long. During this time of year the waves are smaller and easier to learn to surf on, while the sunsets are to die for. The best beaches to learn to surf on in Costa Rica are right near our all-inclusive Costa Rica surf resort at Playa Guiones.  It’s for these very reasons that Nosara experiences the majority of its tourism during its summer months. 

During the dry season, the jungle dries up a bit but everything is open and tours run frequently. When you’re taking a break from the surf, the town has a number of tasty restaurants and juice bars, the jungle offers a collection of hikes, and there are adventure tours aplenty.

Costa Rica Seasons

Dry Season

The Rainy Season: Costa Rica’s Seasons

After months of rain free days, the skies part in May and the rainy season begins in full force. The majority of the “green season” begins with sunny mornings, followed by showers in the afternoon and evening. September and October are by far the rainiest months—rain often falls all day long and a number of businesses temporarily shut down.

Due to the wet conditions, the rainy season tends to be less crowded and many tours and accommodations are available at a discounted rate. People ask us What they should pack for a trip to costa rica during different seasons. Although it is wet in the rainy season, it isnt cold at all. While September and October may not be the best months to visit, the rest of the rainy season can be an incredible time to visit the beach town. The jungle and surrounding foliage become green and lush and there are plenty of empty waves to be had during the sunny mornings. Waves tend to be a bit bigger and less consistent during the wet season but there are a number of days when the surf is all time. Weather is a tad cooler during the winter months but still averages in the low eighties.

Costa Rica Seasons

Wet Season

When to Visit: Costa Rica’s Seasons

Our all-inclusive surf resort runs from November to mid-August. Although Nosara has something to offer all year long, we feel conditions are ideal during these months. If you’re looking for endless, sunny days visit us during the dry season but if you’re looking for fewer crowds and occasional showers visit us during the wet season. If you are looking for travel information or which airport to fly into check out frequently asked questions about our Costa Rica surf resort. Regardless of when you choose to come, we’re confident you’ll have a great time.

Costa Rica Seasons

Costa Rica Seasons

Written by: Rebecca Parsons

/by
, ,

Surf Lesson Tips: 3 Tips to Reinvent Your Surfing

3 Tips to Reinvent Your Surfing

Want to Reinvent your surfing? Experience the endless summer at two unique locations: Huntington Beach, California and Nosara, Costa Rica. Whether you are a seasoned surfer or new to surfing, you may have questions or doubts about equipment and/or surf coaching. Here are a few tips we’ve rounded up from years of experience on the water. Go to Private Surf Lessons if you want a detailed surf lesson teaching you how to do all the things that are mentioned below.

  1. Select the proper board: Surf Lesson

A common mistake among beginners is opting for too small of a board too quickly. When learning, you’ll likely experience the most luck on a longer, wider board. The reason it is easier to learn on a bigger board is that it has more buoyancy. The more buoyancy you have the more stable it is to be able to get up on your feet. As you become more confident in your surfing, you can try transitioning to a shorter board that still has some width and thickness to it (ex. a fish). With modern surfboard technology, you should be able to find a nice, stable board with no need to sacrifice performance. They make surfboards that are short but have as much volume (buoyancy)  as a long board has which will be your transition board. Foam is your friend, the more foam the more fun for learning! You can learn all these things while taking a surf lesson with us! Our Surfing Frequently Asked Questions page will help you determine your equipment you will need to ride waves with ease. Go check it out Frequently Asked Questions: Surfing

Variety of Surfboards

Variety of Surfboards

  1.   Find your sweet spot

Every surfboard has a sweet spot, or the point on the board where there is an equal amount of weight and volume on all sides of the board. We also call this the balance point on our board. The first things Corky Carroll’s Surf School does in their surf lessons is help the student find the sweet spot. In order to find this spot you need to go in the ocean and float on your board. If the nose of the board is in the water you are to far up on the board. If your nose of your board is to high above the water then you are to far back on your board. You look at your board as it is like boat, if to many people are on the left side of the boat, the boat will sink going left. So if you are to far on one side of your board then you will sink and you are not in the sweet spot. The sweet spot is important to note because it should be situated between your feet when riding a wave. Every board, surfer, and wave is unique so you may to play around to find your specific sweet spot, but this is a good rule of thumb for finding it.

Private surf lessons

Huntington Beach Private Surf Lessons

  1.   Know the differences between paddling techniques

When trying to reinvent your surfing you will need to learn paddling techniques. When paddling out into the lineup there are a couple things to keep in mind. Before heading out, look for channels to paddle through (finding one can save you lots of energy). You’ll also want to time your paddle—it’s much easier to paddle out between sets than in the middle of one. If there is shorebreak, you should not start paddling until you are past it. It will be easier to walk to the opposite side of the shorebreak before you start paddling. Lastly, paddle hard. When a wave breaks in front of you, you want to have some momentum going forward so its easier to get over. You are going to either have to go over the wave doing a half push up or you are going to have to turtle roll.

paddling out

paddle out

When paddling to catch a wave you’ll want to find a good position on your board—if you’re too far forward you’ll nose dive but if you’re too far back you may not catch the wave. It may take some time to master but you’ll eventually get a feel for it. When you take off, keep your head down, your legs together, tighten your core, cup your hands, and build up speed. Once you think you have the wave, execute two more quick strokes before popping up. This will all be taught by our professional instructors during the surf lessons we put on. 

Choose your location between the surf school in Huntington Beach, California or our surf resort in Nosara, Costa Rica. Each has something to offer for surfers of all skills and ability levels—whether you’re looking to ride a wave for the first time or expand your skill set, we’re here to help. If you are a beginner and or just want to get better at surfing our Private Surf Lessons can give you the confident to get out there by yourself in no time. Go Check out Private Surf Lessons . If you need a place to practice that is safe and has perfect learning waves go check out our other blogs at Corky Carroll’s Surf School Blogs

/by
, ,

Best Surf Spots To Learn: Costa Rica

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

Best Surf Spots

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

Best Surf Spots

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.

Best Surf Spots

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.

Best Surf Spots

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

 

/by