Surfing paradise found in Costa Rica

Sometimes called the “Hawaii of Latin American surfing,” Costa Rica is positively one of the world’s top surfing destinations.

Add up warm water, consistent surf year-round, over 700 miles of coastline between both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, literally thousands of beach breaks with easy access, and friendly people, and you get paradise! Costa Rica’s irresistible extra plus is all of the other travel perks like active volcanoes, lush rainforest and cloud forest, jungle wildlife, and a myriad of other adventure sports and activities.

Costa Rica doesn’t have any mammoth “Jaws” waves, but it does have good and usually long surf breaks nearly all of the time. On the Pacific Coast you have the added abundance of river mouth breaks, and on the Caribbean Coast you get great reef breaks. The coastline is long and the beaches scalloped one after another, so if one break isn’t working for you, it’s easy to get to another one. And because there are so many breaks, crowds really aren’t that big of a problem.

Costa Ricans support surfing wholeheartedly, especially their current pro international champion, Carlos Munoz, and rising stars Jair Perez, Gilbert Brown, Lisbeth Vindas, Nataly Bernold and Noe Mar McGonagle. The Costa Rican Junior National Surf Team placed 11th in the world in May, with Noe Mar McGonagle winning a bronze medal at the ISA Under-18 World Surfing Championship in Panama. Costa Rican “master (over age 35) surfers” Craig “Tequila” Scheiber, Randall Chavez, Luis Diego Morales and Andrea Diaz are readying to compete in the International Surfing Association’s World Masters Surfing Championship in Nicaragua from July 14-22.

You too can share in the Costa Rican surfing buzz. Popular all along Costa Rica’s beaches are surf shops, board rentals, hotels for surfers, and surf camps ready to pass on the joy of surfing to everyone.

Del Mar Surf Camp offers the ultimate surf vacation experience in Costa Rica, with a choice of three spectacularly beautiful locations — Nosara Beach on the Guanacaste Pacific Coast, Santa Teresa Beach on the Pacific’s Nicoya Peninsula, and Hermosa Beach on the Central Pacific Coast. Del Mar Surf Camp specializes in surf vacation packages, yoga-surf retreats and day surf camps for adults, women only and families. Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or advanced surfer, Del Mar will show you the time of your life.

Nosara in Guanacaste is a hidden paradise with no super highways, or even paved roads, to bring in the masses. The community there is known for its active and healthy lifestyles, natural diets, and its dedication to a slower, low stress, friends and family quality of life. Nosara’s tranquil white sand beaches are perfect for those who want to get away from it all and focus on surfing and relaxing. Del Mar Surf Camp offers both co-ed surf vacation packages and also women-only yoga & surf vacations at Nosara Beach.

On the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, Santa Teresa Beach exudes an enchanting energy that will “make you love it from the first second you arrive.” At Santa Teresa, renowned for being one of the top 10 beaches in the world, you’ll be immersed in the beauty of nature and the jungle that hugs the coastline, pouring down from the mountains to white sand beaches and the clear aquamarine sea. Epic surf and picture-perfect sunsets are its hallmark. All of Del Mar’s surf camps are available at Santa Teresa Beach.

Hermosa Beach on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast, just south of the bustling beach town of Jaco, is Del Mar Surf Camp’s headquarters. The popular beach, with its consistent surf, variety of breaks and great exposure to swells, is famous with advanced surfers from all over the globe. Its shore break is one of the strongest in the world, but just a 5-minute drive away is the south end of Playa Jaco where beginners learn to surf in gentle and easy waves. One of the area’s biggest advantages is it’s only an hour’s drive away on paved roads from San Jose. All of Del Mar’s surf camps are offered here.

Del Mar’s hottest news is the special added value that domestic flights and transfers from San Jose to Nosara Beach and Santa Teresa Beach are included in all surf vacation packages! As well, if you’re going to Nosara and you fly in to Liberia International Airport, Del Mar will take care of your ground transfer. For Hermosa Beach, your ground transfer from San Jose is included. For the same great price on all vacation packages, you get all of your in-country transportation handled easily and efficiently.

Surf vacations are available now for July, August and September, plus later in the year in November and December, at all three of Del Mar Surf Camp’s prime locations.

Looking for the ultimate surf vacation and a great adventure? Costa Rica is the place for you!

By Shannon

Related articles

• All-inclusive surf vacations thrill adventurers! (enchanting-costarica.com)
• Stand Up Paddle Boarding makes a big splash worldwide (enchanting-costarica.com)
• Del Mar Surf Camp Instructor: Champion of National Surf Circuit! (delmarsurfcamp.com)