05 Best Costa Rica Surfing Beaches
Playa Dominical.
Playa Dominical is one of the best Costa Rica surfing beaches in the country. Playa Dominical is known as one of the best surfing beaches in Costa Rica, with consistent waves, some ten feet high, and lively lefts and rights.
A strong riptide is present just offshore making the waters not particularly suited to swimming. This popular surf town is set in cascading cliffs converging with a deep blue ocean and a long stretch of beach 2 and a half miles long, that has plush vegetation and an abundance of exotic animals.
There is a variety of accommodations from basic cabins to a luxurious hotel, and if you like seafood a choice of restaurants serving fresh fish and lobster. Activities include bird watching, canopy Tours, deepsea fishing, hiking, horseback riding, scuba diving, sea kayaking, snorkeling, and more.
You can also visit Cano Island where scuba diving is said to be sensational. Nearby are the Nauyaca Waterfalls, Marino Ballena National Park where whales come to mate and turtles when they come to nest. Manuel Antonio National Park is only 30 miles south, and Chirripo National Park and Corcovado National Park are also close by.
Jaco Beach/Playa Jaco
Jaco Beach/Playa Jaco is one of the best Costa Rica Surfing Beaches along with a Party and Family Friendly Beach.
Playa Jaco is known as a party beach, family beach and surfing beach all rolled into one, and is one of the most visited destinations in Costa Rica being the closest beach to San Jose that’s only 2 hours away by main highways.
It has a 2 and a half-mile beach area that is backed by a town that offers most services of a large metropolitan city. Lots of bars, hotels, restaurants, and shops, that can accommodation the budget through the well-heeled traveller.
Jaco is central to Activities and Natural Wonders
Activities include ATV tours, bicycle rentals, deepsea fishing, horseback riding, kayaking, surfing, swimming, and whitewater rafting, as well as proximity to national parks and reserves.
In addition, Playa Herradura just north of Jaco is a black sand beach that’s quieter, and south is Playa Hermosa where the International Quicksilver Surfing Championships are held.
The Carara Biological Reserve is also located north of Jaco to see much of Costa Rica’s wildlife including caiman, coatimundis, scarlet macaws, peccaries, white-faced monkeys, and a variety of birds – the Tarcoles River which borders this park is an amazing place to see crocodiles up close.
Manuel Antonio National Park is within easy driving of Jaco and Punta Leona Wildlife Refuge is located north from Jaco towards Tarcoles.
Playa Mal Pais Beach - Santa Teresa
Mal Pais literally translated means “Bad Land” although it wouldn’t seem to apply to this beautiful sandy cove protected by a rocky reef, that is a primary surf destination with consistent and outstanding swells year-round.
The village of Malpais and beach are quiet with few services, so few tourists come to this beautiful area leaving it undiscovered and private. Activities include hiking, horseback riding, snorkeling, surfing, waterfalls, watching for dolphins, manta rays, and other marine life frequenting the area’s. Nearby is Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve with its pristine, white sand beach.
Access is by Highway 160 or you the ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera or Naranjo Beach with a bus or car ride the rest of the way, and as well there are flights to the nearby town of Tambor from San Jose and Liberia.
Ojochal and Playa Tortuga Beach
The town of Ojochal beach or Playa Tortuga as it’s known locally on the Pacific side of Costa Rica is said to have “postcard” scenery. Its solitude with a backdrop of lush tropical forets is the ideal setting for some rest and relaxation especially since the beaches are far less developed and popular than other tourist destinations. Good for Costa Rica Surfing beaches and swimming, the beach has and blue seas and gorgeous sunsets.
The town is small with basic services although there is much to do in the area. Activities include horseback riding, hiking, kayaking, sport fishing, as well as scuba diving where divers can find dolphins, manta rays, sea turtles, whales, and schools of colorful fish. The Nauyaca Waterfalls are closeby which some describe as some of the best in the country.
Playa Hermosa Beach
It is one of the amazing Costa Rica surfing beaches and Expert Surfers apply on this Costa Rican Beach. Playa Hermosa in Puntarenas which is just south of Jaco, and not to be confused with the similarly named Playa Hermosa in Guanacaste near Liberia, is one of the special Costa Rican beaches awarded the “Bandera Azul” or Blue Flag for high environmental standards and excellent safety.
It’s one of the best surf destinations in Costa Rica for its consistent breacks and where international competitions are held. Strong currents though can make swimming dangerous.
Accommodations and activities are usually out of Jaco which is a town with greater infrastructure and nightlife. Access is directly off the main highway and just under 2 hours from San Jose on the new highway.
Manuel Antonio National Park is an hour further south while Carara National Park is close by where you can find wildlife such as iguanas, sloths, and white-faced monkeys.
Manuel Antonio Beaches
Beautiful beaches amongst Monkeys and Sloths and beautiful Costa Rica Surfing Beaches. One of Costa Rica’s most beautiful beaches, Manueal Antonio’s town beach is a horseshoe-shaped white sand beach with fantastic surf opportunities.
Nearby Manuel Antonio National Park is home to extensive dolphin and whale populations, being regarded internationally as one of the most bio-diverse areas. Within the park are four main beaches located in the park: Playita, Escondido, Manuel Antonio, and Espadilla.
The walking trails within the Park bring wildlife into close focus including four types of monkeys – spider, howler, white-faced, and the endangered squirrel monkey – as well as sloths, both in and outside of the park. Diving the colorful coral reefs leading out to Cano Island is also a popular activity.
There are many hotels, bars, and restaurants leading up to the park that provides nightlife and options for all budgets. Access is along Highway 34 from either the north or south, while there’s an airstrip in nearby Quepos.
