| Break
Descriptions |
| The
Caribbean |
| 1
-Manzanillo A very fast beach break located 20 km
from Puerto Viejo, Limon. Here you find rustic lodging and
typical food. Located close to an unpaved road, and easy
to get to |
| 2
- Puerto Viejo A very thick and voluminous wave
that comes from deep water onto a shallow reef, also called
"salsa", for its juice power. This place gets very big and
tubular (legitimate big wave). Salsa is approximately a
3-1/2 hour drive from San Jose and there is a restaurant
and accommodation close to the point. |
| 3
- Black Beach, Cahuita An excellent beach break,
not well known and therefore not heavily visited. Nevertheless,
there are waves all year round. |
| 4
- Westfalia A stretch of beach breaks extending
south from limon to Cahuita, offering lefts and rights that
tend to close out where the swell gets too big. |
| 5
- Playa Bonita A point/reef break known for its
very thick, powerful and dangerous left. Located 5 km north
of limon (downtown). |
| 6
- Portete A small bay located north of playa Bonita.
With a right working off the southerly point. Since it is
close to limon, you will find easy access. |
| 7
- Isla Uvita An island off the coast of Limon. Here
you will find a good left. Isla Uvita is about a 20 minutes
boat ride from Limon with passage available at certain times
of the year. |
| 8
- The North Caribbean Coast Good beach break waves
accessible via Tortuguero channels or by private plane.
You can rent a boat to take you through the channels near
Puerto Moin, 15 km north of playa Bonita. |
| North
Pacific Coast |
| 9
- Potrero Grande A right point break, with very
fast and hollow waves. Located 270 kms from San Jose with
no road access. You must go to playas del coco or playa
Ocotal and proceed from there by rented boat. |
| 10
- Playa Naranjo (Witch's rock) one of the best breaks
in the country, with very strong off-shore winds from December
to march. This wilderness point is located in the national
park of Santa Rosa. You must go totally prepared for camping
since there are no facilities. A good 4wd is a must, and
don½t forget you mosquito net. |
| 11
- Playa Grande Beach break, located about 20 minutes
north of Tamarindo. Accessible by road. |
| 12
- Playa Tamarindo Here you will find two mains points
: a- Pico Pequeño a rocky point in front of the hotel Tamarindo,
and b-el estero, an excellent river mouth break.
|
| 13
- Langosta A right and left point break that curls
off the mouth of a a small river, located I km south of
Tamarindo. |
| 14
- Avellanas Good beach break, ½guanacasteco½ featuring
very hollow rights and lefts. Located 10 km south of Tamarindo. |
| 15
- Playa Negra A right point break with very fast
waves, 350 kms from San Jose. Playa Negra is one of the
best breaks in the country. Located 5 km south of playa
Avellanas. |
| 16
- Nosara Beach break, with lefts and rights. About
350 kms from San Jose. You go from San Jose to Nicoya and
from there to Nosara. It takes approx. 5 hours to get there. |
| 17
- 18 - 19 - Playa Coyote, Manzanillo, and Mal Pais Beach breaks, with very consistent lefts and rights and
several points. A 4 wd vehicle is recommended. Now you can
find a lot of places to stay. |
| Central
Pacific Coast |
| 20
- Boca Barranca A river mouth with a very long left,
located 100 kms of San Jose with excellent access, paved
road. Many places to stay. Dark water during rainy season
scares off many. Boca Barranca and any other nearby beach
are no contaminated. Boca Barranca offers some of the best
waves pf the country. |
| 21
- Puerto Caldera This spot has very very good left
located 3 km south of Boca Barranca, Puntarenas. |
| 22
- Playa Tivives and valor Featuring a variety of
waves from beach breaks (Tivives) to a rocky point (valor).
Good quality rights and lefts. |
| 23
- Playa Escondida Excellent point break that peaks
up forming a very good left and a surfable right. Accessible
by land I you are a member of the beach club there (fresh
water shower on the beach for member and guests), or by
taxi boat to the cove to the south. You can rent a boat
from playa Jaco or playa Herradura. |
| 24
- Playa Jaco Can be good beach break when the surf
is not too big. Tends to close out when it gets over 5 feet.
Playa Jaco is approximately 2 hours from San Jose( 140 km),
and the waves are not always dependable. One of its principal
attraction has been surfing, this because of its location
on the central pacific and it being so close to great quantity
of places, specially playa Hermosa, playa Escondida, and
Boca Barranca, Puntarenas. Jaco is a growing center of tourism
enjoyment, with hotels, cabins and camp grounds. |
| 25
- Roca Loca Located 1.5 km south of playa Jaco.
A rocky point with rights that break over submerged rocks.
To get the point, you will have to climb a small hill. |
| 26
- Playa Hermosa and Others Very strong beach break.
This long stretch of break peaks working any given day,
but the preferred sand bar is located in front of a large
tree known as the Almendro. The waves conditions are generally
best when the tide is rising. Don½t forget the tip the kids
who open the gate for your car. |
| 27,
28, 29, 30 Esterillos Este, Esterillos Oeste, Bejuco, Boca
Damas. Beach breaks, good wave forms, the points
located very close to playa Hermosa, making easy access
and many nearby accommodations. The wave conditions are
very similar to those of playa Hermosa. |
| South
Pacific Coast |
| 31
- Quepos This small left `point is found at the
river mouth in the city of Quepos, easy access with many
restaurants and accommodations. |
| 32
- Playita - Manuel Antonio Beach break, lefts and
rights with good shape. This coastal area needs larger swell
for the surf to show. |
| 33
- Playa El Rey Rights and lefts beach break peaks.
Best access to get there is taking the road to playa Dominical,
25 minutes from Quepos, in Roncador go right 11 kms and
you will be there. |
| 34
- Playa Dominical Good, strong beach break with
lefts and rights. Beautiful landscapes and very tropical. |
| 35
- Drake's Bay and area Accessible only by boat.
This remote break offers long, powerful waves when the swell
is running. Boca del Rio Sierpe, is another place with exciting
potential for the same kind of waves . Corcovado national
park is an adjacent kingdom of lush, tropical wilderness,
approximately 1-1/2 hours by boat. |
| 36
- Pavones Excellent left point, considered one of
the longest in the world. Good shape and very fast. It is
located 400 kms from San Jose (8 hours by car). Bring camping
gear if you wish to hang there. Out on the peninsula across
Pavones, a half-hour boat ride away, is reputedly a series
pf right points the equivalent of Pavones½world class lefts. |
| 37
- Matapalo Excellent right point located in front
of Pavones, you can get there by road from Pavones or by
car from Golfito. Perfect waves. 38 - Punta Burica Very
remote reef breaks. Accessible only by boat, No accommodations.
Not much known. If you really want to get away... |
