Tamarindo, on the country's North Pacific Coast, was once a secret among the surfing elite. Today it is a well-known surfing destination with plenty of the big waves that expert surfers live for, as well as places perfect for beginners. Blessed by consistent swells and off-shore conditions, there are six excellent surf breaks within a short walk of your hotel.
While in Tamarindo you will have the services of a private Surf Guide, van and driver to take you to different breaks in the area. With your Surf Guide, plan where you’ll be surfing each day. Also included while in Tamarindo: one-day motorboat trip to Witch Rock. These are the break descriptions near Tamarindo:
Playa Tamarindo - This beach has two fun breaks: 1) El Estero, a excellent river mouth break where the Tamarindo Estuary meets the ocean; and 2) Pico Pequeno, a lava finger reef, which can get perfect with a swell. Mid-tide is best for both breaks. Go surfing any tide except dead low (usually un-surfable at low tide).
Playa Langosta (1 km south of Tamarindo) - Rights and lefts breaking over rocks and sand in front of a river mouth. Usually a little bigger than nearby breaks in Tamarindo. Very fun surfing, but not always perfect waves. Surfing is best at mid-tide, going to high.
Playa Avellanas (10 km south of Tamarindo) - About five different good reef/sand breaks with semi-hollow lefts and rights, located on a two-mile stretch of beach. Surfing is best mid to high tide. Avoid at low tide.
Playa Negra (15 km south of Tamarindo) - Epic right-hand reef/point break. Very consistent, perfect and powerful, known as one of the best breaks in Costa Rica. Playa Negra starts to really turn on when it's a couple feet overhead, and can hold almost triple overhead without closing out. Very playful and fun surfing when it’s around head high. Playa Negra can get crowded. Best at mid to high tide, getting a bit rocky and shallow on low. It begins to show the form it's famous for when it gets a few feet overhead.
Playa Grande (20 mins. north of Tamarindo) - Beach break with perfect left and right peak, holds waves up to almost double-overhead. A very consistent break, Playa Grande almost always has fun, ridable waves and usually catches more swell than Tamarindo. Surf any tide except dead low. It can go from knee-high to overhead in an hour when the water starts filling in from low tide.
Witch's Rock - One of the most famous breaks in the country. Well known for its fast hollow rights but, when it's smaller, the lefts are also good. Beautiful and remote, every surfer wants to visit Witch's. To visit, your guide will take you to Coco Beach, about 1- hours from Tamarindo, where you will take a boat to Witch's Rock. The boat will wait for you outside the break, as long as you want to surf. Having a boat also allows you to check Ollie's Point, which is often better than Witch's.
Ollie's Point - Excellent, fast, hollow right point break made famous in "The Endless Summer II." Like all the spots in the North Pacific, best on high tide. Try to avoid it during dead low tide. Accessible only by boat.