North Pacific Costa Rica

Nicoya Peninsula, from the Nicaragua border in the north to Playa Coyote in the south. It is drier than other parts of the country due to strong “Papagayo” winds that blow half of the year. The major destination is Tamarindo, with fifty hotels catering to surfers, eco-tourists and beachside partiers. South facing beachbreaks pick up smaller swells, better at mid tide coming in, and when it’s big head to the point and reef breaks at lower tides. Of course the dream trip is an hour boat ride to surf Witches Rock, a long stretch of beach with a backdrop of empty wind-whipped mountains, and Ollie’s Point, a pirate’s cove holding a right point break treasure that can run over 300 yards.

CROWDS

Many surfers want to take that dream trip each week, so there can be ten boats and fifty surfers squeezed in at Ollie’s in the high season, which is June, July and December through April. Tamarindo’s beaches are packed with beginners and longboarders all year, but you can walk ten minutes down the bay toward Playa Grande or Playa Langosta to find an empty peak. Other standout breaks like Playa Negra get filled if the swell is small. And the time of the year plays a part for the pack: Playas Guiones and Grande are most crowded in June when half of the east coast of the U.S. has fled the flat spells of summer, and most of the region sees more people around the holidays and Easter week when thousands of Ticos take their families to the beach.

HAZARDS

Mosquitoes come out at dawn and dusk to aggravate the sensitive-skinned surfer. There’s one or two crocs to look out for at the Tamarindo rivermouth. Beach parking lots have seen a number of break-ins, so leave your valuables locked up where you’re staying and never leave your stuff unattended on the beach. Rivers and rain flood the roads at times, and when added to potholes and “machismo” bus drivers, driving can be dangerous. When it rains the coastal community runoff can contaminate the sea with sewage resulting in ear and stomach infections that can cramp your style.

THE FOUR SEASONS

SUMMER

The most consistent surf comes from the southwest Pacific between late May and August. When the swell hits, wave sizes range from chest high in protected spots to double overhead at south-facing beachbreaks and points. Mornings are often offshore and glassy, and afternoon rain showers dampen the dust and turn the landscape green. This is surfer high season and all breaks are filled mostly with Americans on summer break from school or work.

FALL

South swells come less frequently but pack more juice, arriving every other week from September to November. The rains now arrive in the morning, making for onshore winds and choppy surf, but they also thin out the lineups. Watch out for muddy roads and washed-out river crossings between Avellanas and Nosara. Prices for rooms and rentals are cheapest during these months.

WINTER

When the rains fade, the “Papagayo” winds arrive bringing backing offshore conditions between December and February keeping the land rain free. At times the winds get strong enough up north to cause cold water upwelling, meaning there are a few days of springsuit weather for the thin skinned. The south swells are gone and only the bigger northwest swells push the waves to more than head high, so the crowds amass at the better breaking spots. This is also the priciest time of the year to travel.

SPRING

From March to early May, the cycle is complete as the winds back off and the southern Pacific comes back to life. The first infrequent major swells arrive right around the new moon, pushing surf from one to three-feet overhead. Easter week in April or what locals call ‘Semana Santa’ is the climax of the tourist season, so don’t expect to see any empty beaches unless you go between Negra and Nosara or south of Samara.

Comments