Last minute surf trip

vanrysss

Billy Hamilton status
Mar 25, 2019
1,630
3,669
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from Oregon, now SD
Just put in my notice at work and have a week between gigs the first week of August. If the destination has decent wifi I can probably swing the last week of July as well. Would prefer somewhere with a bit of nightlife and DIY'able. I haven't been keeping track of covid lockdowns, and travel restrictions, but I am vaccinated. Any suggestions?
 
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Yewstreet

Legend (inyourownmind)
Nov 8, 2019
422
760
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Central? I would usually say Indo (I went to the mentawais in may), but I think they increased the quarantine to 8 nights and not much night life in those outer islands
 
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Sharkbiscuit

Duke status
Aug 6, 2003
26,265
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Jacksonville Beach
the waves all seem pretty user friendly, daily driver and a small wave board the way to go?
YMMV but if you're an East Coaster and you go for a week, get a swell, and bring two, I'd leave the small wave board at home. Maybe if your shortboard options are low-volume, rockered-out boards for New Jersey the small wave board's paddle, entry, and drive will serve you better in point surf.
 

surfadelphia

Nep status
Nov 15, 2010
677
650
93
Actually just booked tickets to Santa Teresa for two weeks. Logistically made a bit more sense, and looks to have what I'm looking for (nightlife, good food, fun/chill surf).
Nice. I was down there a few years back. Stayed at the north end and surfed the rock right out front and Hermosa about a five minute drive north.
 

vanrysss

Billy Hamilton status
Mar 25, 2019
1,630
3,669
113
from Oregon, now SD
Initial impression, but honestly kinda bummed tbh. Last minute trip so I really didn't do any homework to speak of, and this is my first time to Costa Rica. Probably should have stuck with my initial idea and gone back to El Salvador.

The Good:
- the food, delicious and pretty affordable ($8 - $10 a meal)
- the women, idk what they put in the water here but there's some serious hotties running around
- roads are good, no real traffic to speak of vs places like Bali. Traffic in Santa Teresa itself really isn't that bad.
- the weather, it's wet season so clouds are out and my haole skin isn't getting crispy.
- you can get away from the crowds pretty easy tbh, just don't surf la lora

The Meh:
- lodging, $90 for a hotel room that's same quality as a $30 room in Bali. Toilet paper goes in the trash can etc.
- turns out with the drive from Liberia (4 hrs) this was actually kind of a long trip
- idk, overall it's just kind of expensive for a developing country but still has all of the negatives of one of them (trash, pedestrians walking in the road, non-potable water)

The Bad:
-
noise overall. Construction guys start at like 6:30am, best get a hotel off the main road.
- the waves, worst I've had on a surf trip so far. Looks like at least for the next couple days good tidal conditions line up with onshore winds. So far I've only surfed beach breaks in the town area (carmen & la lora). On me for not really doing good research, but I didn't really leave Oahu to go surf beach break. Supposedly there's a couple points within driving distance
 
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mundus

Duke status
Feb 26, 2018
36,724
15,942
113
Initial impression, but honestly kinda bummed tbh. Last minute trip so I really didn't do any homework to speak of, and this is my first time to Costa Rica. Probably should have stuck with my initial idea and gone back to El Salvador.

The Good:
- the food, delicious and pretty affordable ($8 - $10 a meal)
- the women, idk what they put in the water here but there's some serious hotties running around
- roads are good, no real traffic to speak of vs places like Bali. Traffic in Santa Teresa itself really isn't that bad.
- the weather, it's wet season so clouds are out and my haole skin isn't getting crispy.
- you can get away from the crowds pretty easy tbh, just don't surf la lora

The Meh:
- lodging, $90 for a hotel room that's same quality as a $30 room in Bali. Toilet paper goes in the trash can etc.
- turns out with the drive from Liberia (4 hrs) this was actually kind of a long trip
- idk, overall it's just kind of expensive for a developing country but still has all of the negatives of one of them (trash, pedestrians walking in the road, non-potable water)

The Bad:
-
noise overall. Construction guys start at like 6:30am, best get a hotel off the main road.
- the waves, worst I've had on a surf trip so far. Looks like at least for the next couple days good tidal conditions line up with onshore winds. So far I've only surfed beach breaks in the town area (carmen & la lora). On me for not really doing good research, but I didn't really leave Oahu to go surf beach break. Supposedly there's a couple points within driving distance
Yep, that stretch is mediocre at best beachbreak and supposedly some mysto reef/point waves that never work.
 

surfadelphia

Nep status
Nov 15, 2010
677
650
93
I heard Hermosa has a point, or is it more beach break?
Pretty standard beach break but it was better than ST for whatever reason. I also remember a stretch of reef between Mal Pais and the next beach south that was a bit heavier.