Costa Rica resorts within walking distance of waves that are fun on a HPSB

[ChaseTMP]

I haven't been to Costa Rica since 1997. I spent almost a month there early December through early January and spent most of my time in Jaco with a few days in Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean side. I did go up to Playa Negra where I stayed at the Mono Congo Lodge and that ended up being the only place I got absolutely skunked surf-wise, but that was mostly due to the time of year.

We want to go somewhere this summer we haven't been as a family that won't break the bank and that I'll have fun surfing. We usually do the south Pacific, but we're in the middle of a remodel, so money is a bit tighter this summer.

Wife and 14 year old daughter like the resort lifestyle with: pool(s), spa, swim-up bar etc. Is there anywhere someone could recommend that has a decent resort with some fun waves for shortboarding? I'd love to be able to walk, but a short car drive is fine.

Costa Rica isn't the only country we're open to, but when I was in Nicaragua for my 40th (Mark and Dave's in the Colorado's area, 10 years ago) I didn't get the feeling there'd be any resorts around, but I only saw the coast from Playgrounds to Manzanillo from a panga, plus that was a decade ago.

We've done the Cabo thing several times and I just can't get excited about Monuments, La Roca or Zippers.

I'm not looking for world class waves, just a decent beachbreak that can get hollow when the wind isn't on it.

 

[mundus]

There is major hotel chain (cannot remember which one) right on the beach south of Tamagringo on the langosta river mouth.

 

[surfadelphia]

That is or was a barcelo, not sure now.
I've stayed at Cala Del Mar, pretty nice. 5 to 10 minute walk down the beach to the river mouth, there's waves before you hit the river that are doable on a high tide.

 

[ChaseTMP]

There is major hotel chain (cannot remember which one) right on the beach south of Tamagringo on the langosta river mouth.

Looks like it's Occidental Tamarindo. Is that a fun wave? My friends that have been to the Tamarindo area usually only go for weddings and my impression from them were that the waves were pretty mediocre.

 

[mundus]

Looks like it's Occidental Tamarindo. Is that a fun wave? My friends that have been to the Tamarindo area usually only go for weddings and my impression from them were that the waves were pretty mediocre.

Been a long time since I was there but remember Langosta being fun and there was a reef visible south of there edit: the Hotel is the JM Marriot Guanacaste.

 

[Clayster]

What do you want? Crowded touristy Costa or something else, more rustic, with authentic flavor? But still with nice accommodations for your family.

I first surfed Tamarindo in the '80's. Paradise on earth. Last time I went there, probably ten years ago, it was overcrowded, covered up with donkeys and speedo wearing euros.

 

[ChaseTMP]

What do you want? Crowded touristy Costa or something else, more rustic, with authentic flavor? But still with nice accommodations for your family.

I first surfed Tamarindo in the '80's. Paradise on earth. Last time I went there, probably ten years ago, it was overcrowded, covered up with donkeys and speedo wearing euros.

The area can be rustic, but the hotel needs to be pretty nice with a big pool as my wife and daughter are usually hotel bound. They've been happy at the Princeville on Kauai and Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu. Those have been winter vacations, but we're need to go June or July this summer. My wife wants to go back to Tavarua or Tahiti, but that's not in the cards this summer due to lack of funds with our remodel, so it's looking more like Central America to get an eight day vacation in the $4-5k range for the three of us. We did the DR summer before last, but it sucked due a sargassum seaweed takeover, plus the lack of waves.

 

[silentbutdeadly]

I'll probably get crap for it but Nosara.

Enough for everyone. past two times I've been to cr it wasn't as blown up as everyone made it out to be. Just good mellow vibes and good times.

can't remember where we stayed but we had our own bungalow, two pools, swim up bar, and live music almost every night. Crap, the wife even let me put it in her.

 

[PeterDj]

Tamarindo aka Tamagringo is probably best with 14 year old son. You have a skate park in town and lots of restaurants. The Diria is the fanciest resort hotel with pool and all that, but you don't really need to stay there and have the resort feel. I typically rent an air-bnb at a condo in town with pool. You have a few breaks to choose from walking distance. The river mouth is fun size beach break, the rock outside of Pico's cafe is a fun reef point. You can walk to langosta as well, it's not that far. If you want more size Avallanas is a short drive and taxi will take you there for like $5. Playa Grande is walk across the river at low tide, or just take a taxi boat across. Talk to any surf shop or surf instructor and they can hook you up with a road trip to somewhere more remote with bigger size. Marbella for example is pretty cool wave. There are fun activities in Tamarindo that are more family friendly, like atv tour, kayak out to the little island, and boat ride up into the estuary. I would say it's very different than costa rica 1997, the entire town is basically a resort now.

 

[Bob Dobbalina]

Playa Negra

 

[rowjimmytour]

If you do CR how about another trip to Carribean side strike catch quick Summer swells and stay down road in Punta Uva or even Manzanillo. You could always surf cocles no action on reefs at Salsa or Manzanillo or even trip to boca torra...

Manzanillo, Limon - Costa Rica

Located inside the wonderful Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife and Marine Refuge, the small laid back fishing village of Manzanillo is the last town due south of the surfing paradise of Puerto Viejo.

www.govisitcostarica.com

 

[Clayster]

I'll probably get crap for it but Nosara.

Enough for everyone. past two times I've been to cr it wasn't as blown up as everyone made it out to be. Just good mellow vibes and good times.

can't remember where we stayed but we had our own bungalow, two pools, swim up bar, and live music almost every night. Crap, the wife even let me put it in her.

This. Hotels there used to be super rustic, but have been upgraded and are now quite nice, and pricey. I loved the old Costa, so kind of hate it, but sounds like your wife will enjoy it. Lots of great food, killer seafood.

 

[Sharkbiscuit]

If you're a regular foot, consider the hotels fronting El Sunzal in El Salvador. There are a couple nice hotels with pools. Sunzal out the front isn't the hottest wave in the world, but when the cleanups are in the DOH zone, you can sit a little under the flotilla of "ships of the line" and be alone or with 2-3 other shortboarders, and these doubled up nuggets or medium sets will pass under the shipping lane, and you'll get one that hugs the cobbles and has a better coping for the nailings. The lineup is a bit spread, kind of shifts around...

A short drive away, you have Punta Roca, La Bocana is a walk down the beach, the town of El Tunco is El Salvador-nice, K59 is up the road a ways, K61 just past it (likes some swell on it) with the other Libertad zone spots like El Zonte etc. a relatively easy drive away.

Be advised, every time I've been there (July 4th week) the "beach" has been all cobble stones. You will not be taking barefoot strolls on it.

There are some other spots in El Salvador with okay+ hotels fronting them as well.

 

[ChaseTMP]

Nosara is looking like the lead contender. Anyone been to or can compare The Gilded Iguana vs. Lagarta Lodge? Are fun waves out front or do I need a car to score better waves in the area? Either hotel preferable so that out 14 year old daughter doesn’t get board? She can surf ok, but will mostly want to meet up with kids her age around the hotel.

 

[PeterDj]

I've surfed Ostional and Playa Guiones. There are allot of good waves in the area. I did the surf camp thing the first time I went to get a feel of the area and people. Now I will rent a car if I have a few friends to split the cost, or just pay a local surfer to taxi me to spots. They are usually more than happy to taxi you around for a small fee. I don't know what it's like in the resorts at nosara because I just drove through to get to the beach. Seemed sleepy old rich hippy crowd. Don't remember seeing any kids on the beach, but it was kind of rainy day. Tamarindo is a much younger crowd, which can be dangerous for a 14 year old girl I would imagine especially when the 16 year old boy with rich parents from NYC who own a big house on the hill invites her to a party. I don't think it's like Kauai for example where you can ditch the kids in the resort and feel that they are pretty safe. It depends though, if your kid is kind of street smart free range type then Tamarindo is a better bet to keep her from getting bored. You have live music, techno djs and all that going on these days. This is tamarindo today.

 

[ChaseTMP]

Lucky for my wife and me our daughter isn’t boy crazy yet and is super cautious with everything. The downside is she looks to us to keep her entertained until she meets someone her age she clicks with. We’ve been lucky that she makes friends easily and has found someone during our vacations to keep her occupied. I doubt we’d let her go into any town without us.

 

[PeterDj]

The festivals typically happen in January for new years and then march for spring break. It quiets down after that, but my guess is once covid is done it will explode with parties. It's actually kind of cool surfing the river mouth at sunset as the techno dj's start to setup and girls are dancing on the beach. BPM festival had its first year a couple years ago just before covid. My friends said it was totally insane. Ravers would stumble home at 6am and passout so the waves were actually kind of empty. I was there for new years this last time. Still super crowded, but mostly costa ricans from San Jose area. It was fun even with covid lockdown. With these festivals popping up, it will probably turn into Izbiza type of vibe, which I kind of like. It's fun having that option of surfing during the day then go to a cool party at night with some actual good modern music. I would say over all it's very safe. You have the few local crack heads, but they are harmless for the most part. I grew up in the cold miserable city surfing sludge and dodging crap on the streets. So watching costa rican, brazilian, columbian girls dance to techno all night on the beach after a day of surfing is literally the best ever.

 

[TheEl]

nosara or santa terasa sounds like a good bet for you

 

[trifish]

We do a lot of trips there with and without the family. I'd say fly in Liberia airport and hit a couple of different spots down depending on the time you have. If you stay in Tamarindo look into Capitan Suizo. It is on the quieter end of the beach right outside of the main part of town, so its more peaceful and you can still walk into town for restaurants or anything. Your family would like it. Mine always prefers staying there instead of the places directly in the main part of town. You can walk out from the hotel and surf and they can chill at the pool. Surf is usually smaller there more often than not though, but its a good spot for an ocean swim also.

Than from there you could catch a ride or drive down to Guiones/Nosara area. Quieter/less developed compared to Tamarindo. Better consistent surf in my opinion. I always seem to catch good waves in that zone. Still enough things around to keep the family entertained also.

There is also some other nice quieter beach towns going more south on the coast, but not so much for surfing until you get closer towards Santa Teresa/Mal Pais.

Just want to say also there is some really great places not along the coasts there. This place is great if your looking for an experience more off the grid as well. https://lacarolinalodge.com/

 

[Clayster]

Nosara is looking like the lead contender. Anyone been to or can compare The Gilded Iguana vs. Lagarta Lodge? Are fun waves out front or do I need a car to score better waves in the area? Either hotel preferable so that out 14 year old daughter doesn’t get board? She can surf ok, but will mostly want to meet up with kids her age around the hotel.

Iguana. no comparison. Largarta is not on a surf break, and is north of the main town of Playa Guiones. Iguana is an easy walk to the baach. Gilded is l the part of Playa Guiones with restaraunts and stuff to do.