1st trip to Costa Rica- Central Pacific Coast

[ENCINITAS_SUP]

Hi Everyone,

Was looking at CRTraveler's thread and getting stoked for my honeymoon trip to CR in a couple of weeks.  We are staying at the Los Suenos Marriott resort just north of Jaco.

This will be our first trip to CR so of course I've been looking at all the canopy, waterfall tours, etc. and think I have a pretty good grasp on where to head for most of that.  But I am a bit lost on the surf/SUP side of things.  Any recommendation for where to rent surf/SUP as well as where we should head this time of year for surf and good flat water SUP spots in this part of the country?  Are there any good outfits you could recommend in the area?
 

We will have a 4X4 rental for the trip and I plan on packing the soft racks so we'll be pretty mobile with the boards.

Thanks for the tips

Ross

[H2Oman]

This guy has been doing stand up for quite some time in that area.  I believe he's in Playa Hermosa: http://www.facebook.com/sup.surfing.costa.rica

By now, I'm sure some of the Jaco strip surf shops will have an NSP or something available.

I hate Jaco.  The surf is good, but fast food joints & all that crap is not why I would go to Costa Rica.  Depending on your age, at night be prepared to be asked if you want to by weed every block or so.

Watch the speeding.  CR speeding tickets are ridiculously high.  The average CR resident won't have the money to pay them, so the police are always ready to wheel and deal.  http://news.co.cr/tolls-and-traffic-ticket-prices-increase-in-costa-rica/837/

[endlessfight]

This guy has been doing stand up for quite some time in that area.  I believe he's in Playa Hermosa: http://www.facebook.com/sup.surfing.costa.rica

By now, I'm sure some of the Jaco strip surf shops will have an NSP or something available.

I hate Jaco.  The surf is good, but fast food joints & all that crap is not why I would go to Costa Rica.  Depending on your age, at night be prepared to be asked if you want to by weed every block or so.

Watch the speeding.  CR speeding tickets are ridiculously high.  The average CR resident won't have the money to pay them, so the police are always ready to wheel and deal.  http://news.co.cr/tolls-and-traffic-ticket-prices-increase-in-costa-rica/837/

great advice. jaco is a bit of a dive now unfortunately with more gringos then locals it seems but you're north of town so no big deal. maybe try to rent a car if you find a decent board and head to boca barranca - always wanted to SUP that wave and it seems a lot more SUP friendly then the closeouts in jaco, or the bigger more challenging waves in hermosa. i'd do a day trip down to manual antonio as well. totally worth the trip
as far as the cops go - usually they'll make you pay them on the spot and we all know where the money goes. depends on your offense but 5 years ago it was about a $40 going rate for over the speed limit

[ENCINITAS_SUP]

Thanks for the tips guys

I haven't really heard anyone say anything good about Jaco so we weren't really planning on spending anytime there.  Manuel Antonio is at the top of the list for places to check out. 

I was aware of the high tickets but didn't realize that there are a ton of speed cameras in the country.  Will keep an eye out for speed limits.

[crtraveler]

Manuel Antonio is very a beautiful, real nice place to relax and explore.... I dreamed of paddling around into the park and exploring all the coves etc....apparently, you can do it as long as you don't come on land as they will fine you for entering the park without a ticket....I guess you could buy a ticket beforehand...

Surf around Manuel Antonio can be fun up at the north end of the beach (Playitas), you can drive your 4x4 right down onto the beach.  Isla Damas further north can get epic from what I hear, but I've never been there myself.

Playa Hermosa, just S of Jaco is tons of fun waves, probably no problem finding your own peaks on the long stretch of beach, but also pretty stinkin heavy, so depending on your skill level, you may love it...

Further South, I would highly recommend Dominical....its a bit of a drive (prob 1.5 hrs south of where you are).  Tons of waves, nobody around (especially before 9am) perfect for SUP. 

Have a great trip - congratulations!!  PM me if you would like any more info.

[mdsurf]

Jaco may have gone downhill in desired visiting but Los suenos is a beautiful hotel and has water sports.  You can also take a boat out to la isla, it is beautiful and can be a big wave.  There are some other spots north of Los suenos and south that are hidden and can be fun.  South of Hermosa there is some areas that are fun.  Qeupos and Manuel Antonio can be beautiful also.  I love the hotel SI COMO NO, it is a great hotel with a theatre and swim up pool bars so on and walk down to the beach.

If you have time go to Tabacon at volcano arenal,  beautiful spas.  Naturally heated by the volcano.

CostaRica is still a beautiful country and people.  Going in a month myself.  I like the nosara beach area.

[Green Water SUP Tours]

Lets not forget about the Caribbean Coast! Puerto Viejo and the Southern Caribbean is loaded with great surf and even when its flat its like a SUPers paradise!
Green Water SUP Tours we'll take care of you!

 Join Us at https://www.facebook.com/GreenWaterSUPTours or

[Tom English]

Nice beach break at MA.  Check out La Mariposa view of Natl. forest while having dinner or drinks.

[ENCINITAS_SUP]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the tips, CR was great we had a blast!  Didn't get to surf on this trip, on the days I had to surf it was pretty mixed up and didn't feel like going through the hassle of renting a board for medicore surf.  We still checked out a ton of places that you guys recommended.  Manuel Antonio was great, beautiful beaches, amazing wild life.  Took a boat tour out to tortuga island, that was a beautiful place to spend the day.  Hit up the zip lining, horseback riding, and water fall tours.  Driving was an adventure!  Now whenever I need to perform an aggressive driving maneuver I just tell myself to drive like a Tico!  It was a great trip.  We found almost all the people we talked to were great ambassadors for Costa Rica.  We'll be back again one day.

[jdmotes]

 Heading down to Playa Hermosa in a few weeks. Staying with one of my son's at Hermosa Surf Bungalow right across from a break called "The Tree" (I believe that's the name)... This will be a first for me to this area of CR; Went to Nosara around the same time last year...      Paddle on; JD

[southwesterly]

Playa Hermosa is a thumping and hollow beach break.
There are some other spots close by (south) that are perfect for SUP.

[Bklyn2Oahu]

+1 for Manual Antonio & Dominical!

[freetobeme]

+ 2 Dominical area….planning a trip there for late winter. hope to hit up MA and/or arenal real quick but then explore the lower mountains near Dominical for land purchase…those areas look amazing!!!

[mdsurf]

Arenal volcano and Tabacon are worth the trip