by Lise Pin

Created on: November 26, 2010

Accelerate your next vacation by surfing in Tamarindo Costa Rica

Looking to bail out of a cold snowy winter? For those who surf, the perfect destination to find great surfing beaches is in Tamarindo Costa Rica. Tamarindo Costa Rica is an exciting destination with great beaches, terrific surf and lots of night life. It's located in the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica. Historically, it was harder to get here because the closest airport was in San Jose. But, in recent years, it's relatively easy to

travel to Tamarindo Costa Rica because of the international airport in Liberia, Guanacaste.

Playa Tamarindo has a couple of fun breaks including the El Estero and the Pico Pequeno. Tamarindo also has a good concentration of surf beaches nearby. These include Playas Grande, Avellana, Negra, Junquillal and Langosta. Playa Grande is located in a national park and is a wilderness beach. The surf is reputed to be "almost always rideable" with more swell than in Tamarindo. Playa Grande is small and rustic and has no development directly on the beach. Most surfers stay in nearby Tamarindo but if you are interested in relaxing in Playa Grande, there are hotels and restaurants for those looking for an off-the-beaten-path experience.

Located just south of Tamarindo is Playa Avellana which has five good reef- and sand- breaks. Located only 10-km (6 mi) south of Tamarindo, it's an easy day trip from Tamarindo. On Playa Avellana, there are some cabins - Cabinas Las Olas - where you can stay or park your car.

Playa Langosta is just south of Tamarindo (2.5-km) and offers some good mid-tide surfing with left breaks over rocks and sand in front of a river mouth. These breaks are bigger than in Tamarindo, although not always perfect.  The beach is mostly rocky shoreline with small pockets of sandy beach. During high season, Playa Langosta can get busy.

Playa Negra is about 25 minutes south of Tamarindo and has a series of right and lefts from the river mouth with reefs and beach breaks. There's a rock-reef right break that is fast and hollow at low tide. Conditions here are best in the morning with mid-tide heading out. If you aren't interested in commuting from Tamarindo, there are hotels in the area.

Costa Rica vacations can certainly be more than a beach vacation. If you're interested in learning to surf, Tamarindo has several surf schools and camps. For those on a budget, be sure to check out the surf camp and hostel packages offered throughout the area.

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