Surf Adventure Surf Trek with CHE: When the Road and Swell Point South. I woke at 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, and finally rose at 3 a.m. with one of several alarms that I set in five-minute intervals. Before a surf adventure, I find sleep to be sparse and nearly impossible...
ConnectOcean: Swim Safe Costa Rica
[vc_row css=".vc_custom_1672232565287{background-color: #ffffff !important;}"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]Costa Rica, a picturesque realm nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, unfolds over 800 miles of bewitching coastline. The allure of...
Manuel Antonio: The Surf Spot
[vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text] Manuel Antonio: Costa Rica’s Jungle Postcard With a Secret—It Surfs Brilliantly Manuel Antonio National Park gets the fame for sloths in sea-almond trees, macaws flashing scarlet over jade coves, and jungle trails that...
SKIMBOARDING: Acrobatics of the Fearless
[vc_row][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_column_text] Skimboarding in Costa Rica: shorebreak art, fearless flight, pura vida funFrom Guanacaste’s honey-gold coves to the black-sand crescents of the Central Pacific, skimboarding is the Costa Rican sweet spot where adventure,...
Surfing Ollie’s Point after the Storm
In October 2017, a huge storm devastated most of the beaches in Costa Rica. Playas del Coco was totally flooded. Significant beachfront destruction was widespread, and the ocean was very brown. This occurred on a Friday, and just two days later, we were among the...
Swells Make Costa Rica a Leading Surf Destination
Waves are nothing more than traveling vessels of energy. Born from strong winds blowing in all corners of the planet, ocean waves traverse thousands of miles through open water just to come crashing down for our enjoyment. Aside from the visual aesthetics of watching...
Caribbean Side Surprises: Salsa Brava’s September Punch
If you’ve ever stood on the sand in Puerto Viejo and stared out at Salsa Brava, you’ll know it’s not a wave for the faint-hearted. This reef break, with its raw Caribbean power and shallow coral shelf, has humbled even the most experienced surfers. September, often...
Witch’s Rock and Ollie’s Point: September’s Secret Season
If surfing had a whisper rather than a roar, it would sound like September at Witch’s Rock and Ollie’s Point. Forget the packed line-ups of peak summer. This is the month when the Santa Rosa coastline feels like your own private playground. The long boat rides from...
How to Surf Without Crying: A Beginner’s Tale from Dominical
Spoiler: There were tears. But also a lot of saltwater, so who's really counting? If you’ve ever watched a surfer glide across a wave like Poseidon’s cool cousin and thought, I could totally do that, then you, dear reader, are a fool. A hopeful, sunburn-prone,...
July Swells and Secret Breaks
Where Experienced Surfers Go in Costa Rica During the Mini Summer to Escape Crowds and Chase Monster Sets Where are the best waves in Costa Rica during the mini summer? During Costa Rica’s short dry spell in July, known as the veranillo de San Juan, the Pacific coast...
El Fantasma: Costa Rica’s Rare Reef Wave That Only Appears in June
There’s a murmur that runs down the Nicoya Peninsula like wildfire every late May. “It’s coming,” someone says at a beach bonfire. Surf shop owners glance at the forecast and start waxing boards with twitchy hands. The old guys start telling younger surfers to charge...
Eco-Wave Warriors: How Surfers Are Saving Costa Rica’s Coastlines
It’s just after sunrise on a beach somewhere between Tamarindo and Playa Hermosa. The lineup’s thinned out, boards are dripping on the sand, and a bunch of salty, sun-kissed surfers are swapping rash guards for gloves. But they’re not done yet—the next session is just...