Ollie's Point is only accessible by boat. You can get a boat at Playa Flamingo or Playas del Coco. Ollie's is a right point break that starts off against rocks and zips down the line for 60 yards before closing out onto the beach. The wind howls offshore most of the year and makes this a very good wave. Needs a South swell. Works at any tide but med low is best. Perfect at 6 to 8 feet.
Witches Rock is accessed primarily by boat. Driving in is possible but not recommended. The road in is just shy of impassable. Witches is a long beach break at a rivermouth with offshore peaks up and down the beach. Most of the time it's a wall with deep tubes and always, outside clean up sets. Kinda hairy over 6 foot. Best at high tide. Strong offshore wind grooms these waves into a thing of beauty.
Playa Grande is a half hour drive north of Playa Tamarindo. Plenty of parking and don't leave anything you value in your car. The surf is clean beach break with good peaks every 100 yards for miles up and down the beach. Best at the main peak in front of the Hotel Las Tortugas. Best at medium tide coming up through high tide. Offshore, hollow, perfect and packed to the max on the main peak.
Playa Tamarindo has several breaks within it's picturesque bay. The north end has the estuary. Sandbars build in the river mouth to make perfect right that go for 100 yards. Pico Grande is the break out by the rocks in front of Hotel Diria. A fun right when the swell is up. Sometimes the south end of the bay has waves right in front of Hotel Capitan Suizo. Wait for the high tide and walk down there and check it out. Don't leave anything you value unattended on any beach in Tamarindo. You'll lose it.
Playa Langosta is at the end of the road south of Tamarindo. It's an estuary / river mouth with 3 or 4 different peaks. Mostly rights best at high tide. Off to the right and way outside is a low tide spot you can see from the beach. This spot breaks best with at least an 8 foot SW swell. It is one of the better waves in the area when it's on.
Little Hawaii is just north of the Avellanas river mouth and way outside. Only good on a macking SW swell. Big rights on a reef with an easy take off and lots of face to play on with a hollow section on the inside. Easily 100 yards rides. Best at low tide.
Playa Avellanas is a long stretch of beautiful, mostly deserted tropical paradise. There are several surf spots along this beach. To the north is the River mouth. A peak that fires both right and left and is best at low tide. Less crowded early. 300 yards further south is Dead Trees. A beach break sand bar best at high tide and gets amazingly clean with the offshore wind that blows through during the dry season. Another 300 yards south is the beach break in front of Lola's Bar & Grill. Fun beach break peaks. Just south of there is a left reef break. Gets good on the incoming tide but breaks over some pretty shallow reef.
Playa Negra is a 15 minute drive from Playa Avellanas and one of the best surfing waves in Costa Rica. A right point reef, it's best on the incoming tide. Holds excellent shape up to triple over head. Crystal clear water and strong offshore wind makes this one of the most photogenic waves in the world. Just to sit in the shade on the beach and watch the surfers ride the big waves is an unforgettable experience. Get out there and get a few for the highlight of your surf trip.
Marbella is about an hour and a half from Liberia International Airport. A beautiful black sand bay with perfect hollow lefts and rights groomed by warm offshore winds. Average water temperature is 80 degrees year round. Surfable at any tide. With hotels, rental cabina and the Tiki Restaurant right on the beach, Marbella is a great place to spend your vacation. Many expats are also buying property, building their dream home and retiring in Costa Rica. Excellent shopping in nearby Santa Cruz and Nicoya.
Photos by John Lyman
Playa Guiones is about an hour's drive south of Marbella. It is the beach at Nosara. A long broad beach with beach break peaks up and down. A gradual sloping bottom make this a fun soft wave. The inside is great for beginners and the outside is perfect for longboarders. The little town is a quaint beach town with nice shops and good restaurants.