Tamarindo Surfing Guide
The town of Tamarindo in Guanacaste Province is one of Costa Rica’s most attractive destinations, whether you’re looking for a new place to call home or just a great vacation spot. Aside from the stunning landscape and vibrant local culture, the beaches are renowned by surfers all across the world for producing some of the best waves. In fact, this delightful beach town has its surfing history to thank for much of its growth and success.
A brief history of Beautiful Tamarindo
Tamarindo wasn’t always the bustling surfer’s paradise you’ll find today; At the start of the 1970’s, Tamarindo was still relatively unknown and undeveloped. The gorgeous stretches of coastline were populated with livestock, not surfers, and if you did want to visit the area (or leave it), you could count on a very long drive over poorly maintained dirt roads. That is, if you could even access the area by car at all; during the wet season, roads frequently washed out completely, forcing people to make the journey in and out of Tamarindo entirely on foot. During the dry season, local wells quickly dried up and fresh water was scarce. Electricity would not make its debut in Tamarindo until 1974.
How Tamarindo became a surfing destination
By the mid 1970’s, real estate investors had begun to take notice of Tamarindo for the tourism potential held by its beautiful beaches. Slowly, the unassuming beach town began to develop as tourists started trickling in. Tamarindo’s big break, however, came in 1994 when the film The Endless Summer II used several beaches around Tamarindo for shooting locations. The film featured several famous professional surfers, and it is largely responsible for Tamarindo catching international attention as a great surfing spot.
The influx of surfers necessitated more improvements to Tamarindo’s infrastructure. Telephones appeared first, followed by paved roads to neighboring towns and a nearby airport. The newfound ease of access to the area further cemented Tamarindo’s growing reputation as a prime surfing destination. Before long, the small, rural jungle town on Costa Rica’s Pacific shore had transformed into a tourism hotspot with all the accommodations to match. Since finding a place on the world stage, Tamarindo’s local culture has continued to thrive as well, making it one of the most unique and enjoyable places to visit in Costa Rica, especially if you’re hoping to do some surfing.
Surfing Lessons and Gear Rental in Tamarindo
If you’ve never surfed before, or if it’s been a while and you need a refresher, Tamarindo is a great place to learn. There are numerous shops where you can rent all the gear you need, and many of them offer lessons as well. One popular choice for tourists is Witch’s Rock Surf Camp. It’s a full resort, complete with hotel rooms, a restaurant, a surf shop with everything you’ll need from boards to sunglasses, and lessons available for surfers of any experience level.
Other great choices are Kelly’s Surf Shop and Iguana Surf, both of which offer excellent rentals and lessons at affordable prices. Tamarindo is generally a friendly place for new surfers, so don’t be afraid to check out the local shops and take advantage of some of the great teachers available.
Where to Surf in Tamarindo
One reason Tamarindo is such a great place to surf is that its numerous beaches offer a wide variety of wave types and strengths. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned veteran of the sport; you’ll find a spot that suits your skill level somewhere along Tamarindo’s coastline. Let’s take a closer look at some of the best choices:
Capitan Suizo
Located at the southern end of Tamarindo, Capitan Suizo can be a great spot for advanced surfers, but it’s also known for being relatively kind to beginners. The sandy bottom is pretty forgiving, and the crowd is usually not too thick and consists mainly of beginners and intermediates, so it’s a good place to learn or just have some casual fun.
Capitan Suizo’s unique position behind Isla Capitan means that the waves tend to wrap around the island and come in towards the beach from both sides, forming a beginner-friendly wedge shape. The wave isn’t particularly powerful and won’t be intimidating for a new surfer.
Playa Grande
Playa Grande is a long stretch of beach along the north half of the Tamarindo shoreline. You’ll find varying degrees of difficulty depending on exactly where you look, but Playa Grande’s main peak on the north side of the beach is notorious for the biggest, most powerful waves in the area.
This spot is perfect for advanced surfers looking for a challenge, but beginners are advised to stay away; the waves can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing, and it’s a favorite spot for many locals who might not appreciate inexperienced surfers hogging the best waves.
Palm Beach
Beginning just south of Playa Grande’s main peak and occupying the majority of the central and southern Playa Grande coastline is Palm Beach, one of the best surfing spots for surfers of all experience levels. You’ll likely find the beach refreshingly empty, as most of the more advanced surfers are chasing the biggest waves a bit to the north.
Palm Beach is the spot for you if you just want to hang out and catch some intermediate waves without the hassle of a crowd. The swells can get pretty powerful, so beginners should exercise some caution, but for the most part Palm Beach is a great choice for any surfer.
Whether you are a total novice or an old pro chasing that bigger, better wave, Tamarindo should be on your bucket list. This is a place truly like no other. Come experience the town and the culture for yourself, enjoy the beautiful Costa Rican vistas, and catch some waves while you’re at it.
