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ASK
THE COSTA RICA SURF EXPERT
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For many years Tico Travel has been known as the leader in all aspects of Costa Rica surfing.
Now we have come up with an even better way for you to get the latest and best advice on surfing in Costa Rica. How?
Ask the Costa Surf Expert!
Get the latest and best advice on the Costa Rica surf scene. Our traveling surf expert is hired to do just two things, SURF and answer your questions! |
Costa Rica Surf Expert: Mike Brooks
Mike fell in love with Costa Rica in 1980 when he took his first surf trip there and discovered the unbelievable surf and friendly people. Since that time Mike surfed
Costa Rica from east to west, north to south.
He has lived and worked in Costa Rica in many different roles, from managing a beachfront hotel to running Surf Schools.
Mike has been working as a Costa Rica Travel
and Surf expert for over 15 years helping surfers plan their vacations and working as a surf guide.
Mike now spends his time consulting for
Costa Rica surf camps and has some of the best surfers assisting him to provide surf lessons for beginning surfers and Surf Guide service for the more Advanced Surfers. He is also available to answer any questions you may have on planning your own surf trip to Costa Rica.
Tico Travel is proud to be the only company offering this unique
Costa Rica surf service and it shows once again why we are the recognized leaders when it comes to all aspects of Costa Rica Surf Travel.
Send your Costa Rica Surf Questions to Mike
| QUESTION:
Hey Mike, how's it going? A friend and I are coming to CR from July 27th
to August 14th which gives us just under 3 weeks to cruise around. We were
mainly thinking about the guanacaste area with the classic Ollie's and
witch's and maybe some less known places, our main objective being scoring
quality waves with few people (isn't that all surfers' objective?!).
The thing is I'm thinking it would be ridiculous
to spend 3 weeks in CR and not surf Pavones…do you think we can do it all or
is it too complicated? We're on a low budget trip so we were planning to get
around by bus rather then renting a car. How would you advise doing it?
First go straight from San Jose to Pavones and then work our way up? What
about the swell, are those places going to be good at that time of the year?
Thx for your help! Tom. |
| ANSWER:
Hey Tom, My pleasure to assist you. The surf spots you mentioned will
definitely be working in July. And sure I think you could surf from Ollies
Point to Pavones in 3 weeks. I agree starting in San Jose would be best that
is where the hub for all the buses are based go to Pavones first and than
head North along the Coastal highway hitting Dominical, Playa Hermosa/Jaco
and then to Tamarindo area form there you can get boats to Ollies and
Witches. Mike |
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| QUESTION:
Mike, Myself and several friends are heading down to stay in Playa
Grande in late June. We are hoping to catch surf at Witches and Ollies and
was wondering if there is typically surf there in June and finally are their
pangas that run up their for the day opposed to expensive overnight trips?
Thanks, Tim. |
ANSWER:
Hey Tim. Good to hear from you!
Yes I think you should be able to catch some surf at Ollies and Witches in
June. And yes there are definitely pangas you can catch that will take you
out for just the day the cost is about $250-$350 for the day . You can ask
around in playa grande where to book a boat or just drive to Playa de Coco
where lots of pangas heading to Ollies and Witches everyday.
Have a safe trip! Michael Brooks, Costa Rica Travel Planner |
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| QUESTION:
Mike, My name is Tony and I will be in the Tamarindo area form April 17
thru April 23. I keep checking the surf and it seems to be bigger in Playa
Grande compared to Tamarindo. I realize that this is dictated from swell
direction, but I am having a hard time committing to a stay inTamarindo or
Playa Grande Any help with this would
be great. I have reservations at Best Western in Tamarindo, but I am also
interested in a stay at Los Tortugas in Playa Grande. Just looking for some
advice from someone who knows. It's a long way from Costa to south Alabama. |
| ANSWER:
Hey Toni you are right the surf is usually a little bigger in Playa
Grande and more powerful and maybe even a little less crowded the advantage
to Tamarindo is you are close to town and a little closer to some other
spots by car like Negra, Avellanes, and Langosta tough choice I see your
predicament... if you don't mind walking about 20 minutes and a paddle
across a river you could stay in Tamarindo and walk to Grande at High tide
when it is good if you are going with a chick yo may have an advantage to
Tamarindo because there is more for her to do but if you are going by
yourself and you main concern is surf Grande definitely has the better wave.
Regards Michael Brooks, Costa Rica Travel Planner |
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QUESTION:
Mike, I will be staying at the Marriott Los Suenos from 4/24-29. I am
traveling with 3 other non-surfers and I was wondering if you have any
suggestions for surf lessons or even a surf guide. I am an intermediate
surfer who surfs mainly beach breaks but I am looking for anything in the
3-5 foot range and good form. What are some key breaks around the Marriott
and how accessible are they? Thanks.
Catherine |
| ANSWER:
Hello Catherine, there are a couple of breaks that you can take a boat
out to from the Marriott Los Sueños area but on the most part there are
pretty advanced breaks very hollow with reef bottom. But there are a couple
of other spots 10-15 minutes away in Playa Jaco and Playa Hermosa area that
would fit the bill they are pretty easy to find if you ask around.
If you would like to have a surfguide come by
and take you surfing the group rate is $95 per person for a ½ day
If you wanted your own personal surfguide to take you to different breaks in
the area the cost is $500 for the day.
Michael Brooks, Costa Rica Travel Planner |
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| QUESTION:
Hi mike I wrote you earlier this week I wanted to know how big the surf
was in Playa Grande in may and how are the crowds are. How far is the drive
to Negra and Nosara from Playa Grande? Are there any good spots in between?
I have been to Hermosa and Jaco and like them alot. Is there a similar break
(like Hermosa ) close to Playa Grande? I already have reservations in Playa
Grande so going too far south is not a option.
Thanks John |
ANSWER:
Q: How big the surf was in Playa Grande in May
A: Usually chest to head high
Q How are the crowds are.
A: May should not be to bad most kids start coming in June and July
Q: How far is the drive to Negra and
Nosara from Playa Grande?
A: About 45 to Negra and maybe 2 hr or less to Nosara
Q: Are there any good spots in
between?
A: Avellanes
Q:
I have been to Hermosa and Jaco and like them alot. Is there a similar break
(like Hermosa ) close to Playa Grande?
A: Not really with the same power of Hermosa in that area
Michael Brooks, Costa Rica Travel Planner |
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| QUESTION:
Mike, I want to take my son to CR on a surf trip in June for his high
school graduation. He has been surfing about 5 years and I have been surfing
35+ years. I am looking for a quality trip good food good accommodations. I
have heard bad things about CR getting crowded. Looking for left point
breaks where I won’t have to scrap too much for waves. Any thoughts?
Thanks! |
| ANSWER:
Hi, The cool thing about Costa Rica is that it is so consistent and
there are tons of different surf breaks. And like most places people tend to
congregate to certain breaks and peaks and you can always find a peak to
yourself if you look around a little. Most of the point breaks in Costa Rica
are pretty well know and can be a little crowded at times especially in the
Summer but noting like the crowds we see in most spots in the U.S. and the
crowds tend to be very mellow because there are always lot more tourist than
local and the locals are very friendly anyways.
You really cant go wrong in the Central Pacific
area of Costa Rica (Playa Jaco /Hermosa) there are lots of breaks within
easy driving distance and some very nice places to stay. Or You could stay
in Tamarindo as a base Camp in the NW pacific area and than drive to some of
the local spots to get away form the Tamarindo crowds. The third
option is Mal Pais it is probably the least crowded with lots of beach break
up and down the coast.
Check out our Costa Rica Hotel section at
http://www.ticotravel.com/index/hotelsmain.htm to see what we offer in
those areas and get back with me and I will be happy to give you more
details and book whatever you need.
Michael Brooks, Costa Rica Travel Planner |
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QUESTION:
HI have heard that Jaco beach is very crowded and that it is hard to
just get a couple of rides there. Is that true?. What about playa hermosa is
it crowded, and does it break on the shore or set up like a sandbar a liite
offshore. One other question, the season we are going in is the wet season,
does this mean constant rain or what.
Thanks
Pat! |
| ANSWER:
Hey Pat! There are usually quite a few people surfing in Jaco but it is
about a 2 mile stretch of beach and it breaks all up and down the beach so
it really spreads people out and behind the Jaco beach Hotel is usually not
bad because most people don’t want to walk way down the beach to get there
Playa Hermosa is also popular but it is about 4 miles along so people are
even more spaced out you can usually find a peak by yourself at either spot.
Jaco usually breaks closer to the beach on High
Tide and out a little further on the sand bar at low tide there is a huge
difference in how it breaks depending on the tide because there is such a
big fluxuation between high and low tide.
Rainy season usually means it will rain
everyday at some point in the day or night but usually only for about 30
minutes but pretty hard. So it usually will not effect your trip too much.
Get back with me when you can,
Michael Brooks, Costa Rica Travel Planner |
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QUESTION:
Hi Mike, A female co-worker and I are planning to trip to Costa Rica
around February 9th til the 14th. I'm comfortable in most situations, but
she wants a mellow trip, like 6 foot waves or less. Are there any places,
maybe Nicoya, that you would suggest?
We are not looking to break the bank on accommodation but would love a 2
room situation (we're just co workers and want to remain that way!), like a
bungalow or suite.
Plus we would need to rent a car, and
preferably boards down there too. I'd rather not have to travel with boards
and pay $100 each way on American Airlines : )Thanks! |
| ANSWER:
Hello Sanjay, It will be my pleasure to assist you. We do have some
accommodations in the Nicoya area in Mal Pais and in the Nosara check out
our hotel section under the North
Pacific hotel section at the Tropico Latino in Mal Pais and the Harmony
House in Nosara. Also Playa Jaco would be a really mellow place to surf that
time of the year and a lot closer and it is a nice sand bottom and seeing
that you guys are not looking for a lot of alone time together the Playa
Jaco has a lot more going on for night life and restaurants.
The Jaco Beach Best Western you can check
it out in the Central Pacific area of our Hotel section or if you want
something even cheaper in that area you could stay at the
Cabañas Las Arenas in Playa Hermosa.
FYI: if you purchase American Airline tickets we
maybe able to get you a free voucher for surf boards? I will have to double
check I know we can get free vouchers for our clients out of Florida but not
100% sure out of JFK but I will check it out and get back with you. If not
there are toms of surf shops in Jaco that you can rent boards from. But at
$20 per day you will end up spending about $100 anyway.
After you have checked out the accommodations
let me know what you think I can also set up private transfers form the
airport to the hotel if you like.
Talk to you soon,
Michael Brooks, Costa Rica Travel Planner |
More Costa Rica Surf Questions>>


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