Nancy45

Where is the best place to surf near Manuel Antonio? My husband and 19 year old do quite a bit of surfing on the East Coast and surfing in Costa Rica will be one of their main activities!

alarmist22

My son and his friends went to cr last year and tried to find good surfing spots, they did not on their own. They hired a guide which was inexpensive according to them and went to all the local spots and had a great time and real good waves and surfed with the locals.

Nancy45

That sounds great. Do you know how you go about hiring a surfing guide for the day? Thanks!

Heliconiaceae

The BEST surfing near Manuel Antonio is at Matapalo and Dominical. These beaches are south of Manuel Antonio and it is a total of 38KM / 23mi from Manuel Antonio National park.

Source: http://www.anywherecostarica.com/dom...ica/travel.htm

There is a some more nice beaches, if you want to continue your vacation south of here, like Playa Uvita. I highly recommend Drake Bay which is also in the Southern Pacific Region on the Osa Peninsula. It is a bit of an adventure to get there, but if you have the time it is well worth it

Best Waves to the boys

4explore

We have twice surfed CR, we are intermediate, East Coast US surfers.

Many rocky surf areas in CR. We had great luck both trips hiring a local guide. They know the best breaks for your skill level, and save time by knowing the surf conditions THAT day in the areas around your lodging. Give good surf tips too. Easy to find, through your hotel or in each town. Wherever you can rent boards. Be aware, they are often really beat up! Hunt down a guide with some decent ones!

Matapalo is really far from you in Osa. No surfing that I know of in Drake Bay (but Osa is spectacular). You might be able to do Dominical from MA, its a rough drive down though, lousy road. Surfed both, it depends on the season for conditions. Outside Jaco are some good surf beaches. Look on the CR surf websites.

Nancy45

4explore -- where did you surf?
Thanks!

4explore

In June 2005, when we were more beginners, we spent 4 days in Dominical to surf. (I understand that town is really being developed.) Had a good time there. Rony Obandi was the surf guide there. Pretty good guide, beat up boards though. Had some pretty big waves.

Also that trip, went to Osa Peninsula, stayed at Bosque del Cabo in the Matapolo area, and surfed the small stuff around Pan Dulce and Backwash.

Just back from 2nd trip last week. Spent couple surf days in Puerto Viejo, on Carib side. Supposed to be good time of year for surf there, but it was kind of iffy. Wanted to see famous Salsa Bravo big wave, but it was nothing. Not even any surfers out much. So it goes with surfing! But we found a few nice size waves nearby at Punta Uva, be prepared to paddle out a way. Hired guide, Herschel, recommended by hotel. Did a good job, and had very decent boards, but in the end overcharged us and hotel was mad! Learned a few lessons there! Enjoyed the Carib side very much. Hype about crime and seedy elements seems to be way exaggerted.

The Osa surfing this trip was even better, though websites would say it wasn't the best time of year for Matapolo area.

Hope that helps