Surfing

Costa Rica is now known as one of the world’s premier surfing destinations. Costa Rica surfing, on both coasts, is good enough to attract much worldwide attention. Montezuma has several surf spots, although the nearby town of Santa Teresa (25-30 min drive) is a world-class destination, so die-hard surfers tend to spend more time on the Malpais-Santa Teresa side of the Nicoya Peninsula. Click here for Malpais surfing information.

Montezuma’s main surf spots are:

• Playa Grande – a mid/high tide spot which is a 30-40 minute walk north of Montezuma town. A very consistent wave, ideal for beginners, but best when there’s a south swell.
• Los Cedros – high tide only lefty point break, which works maybe 25-30% of the time, only when there’s a south swell. The kids’ surf contests are sometimes held here.
• Reyes / Rio Lajas – all tides / south swell / right point break. Not many people surf here. On good days it runs a few hundred meters but the walk out has lots of sharp rocks.

Surf Retreats and Lessons:

• Anamaya Surf Camp & Yoga – Montezuma’s luxury retreat center now offers yoga and surfing packages that include trips to the best surf spots in the area, amazing accomodations, and gourmet organic food.
• La Escuela del Sol Surf School – Popular as an all-inclusive school that teaches not only surfing, but fire dancing, yoga, and Spanish language.
• Mauritzio (8890-2864) – Local Tico surf teacher who speaks English.

Surfboard Rentals:

There are several shops in the town of Montezuma that rent surfboards, sell surf wax, etc, as well as renting boogie boards and snorkelling equipment. Montezuma even has a surf shop.

Montezuma Surfing Video:

Featured Surf Spots:

• Surfing in Santa Teresa Surfing is just one of the many things tourists can look forward to when visiting Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, but it is certainly an experienced that should not be missed. When planning a vacation getaway to this part of the world with the intent to explore the pristine blue waters, it is imperative to find ...
• Solo Bueno Tourguides Solo Bueno is a group of tour guides who grew up in Cabuya and thus know the area intimately. They specialize in taking small groups on various local adventures. Adventures offered by Solo Bueno: Cabo Blanco Park Snorkeling – Recommended! Solo Bueno is the only tour operator allowed to operate within the park’s boundaries. Snorkel ...
• Olingo Surf and Nature Tours The Olingo team are perhaps the best guides in the area. Professionally certified in Costa Rica, they work with many of the best hotels and retreat centers to provide surf instruction, horseback riding, birdwatching, guided sea kayak tours, etc. Note: This is the “high end” of nature tours, and it’s relatively expensive compared to self-guided ...
• Rio Lajas Rivermouth – Los Reyes   The Rio Lajas Rivermouth is yet another super amazing epic beach spot to hang out at. It has a clean river with many pools to swim in, a ton of interesting water birds for birdwatching enthusiasts, a surf spot, and a long beach with almost no one on it. How to find it It’s easy to ...
• Cabuya Island Cabuya Island is one of those magical spots that most people see, but few people actually take the time to walk out to. It’s a place of fear, legend, rumor, and excitement, supposedly haunted by ghosts at night, due to the fact that it’s been a cemetery for as long as anyone can remember. ...
• Playa Los Cedros One of the most beautiful beaches in the area, Playa los Cedros is located south of the town of Montezuma, about halfway to Cabuya. Not only is it one of the best beaches to just hang out at, but it’s a great surf spot. A left-hand point break, “Cedros” is a beautiful wave, but only ...
• La Lora Beach in Santa Teresa One of the most beautiful beaches around, and perhaps the reason that Forbes magazine voted the beaches of the Malpais/Santa Teresa among the Top 10 Most Breathtaking Beaches. This beach has soft white sand, with no rocks, so it’s a fairly safe beach. It’s named for the nightclub, called “La Lora Amarillo” (The Yellow Parrot) ...
• Playa Carmen’s White Sand Beach Playa Carmen is the first beach you’ll arrive at when you come down the hill from the mountains to the Santa Teresa / Malpais area of the southern Nicoya Peninsula. This is the center of the beach areas… to the south, everything is Mal Pais. To the north, you get to Santa Teresa, ...
• Playa Grande of Montezuma Playa Grande of Montezuma, not to be confused with an even more famous beach in Costa Rica, Playa Grande near Tamarindo, is a 30-40 minute walk south from town. A common destination for tourists and locals who would like to get away from the crowds (not that Montezuma’s closer beaches are ever actually crowded) but Playa ...
• Sunset Reef – a Soul Surfer’s Paradise Sunset Reef is one of the very best surf spots in the Mal Pais area, but few people surf it because you need a vehicle to drive to it, and most surfers staying in Santa Teresa are happy with the waves in front of their hotel or rental villa. For those who want a bit more ...

Other Surfing Websites:

MontezumaSurfing.com – More details and information all about surfing around here.
MalpaisSurfing.com – Santa Teresa, Playa Carmen, and Mal Pais surfing portal.