Surfcamp in Costa Rica: Everything you need to know

If your idea of the perfect learn to surf destination includes palm trees, white-sand beaches, and playful waves beneath a hot sun, you’re not alone. We also believe that there’s nearly no better environment in which to hone your wave riding skills.

For this reason, we’ve made Costa Rica our second surf camp in Central America. Complete with spacious accommodation, new facilities, and an awesome crew. All of whom know exactly where the best waves are located… and how to keep those post-surf hunger craving at bay.

Yep! You’ll never want for anything when you stay with us. Barring a cold beverage and a comfy hammock after a long day in the water of course. So for more details about our surf camp and surf lessons in Costa Rica, we’ve put together this handy guide.

In it, you’ll find all you need to know about booking a stay with Rapture Surfcamps. This includes information about the waves, the climate, the area, and what you can expect when you stay with us. So sit back, have a read and let yourself daydream about warm water, silky swells, and groomed waves in the land of Pura Vida.

Learn to Surf in one of the best spots in Costa Rica

Situated on Guanacaste Province’s Golden Coast, Playa Avellanas is the location of our surf camp and where we offer all surf lessons in Costa Rica. It has long since been regarded as a sanctuary for surfers who want quality waves without the usual crowd that attracts them.

Visitors to this unique location can look forward to offshore winds, consistent waves, and a picturesque beach that’s most definitely Instagram-worthy. Just point your camera or phone in any direction for a shot that’ll give everyone back home a serious case of travel envy.

Another advantage of booking a surf lesson in Costa Rica at our Playa Avellanas camp is that the immediate area isn’t overdeveloped. There are a few budget accommodation options and some food joints, but for the most part, it is quiet and therefore peaceful. This makes it a great alternative to the more touristy Tamarindo to the north.

All in all, Playa Avellanas lends itself to those of you looking for a slower pace of life, but with a few modern conveniences and some epic surfing setups. In other words, it’s a wake-up-early and surf your brains out kinda place.

Costa Rica has waves for surfers of all skill levels

Our surf lessons in Costa Rica take place at gentle beach breaks, but the country is also home to reeling points, slabby rock shelves, and tempting river mouth waves that are epic one day, perfect the next.

This means that on any given day you can find a peak to surf somewhere along its Pacific coastline. Where we have our surf camp, however, offers up some of the most primo surfing opportunities in the country. A bold claim for sure, but hear us out.

For starters, Playa Avellanas isn’t just the site of one wave. Instead, it’s home to five very different but equally as fun surf breaks: La Purruja, El Parqueo, El Palo, El Estero de Avellanas and Little Hawaii.

El Parqueo and El Palo are beachbreaks that work nearly all year round. They are both great for learner surfers, but El Parqueo offers up the most user-friendly waves, with El Palo delivering little barrels when the conditions are perfect.

La Purruja and El Estero de Avellanas, on the other hand, are for intermediate surfers looking to improve their skills. El Estero de Avellanas is regarded as one of the best surf spots in all of Costa Rica due to its A-frame peaks, while La Purrua is a lefthand reefbreak that’s mainly surfed during the rainy season.

Finally, we have Little Hawaii; a righthander that breaks over rocks and some reef. The ideal time to surf here is between low to mid-tide, but it’s not a wave for everyone. In fact, only skilled surfers should paddle out here. Given that it has a tendency to punish anyone too inexperienced to make the takeoff.

In addition to these five spots, we’re also located close to a number of other great surf locations, such as Playa Negra of Endless Summer II fame, Playa Langosta and Playa Grande. All of which can be accessed via our transport service at the camp… for when you’re sick of surfing one perfect wave and want to surf the next perfect one.

Enjoy a hot and dry climate, perfect for the many world-class beaches

Everything you’ve ever heard about Costa Rica is true. The air temperature rarely drops below 25˚C on the Pacific coast and even the mountainous highlands offer little respite from the heat. This means boardshorts and bikinis are the uniform of choice for just about everyone who visits.

If you’re booking a surf lesson in Costa Rica with Rapture Surfcamps, you’ll be happy to know our region receives the least rainfall and has more sunny days than anywhere else in the country. The actual wet season, which runs from May to November, also starts a little bit later on the Gold Coast. This means you have a bigger window for good weather and surfable waves.

Average rainfall in Costa Rica is around 100 inches a year. Some areas in Costa Rica’s mountains, however, can get an unbelievable 25 feet of rainfall annually. With higher elevations receiving considerably more.

On any given day the water temperature is between 27 – 30˚C. This makes it feel more like a bath than the ocean when you’re in it. The only difference is that you can’t score epic waves in your tub.

Sunscreen is a must and you’ll be forgiven for wearing a waterproof hat in the surf. That big yellow ball of fire has got some serious bite to it, after all. And nothing puts a damper on a surf trip like third-degree sunburns on the first day.

Costa Rica offers plenty of adventures for Nature Lovers

Whether you’re surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming, hiking in national parks, or spotting wildlife, the appeal for people booking a surf camp or surf lesson in Costa Rica is that you can choose your own adventure. 

If the waves are firing, well of course you’ll want to paddle out and catch a few rides. When you’re all surfed out and looking for something else to do though, why not take part in a spot of game fishing or embark on a canopy tour?

For entertainment, head north to discover whether Tamarindo really is the party capital of Costa Rica. And do some shopping, grab a bite to eat at a trendy new restaurant or simply enjoy a change of scenery while you’re there.

Staying fit and keeping active when the swell doesn’t cooperate is also easier than ever. Stretch out your limbs at a local yoga retreat and foster a little inner peace with a meditation session. Or, hire a stand-up paddleboard from a nearby store and drink in that awesome coastline while cruising along the water.

About our Surf Camp in Playa Avellanas

Our camp is located roughly 20-minutes from Tamarindo. It has been built to exceed expectations so that everyone booking surf lessons in Costa Rica will be blown away. But that doesn’t mean we’ve gone OTT.

Rather, we’ve made the Rapture surf camp at Playa Avellanas a place that features modern conveniences. Whilst still remaining sympathetic to the local environment and its immediate surroundings. The result is a charming, down-to-earth space that can easily cater to numerous people without feeling cramped.

Upon coming here for the first time, you’ll find yourself dropped into the middle of a jungle on a pristine white sand beach. Where you’ll be greeted by a spacious house complete with common area, fully-stocked bar, and a terrace that leads to a tropical garden.

Thanks to its unique location and layout, our site feels like one of the best-kept secrets in the world. Far from the hustle and bustle of city life and equipped with everything you need to get into that holiday groove.

The room types on offer include a stylish dorm that sleeps four, another accommodating dorm that sleeps six, and a luxurious double room with a TV and private balcony. All rooms come with hot water, big windows, air conditioning, and mosquito nets, plus shared bathrooms.

If you’re here to do some bulk relaxing, you can kick back by the pool or rock yourself to sleep in our hammocks. Nightly reviews of surf pictures taken that day trips to the local markets, and even our pizza night or all you can eat BBQ dinners also make for the perfect opportunity to see more of the area and do some socializing.