Costa Rica or Nicaragua?

i say nica. exactly for the reason its not fully developed. popoyo / mag rock - cant wait to go back. stayed with SomaSurf. good people. great food. great accommodations. could be worthwhile to check them out. my girl loved it there, hell - she took me there.

 

I've been to both and think Nicaragua is the way to go. Where are you flying from? They just finished a new airport near Playa Santana which makes the travel much easier than the previous 2 hour+ drive from Managua. Plenty of waves in the area. Check the houses and condos around Playa Santana or stay at Magic Rock (between Santana and Popoyo...walkable but definitely a long walk). Also look in the San Juan Del Sur area. Never been but heard there is a bit more going on activity-wise so you can get your surf on and your lady can work on her sun salutations or do some kayak fishing or other outdoorsy activity. If you do stay in the Popoyo/Playa Santana area look into hiking Ometepe. Its an extinct volcano on an island in the middle of Lake Nicaragua. You'll need to spend a night there and take a ferry to the island but it is well worth it (or so I hear).

 

Just got back from CR on Saturday. And you are correct--wayyyyyy overhyped by that Pura Vida shhit (yes, it is pure shhit). Waves are "okay" in Tamarindo area, but nothing more than that; I have seen much better waves here in NH even. Surf schools fill the water with floaters/obstacles as well, and they start a shortly after sunrise.

But why limit yourself to Central America? Why not Hawaii? Fiji? Peru. Chile. You are on the West Coast, correct?
Do something different--following the herd to CR sucks.

 

check out Nica. I have spent a lot of time in both places. You get a lit more of everything in Nicaragua for a fraction of the price- unless you ball out and stay somewhere really nice (only 3 places like that on the coast)
San Juan del Sur is the southern most place to stay in, and the most crowded. There is 4-5 waves around there and a lot more places to party. As you go north it gets less crowded. Playa Colorado is a great place to look. Probably 3-4 peaks on that beach alone. tubes, point, reef- has it all. Beachfront rentals are awesome there and there is also hacienda iguanas (hotelish) check out Nicaraguasurfreport.com for more info on that region. Mag rock is also great like others said but waves are more limited and a little more crowded.

Also check out Racnho Santana- 4starish hotel right on Playa Santana- really great beachie w many peaks.

If you really want to splurge- Mukul is the new ultra luxury hotel that sits right in front f Manzanillo- one of the best left point breaks in the country.

Ill be in Nica for 4 weeks starting Thu. Cant wait. Message me if you need more info.

 

Nica sounds like a winner

 

Only bad thing about Nica is that their best season is our summer. Jan and Feb should be avoided if you can. smaller swells, heavy offshores, and the water gets a little chilly

 

Anyone been to northern nica? SJDS can get local, and I've wondered if it breaks just as well in places like Aserradores in Chinandega?

 

i was looking into this recently. theres one place in costa rica that is worth going to because its a perfect left point rock reef break and so out of the way that its not that crowded ever really. super cool vibes bc its not as much of a touristy area too. turkey town costa rica. theres also a few reef breaks that have rights and lefts nearby(2 miles?) that might have one other person out on. otherwise nicaragua seems more accessible cheaper etc. the summer really is the time to go though. id recommend end of may beginning of june because the rainy season hasnt quite come full force yet but the waves were at least 3ft every day in costa rica, mostly 4-5ft and up to like 8-10ft 2 out of 11 days. winter= bad winds and waves.

 

^^^

o barry

I told you uppity white folk fark up everything.

Have friends I grew up with that have lived in Rica for 20+ years and they say a lot of the coast has been sold out to fleece (wealthy) gringo tourist.


Go to Nica goode lucke

 

Mexico is played out and so is Costa Rica.
Nicaragua is definitley the way to go. So check it out, here is what you do.
Charter a boat and they will be able to put you into all sorts of surf.
I have put this in the works for next year... Very doable

 

I have not done Nica....my bro did recently and stayed at a place with a boat and he loved it....they were on it and had all the spots dialed in.

If you go to CR (which I still think is a great option)....there are a few places I would go. First don't stay in tamarindo....weak waves (soft and deep), crowded, and dirty town. If you want to go north (easy fly in versus dealing with San Jose), stay at Playa Grande (Rip Jacks is pretty decent with the chicki-poo.)....from here you could do a Witch's day trip and drive south to some other gems.

Otherwise, I like to hit up Hermosa, Dominical, and a majority of my stay at Pavones. I would stay up Dominical in case swell does not hit Pavones proper then you can have plenty of options.

Also, plan to go prior to Florida spring breaks.

 

Yes, Nica is much cheaper than Costa Rica! 2 years ago I visited Buena Onda Beach Resort in Popoyo, great place to stay but in the middle of nowhere: www.buenaondaresort.com The water was much colder than CR.

There are some nice spots in the Tamarindo area in Costa Rica, like Playa Grande. The clean surf season is December to April with strong offshore winds, that's why the water was so cold in Nicaragua.

I would recommend Playa Hermosa: www.costaricawaves.com/playa-hermosa/ I would say crowds are similar to Popoyo, I guess further up the coast of Nicaragua it's different. There are many surf spots close to Playa Hermosa. With a rental car you could surf Esterillos, Roca Loca and of course all the spots along Playa Hermosa. Manuel Antonio National Park is only one hour away in case your wife gets bored.

 

I posted on SI a few years ago about my experience at Hacienda Iguana (Colorados is right out front). Great experience and fun--Colorados was OH all week I was there (late May)...been to CR (north) and enjoyed it. Place we stayed seemed to have a bit more of a social atmosphere than where i stayed in Nica...but most of these trips I leave the wife at home.

Out of the two...Nica for the surf and CR for the vacation with the wife. My $.02...

 

Go


to belmar

 

Lol colorados been surfing it all beat close out kn thr world stay surfahack

 

Colorados is still a great option, definitely more crowded and built up, but with offshores *all* day you can time your sessions when crowds are minimal. For instance, don't follow the herd out for the morning session, sleep in, then head out around 10am when everyone's getting out for breakfast.

For the dedicated, great options abound up north with no crowds to speak of, but it may cost you a girlfriend.

 

The someone one video or pictures I got both?

 

Don't waste your time listen to him about like no crowds the river needs to flow drought I need to flow needs to be a new sandbar the closeouts are so ****ing fast you need to be a ****ing semi pro to make the **** half the time one out of 10 waves you were going to make so you go out ****ing fun with that oh and by the way all the gringos half from a rich assholes they won't even talk to you or I'll call you a hassle or like don't ****ing talk to me I'm not in the mood for it stupid rich cocksuckers

 

What has been said in most of the comments above is correct as long as you ignore the obvious idiots that post here from time to time. My step family just moved here from Chinandega. Yes there are some great waves up there if you know where to look. There are some completely empty, albeit average beachies near Leon....which is a really cool town.

I laugh at the folks who say Mexico is played out......SO MANY unsurfed waves there wife and I scored two epic points and a handful of beaches alone last summer so epic.....got have a car and know where to look.....cheers yall