Jaco/Hermosa best surf spots

Imperial. do they still do the night surfing at the Terrazza?

 

Boca Barranca, Guacaillio, Esterios Este y Oeste, Playa El Rey, and Domincal are all great breaks within an hour of playa hermosa. get a 4x4 and find your own secret spot. bring plenty of rope.

 

hermosa straight up and go towards the almond tree not as crowded compared to being closer to dos gringos

 

A night out in Jaco is how I got my user name.

 

On your way down ..Check out Bocca Barranca near Punterinas. Long long left point break. 1st and 2nd peaks are awesome. Pay the guy with the macheti to protect your car. Hermosa can be great right outside or down by the tree, being in Costa Rica already you should have the vibe.

 

Unfortunately, the google earth images of the Jaco/Hermosa area suck.

It's fun flying around the world mind surfing thousands of spots. I do it all the time. But, sometimes you have to ask someone that's had boots on the ground.

 

I always thought it was better further down than the tree.

 

Tulin.
there's a break in between PH and Esterios Oeste called Punta Mala. you have to take a right into a finca and at the end there's a hotel in front of a sweet left that peels off a 30' high by several hundred yard wall.

 

love that place. heavy too. last time i was there i was helping out the surf camp in esterillos and one of the customers (reminds me of yankee) demanded to surf waves with more power on his super expensive log. we all knew it was a bad idea but he b!tched up a storm so we took him to Tulin with the rule that if he broke his board the camp would not allow him a loaner. Sure enough, we pull up to the break and its like 4 feet overhead and spitting with steep drops. me and the camp owner paddled out with this guy but he wouldn't take anything. finally a shoulder presented itself and he tried to go. all i heard was a nice 'crack' followed by two pieces of yuppie board floating in the whitewater. We got the guy to the sand and paddled back out for some more pits. later the night at dinner the guy freaked out on us for allowing him to go out in such 'dangerous' conditions. The owner had enough and booted him with no refund. I found out later he got a room in Jaco and got serious butt raped by one of the local shops on a replacement board.

Is the pig farm still there just past the Tree? Always liked that spot too.

 

this is Tulin at the rivermouth.


the fishermen wear life vests


because the waves break up the river.

 

we found this there that day


I pried open it's mouth and was able to get 5 teeth before the stank ran me off. I soaked them in Guaro to sanitize and get some meat off. when I took them out they were soft. Hardened up later after evaporation. I made necklaces out of them.
this ones my talisman.

I'd tell Ticos when they asked what it was, "Este mi anillo de boda y el diente de me esposa" It's my wedding ring and my wifes toof.

 

I go to Hermosa alot, I was there 2 weeks ago. Not really alot of swell this time of year. Real waves dont hit till april and then get meaty in the rainy season. The only place that was breaking was corners. which is the rivermouth at the far south end of hermosa. Of course when I paddle out who shows up....Gabriel Medina. Talk about a humbling experience lol. Unreal to watch in person. I surfed the tree a few times and Gilbert Brown showed up another humbling experience. But even if the surf is small its such a good vibe in the water. If you head to estrillos, Playa Bejuco has some great waves. But it takes a decent swell to start working. My advice is avoid Jaco. Its trash. Good for a quick bite to eat or to rent a board. But I wouldnt plan a surf trip just for Jaco. I can stay in Rockaway if I wanna step on a hyperdermic needle. Good luck

 

12 years ago, a good friend (RIP) in Jaco took me to escondido, on the north end. It was a long walk but the pay off was well worth it.

 

What is the drive time from Jaco to Hermosa?

 

like 10 minutes

 

Longer because you have to check roca loca

 

Thanks guys. How far to manuel antonio? Making my first trip in sept. Not sure where we are staying yet. Any other advice/info will be appreciated.

 

Don't stay in Jaco!!

 

Manuel Antonio is about an hour away. I caught that place during a big south swell, a nice little beach and there's a guy who rents boards for 10 bux right on the sand. Hermosa was big and closed out at that time.