I'm going down to Tamarindo next week and am looking for some tips on the local spots. I've been to CR a bunch of times but never went up to Tamarindo. I know about Playa Grande, Langosta, Avellenas, Negra, etc.. I'm just not sure of which spots not to waste my time on, i.e longboard waves. It looks like theres gonna be some decent SW and even NW swell. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
You just named all the good spots... Here is the beta version of the Swellinfo - Costa Rica (north) surf forecast page if you want to check the forecast for your trip: http://www.swellinfo.com/surf-forecast/costa-rica-north.html
You're pretty much going to one of the worst spots in CR. Full of tourists and people "learning to surf". The river mouth there can get good but only on certain swell's plus you have to watch for the crocs.
Playa Grande rocks. Breaks best on higher tides. Make sure you have a girlfriend/wife on the beach to watch your stuff or it may grow legs and walk away. Bottom is sandy and the wave is powerful. You will enjoy it!
Or you can drive south to a bunch of better beachies only like 30 min away. Or pony up for a boat trip and hit Witches and Ollies - if you've never done that trip it's pretty memorable if there's a good swell. can get crowded, but you'll still get a bunch of quality waves if your better than average
Tamarindo, blahhh, last year they found dangerous amounts of human fecal matter in the water because everybody was dumping their sewage directly into the ocean...Ahh, the beauty of development.... so you might as well take a dump in between sets and save the toilet paper...
