My girlfriend, her mother and father and I are going to Costa Rica the first/second week of November. They are going there so I can surf, but also to enjoy some quality time at a nice resort. Im the only surfer out of the group so im looking for suggestions for some resorts that would cater to them with activities and great service while im in the water… The Internet has immense information on C.R. but ive never been and would like to tap into the sways families experiences there and dial in a great resort to share with them. Suggestions much appreciated… Bob
Howzit mudybech, Costa Rica has lots of nice hotels and also surf. Do you know where in Costa Rica you'll be traveling to. Aloha,Kokua
Kokua, Any where on the west coast is fair game for us. I’m trying to find a place with a right point break and a hotel that enough activities to keep them from being bored.They will not be traveling outside rthe resort to far…
that will still be in the rainy season…so expect some every day…usually ends Nov 15 or so…Hacienda Pinilla is pretty nice…just outside Tamarindo. within an hour of Liberia airport…great beach with Little Hawaii, Avellanos rivermouth and beach break. and at the far southern end Lola’s is the best beach restaurant vibe in the country.
or the 4 Seasons…but you have to go by boat to all the surf.
good luck
w
I don’t know what your budget is but if its good. You can’t beat Laparios.com its right on Matopalo point which is an awesome wave. the lunalodge.com is more affordable and also right there. Tons of stuff for the family to do also. The Osa Peninsula is harder to get to but a lot less crowded and more beautiful in my opinion that Nicoya
Hotel Iguanazul near Paraiso on the Nicoya Peninsula is a good bet for moderately upscale (read wife-pleasing) accomodations without breaking the budget. Good food on-site, great bar, nice pool and friendly vibe. Excellent surf nearby: Playa Negra, Avellanes, and more.
Hotel Iguanazul near Paraiso on the Nicoya Peninsula is a good bet for moderately upscale (read wife-pleasing) accomodations without breaking the budget. Good food on-site, great bar, nice pool and friendly vibe. Excellent surf nearby: Playa Negra, Avellanes, and more.
DITTO
Recently, the boys down on the Osa were invaded by 14 guys who boated in from Pavones.( Gringo boatmen.) The ensuing scene was met with local shock and resistance. I wouldn’t send the internet crowd down there specifically. If I were you.
i agree. matapalo is insanely beautiful with good waves when they come. but it’s fickle and needs a strong south swell for the points to really work. good luck scoring from that direction in november.
as much as i hate to recommend tamarindo to anyone - it might be a good fit for you. check out the hotel diria right on the beach and in the middle of everything. you can surf out front, walk over to playa grande or hire a boat to witches or elsewhere. the ladies will be stoked on the restaraunt/bar and pool. zip lines, canopy, horesback riding, bike and quad rentals, nature hikes, etc. abound in tamarindo. and expect crowds that time of year.
good luck and let the family know how it turns out.
kirk
Thanks to everyone who has responded. Alot of great information for me to start researching. The reason for our visit is my girlfriends 30th birthday so im sure her parents want to go first class. Im hopeful tha we can make a decision this week and ill keep everyone posted.
Bob
I agree with Kirk, Tamarindo might be the best bet. The dominant swell direction in November is NW. And the Nicoya penninsula picks up a NW better than the rest of CR. Tamarindo is not pristine, or even close, but it does offer lots to do for non-surfer’s. Pick up a copy of The Surfer’s Guide to Costa Rica
It has lots of good information on surf spots but also hotel reviews. Like which hotels are close enough to which breaks. It’s a good tool for planning your trip.
Hope you score!
My family and I have stayed at The Barcelo, a 25 min. walk or a 5min. cab ride from Tamarindo.It is all inclusive and has a decent rivermouuth break right in front of the resort.It has things to do for the non-surfers in a group.My wife and daughter [non -surfers ] love the place.Lots of street vendors selling handmade jewlery and potts. Good food in Tamerindo[Sunset Grill,Noogi Bar]. If you get to Nosara surf Guiones and eat at Ponchos,best mexican food I have had in a long time.Great family runs the place. The owner Steve Dunham is good board builder and has a shop on site. Good luck where ever you end up.
I really dig Mal Pais. I’ve been there several times and have always had fun.
Not nearly as touristy as Tamarindo (although that might have changed).
some great hotels right on the beach as well…hotel Milarepa is a bunch of little bungalows right on Santa Teresa which is a fun break…it’s a beach break though. There are point breaks further down the beach.
Hey Nick, and others
When you go to Costa Rica, what is the transportation like, i mean, taxi, bus, hire cars, moped or scooters, what is it like, and, what is the price!?
Thanks for some more info, i have yet to get my pay and buy the resource book you mentioned.
Wouter
Wouter
It is possible to surf CR without a car. It is just more difficult and time consuming. You can take a van from San Jose to coastal cities. I have done this and I don’t remember the price, but it was reasonable (maybe $40, but it was years ago). If you do this to Tamarindo or Nosara, you can walk to the surf from your hotel. The problem is that you are stuck at one place and you must take a bus or taxi to the next spot. I never tried the public bus, I don’t know if they can deal with surfboards.
So if you want to travel around to several spots and time is limited, you have to rent a car. If it is the rainy season, you probably want a 4 wheel drive. The roads are not paved in many places. Sometimes going 20 miles up the coast to the next village involves crossing several rivers. In the dry season, no big deal, only a few inches of water in the river bed. In the wet season, crossing may not be possible. You have to detour many mile inland on a paved road, then come back to the coast on another paved road. There are some places where the coastal “road” is the beach at low tide. I would still be stuck on that beach right now if a friendly local hadn’t shown me the small track leading back into the jungle.
The rental 4 wheel drives are expensive. Especially the larger ones to hold 2-3 people, luggage, boards, etc. By the time you pay for all the extras (buy the optional tire insurance!) it was around $100 per day. And my last trip was 3-4 years ago.
So the food is cheap, the lodging can be cheap or expensive, but the rental cars are very expensive.
Thanks everyone for the help… Anyone have any information or experience with the Paradisus Playa Conchal Resort? The travel agent my girlfriend deals with recommends this hotel… Seems like a very busy area that time of year which doesnt bug me as long as the lineups are not elbow to elbow. What about the qaulity of rental boards. I was going to make a board especially for the trip, but the expense seems to be skyrocketing and the chances of the board making it there healthy seem slim.
Bob
Osa ? 35 miles on a dirt road with non surfers In an open air taxi could be your last trip… Oh … lots of snakes.
Paradisus Playa Conchal Resort is nice. I was down there in August and we drove over to Conchal to check it out and let our kids swim in their amazing (HUGE) pools. Beautiful area with many ammenities - but no surf. Conchal is protected by all the little offshore islands and inshore coves. It’s more of a flat water, snorkeling/fishing area. We were staying in Playa Grande which is about a 25 minute drive south. 25 minutes north is the national park with Witches Rock but you need to boat out to the waves.
kirk
Thanks for all the help. We’ve done our research and we’re down to 3 resorts. They are: Hotel Diria in Tamarindo, Barcelo Langosta Beach and Hacienda Pinilla. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks, Bob