Nosara & the south · Costa Rica
Surfing Nosara (Playa Guiones N)
A beach break in Nosara & the south, Costa Rica, for beginner surfers.
Playa Nosara is the long beach north of Guiones, with soft, consistent beach-break peaks that suit beginners. There's almost always something to ride, and the peaks along the sand spread the crowd out.
The town sits back from the beach in the forest, so the shoreline still feels natural despite all the surf schools and yoga studios nearby, and the water is warm enough for boardshorts all year. It's best on a south-west swell with a light morning offshore. Don't leave valuables on the beach: petty theft is common along this coast.
When to surf
Nosara (Playa Guiones N)
Nosara (Playa Guiones N) is at its best from December to April. Conditions it likes: Swell SW.
December to April: Prime
Dry season, offshore mornings, sunshine, clean NW-fed 3-4ft waves almost daily
May to July: Good
Green season begins; bigger SW groundswell, afternoon showers, fewer crowds
August to October: Good
Peak SW swell and empty line-ups, but the wettest, muddiest roads
Nov: Quiet
Transition, rains easing, swell easing, a quiet shoulder month
The year across Guanacaste
Waves near Nosara (Playa Guiones N)
Playa Guiones
5 kmNosara & the south · Beach Break · Beginner / Intermediate
Ostional
5 kmNosara & the south · Beach Break · Beginner / Intermediate
Playa Negra
29 kmNosara & the south · Right Reef · Intermediate / Advanced
Straight-line distances. By road it is usually further.
Getting there
Where to stay: Base around Playa Guiones for the most consistent beachbreak, schools and cafés; Playa Negra puts you on the reef but is a bumpy drive south. This whole coast suffers petty theft, never leave anything on the beach or visible in a car.
Transport, costs, where to stay and the rest of the waves in the area are in the Nosara & the south guide.
Nosara & the south surf guideSurf it often and something here is wrong? Tell us and we will fix it.