Pavones & the south · Costa Rica
Surfing Pavones
A left point in Pavones & the south, Costa Rica, for intermediate and advanced surfers.
Pavones is one of the longest lefts in the world, a cobble and sand point at the mouth of a river inside the Golfo Dulce. Because it's so far inside the gulf, it only breaks on a big south or south-west swell.
At low tide it breaks for 100 to 150 metres at the rivermouth. At high tide the outside section, La Esquina, starts working, and on the best days the two connect for rides of close to a kilometre. People walk back up the point rather than paddle.
When it's on, it gets crowded, and the local and expat crew take a lot of the sets. The roads wash out in the wet season, which is also the swell season, so plan the drive.
When to surf
Pavones
Pavones is at its best from April to October. Conditions it likes: Big S-SW swell, low tide.
April to June: Good
Season building, S-SW swell arriving, lush and quiet, roads still passable
July to September: Prime
Peak S-SW power, Pavones at its best, but the wettest, road-washing months
Oct: Good
Still firing, crowds thinning, very wet
November to March: Quiet
Dry but smaller. Pavones needs a big south swell, so it's often flat
The year across Golfo Dulce
Waves near Pavones
Getting there
Where to stay: Pavones is a remote 2h 4x4 bounce from Golfito (fly to Golfito to save the long drive from San José). Roads wash out in the swell season, so time your mission carefully. Basic cabinas by the point ($10-20); Punta Banco has Tiskita. Bring cash, there's little here but the wave.
Transport, costs, where to stay and the rest of the waves in the area are in the Pavones & the south guide.
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