Quepos & Manuel Antonio · Costa Rica
Surfing Playa Matapalo
A beach break in Quepos & Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, for beginner and intermediate surfers.
Playa Matapalo is a long grey-sand beach between Quepos and Dominical on Costa Rica's central Pacific coast. It has easy beach-break peaks all along its length and very few people.
It works on a south-west swell at most tides, and suits improvers and longboarders. Walk along the beach to find the best bank. The village is small and quiet, with a handful of places to stay.
It's best in the green season, and Dominical is about twenty minutes south.
When to surf
Playa Matapalo
Playa Matapalo is at its best from May to November. Conditions it likes: Swell S-SW.
December to April: Good
Short dry season, cleaner, sunnier, but smaller than the summer swell
May to July: Prime
Green season S-SW groundswell fires Dominical and the points; offshore mornings
August to October: Prime
Peak, most consistent S-SW swell, and the wettest, greenest months
Nov: Quiet
Transition, heavy rains and swell easing into the dry season
The year across Central Puntarenas
Waves near Playa Matapalo
Playa El Rey
11 kmQuepos & Manuel Antonio · Beach Break · Intermediate
Playa Dominical
13 kmDominical & Uvita · Beach Break · Intermediate / Advanced
Dominicalito
15 kmDominical & Uvita · Beach Break · Beginner / Intermediate
Straight-line distances. By road it is usually further.
Getting there
Where to stay: Quepos and Manuel Antonio have dozens of hotels for every budget; Playitas (the park's NW corner) holds the best beachbreak. Base here for the northern spots, or push south to Dominical for the heavier waves. Crocs and currents make boats the smart call at Boca Damas.
Transport, costs, where to stay and the rest of the waves in the area are in the Quepos & Manuel Antonio guide.
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