Surfing Waves

Hi guys,

I am a beginner-intermediate surfer going to central america for about 5 weeks sometime Oct-Dec. My plan is to stay 1,5-2 weeks at the same place and then go travelling and surfing at other places in central america.

Where should I go? I've heard costa rica is a good place to start, but a bit more expensive compared to nicaragua, guatemala and other places. I don't have my own board, so i need to go somewhere where there's rental shops. or is it better to buy a board if i'm gonna be thre for 5 weeks?

so my questions are:
anyone know a nice place to have as "base camp" for 1,5-2 weeks?
where should i go when i travel around (good surf spots)?
which countries are good for not that experienced surfers?
and most important of all, how is the surf this time of the year? is it better to go early october or late december? unfortunately, i'm only able to take 5 weeks off and the earliest time i can go is 1st Oct and i think i'll have to be back by christmas. so how, where, when?

grateful for all replies!

/brian

hi! very good place for beginners in central america is cabarete in the dominican republic - not exactly central america, but close
at playa encuentro, in the north of the dominican republic, close to the airport puerto plata, is the best surf spot for beginners but also for intermediate and advanced surfers. the reef is beautiful, the beach amazing and waves are coming in october in every single day! best place to stay close to the beach is hooked cabarete, nice small place with a beautiful garden, friendly people and great atmosphere! check out on http://www.hookedcabarete.com/ or email to info(at)hookedcabarete(dot)com.
best time anyway is from november to janurary, but when you are beginner, it is good to start in october, when waves are not too big

The waves are good in Costa Rica at this time. The central Pacific coasts gets some good swells. I have recommended www.thirdworldproductions.org to a couple of friends who have visited down here and they have been very happy. Even if you don't do their vacation packages they are great about sharing information. I travel up to Nicaragua quite frequently and it is very cheap up there. Both CR and Nicaragua will give you options for a beginner surfer.

gulfcoastplayer wrote:The waves are good in Costa Rica at this time. The central Pacific coasts gets some good swells. I have recommended http://www.thirdworldproductions.org to a couple of friends who have visited down here and they have been very happy. Even if you don't do their vacation packages they are great about sharing information. I travel up to Nicaragua quite frequently and it is very cheap up there. Both CR and Nicaragua will give you options for a beginner surfer.

Obviously that time provides the exact experience and i hope that will suit well for your interests too.

Hey Brian,

for beginers, Cabarete DR is a great plase to start surfing. The reef in Play Encuentro is a gentle place get into it and there is lots of different Surf Schools where you find equipment and advice! I would suggest you to go there for you first couple of weeks and after got to Costa Rica or Nicaragua where waves are more challenging! If you look for a nice, clean budget place with a good crowed of people to hang out with, check out Hostel LagunaPark Cabarete! This is a brand new Hostel, opened Nov10 and has great deals for active young travelers who looking for a fun time in Cabarete. Find pics, reviews and more infos about the Hoste&Cabarete on the website www.lagunahostelcabarete.com ! My name is Sabrina, I'm the manager and host write me to info@lagunahostelcabarete.com if you have more questions about surfing or logging! Saludos from DR

costa rica is the best place starting surfing. and there are plenty of options to rent a board - nearly everwhere. i would start with tamrindo:
there's a perfect beginner wave; it's quite crowded. but places like san juan del sur in nica (here you should check out playa madeiras: ) are quite close. also mal pais / santa teresa just south of tamarindo .
regards, tom

I got to Costa Rica 1 month ago and have stayed in Samara which I would recommend. Great noob waves with room to grow. There is a big grocery(Pali) store here so you can do all your own cooking(save a ton of $). There are a couple $15 a night hostel's and $20 night rooms. I got a studio apartment with a real 2 minute stroll from the beach for $350 a month.