Beach break · Costa Rica · Guanacaste · Beginner → Advanced
Forecast for Monday 31 August
Intermediate : Today's best is behind us. — Best window: 5h–7h
Today's score by level (at the day's best, out of 100)
Guanacaste's flagship learner beach: mellow peaks on either side of the river mouth, perfect for beginners, with a few faster sections off Pico Pequeño when the swell builds.
Surfable all year. Autumn (Sep-Nov) is the best season: powerful swells, water still mild, less crowd.
Ideal for starting out or longboarding. Mellow waves, little current, surf school usually nearby.
Easy beach access, parking usually nearby. Ask locally about seasonal currents.
Wear an appropriate wetsuit. Scout the currents before you paddle out. Respect the locals and right-of-way. Check weather and tides.
Tamarindo usually works best around mid-tide. The tide shapes the sandbanks and the depth over the reef, so check the day's tide times before your session.
Tamarindo is rather accessible to beginners when the waves stay small and the wind is light. Still, check currents, tide and local guidelines before entering.
The ideal wind at Tamarindo comes broadly from East: it's offshore, which helps shape and hold the waves. A strong onshore wind generally degrades conditions.
Around Tamarindo, you can also check conditions at Playa Grande, Playa Negra, Nosara. Compare the scores, wind and swell direction before choosing where to surf.