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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
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    If you were in Costa Rica this weekend...

    and you:

    1) were a newb surfer but enjoyed it
    2) were in San Jose but had a long weekend and could rent a car to get somewhere
    3) had already been to dominical/quepos area and wanted to go somewhere new
    4) were looking for a safe, small town feel like dominical

    where would you be headed?

    i'm down here for work and have sat,sun,mon off from work. trying to figure out what i should do with my time.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    Carbondale
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    12,479
    Playa Grande is where I learned to surf... or, almost learned to surf. Does it count if you only ride a few waves?

    It's about 20 minutes from Tamarindo.

    The place we got lessons from was Una Ola.
    www.dpsskis.com
    www.point6.com
    formerly an ambassador for a few others, but the ski industry is... interesting.
    Fukt: a very small amount of snow.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
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    Surf should be mellow this weekend down there. Not sure of spots LB spots though...
    Head to the coast and drive south, you'll find what you're looking for.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
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    In Nosara now, the town is small aNd safe but the waves are not. Supposed to calm a bit this weekend though.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
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    Nosara is a bit of a drive too., unless the roads have improved in the ten plus years since I've been.

    I'd recommend Mal Pias. Surf tends to be mellower, especially with the south swell. You can take the ferry across, and the trip is about 4 hours. Small town. Smaller than Dominical when I went. Beach break. Fun place. You can walk north or south to other breaks, but south is all gnarly deep water reef and north is another, but usually heavier, beach break, Santa Teresa. There is a "surf camp" nearby, but we just paid $1/day/person to camp on the beach in front of the break. There is a Soda right on the beach as well, so after your dawn patrol you can have rich coffee and eggs while watching the late risers get their waves.

    If you don't mind some pollution, not a very fun town, and probably no waves, Boca Barranca is closer and a long left hand point break that is rarely good enough for a short board. Pefect for learning.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
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    ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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    +1for Mal Pais/Santa Teresa. Nice beach break that just pumps non stop and the town is probably exactly what you're looking for. Try the chicken joint on he main drag that's tagline is "it's the shit!" they aren't lying.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
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    Some guys at work are suggesting Puerto Veijo on the atlantic side. Sounds like a chill town with mellow waves. Never been to the atlantic side but I've heard good things. Anyone been there?

  8. #8
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    Jun 2007
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    Watch your stuff if you head east. It is a pirate town. Lots of coke available if you are into that. The main break over there is not super consistent, but it can get really good. Sharp reef. I am sure there are other spots to surf, but I am not aware of them.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
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    7,167
    Quote Originally Posted by dfinn View Post
    Some guys at work are suggesting Puerto Veijo on the atlantic side. Sounds like a chill town with mellow waves. Never been to the atlantic side but I've heard good things. Anyone been there?
    hahahahaha, i have

    chill town, yeah, but kinda sketch compared to the other coast, imo. especially when the light dims. mellow waves? haha, not. maybe if it's knee high. i surfed chest/head+ and it was twice as powerful and faster than anything i've surfed on the pacific coast. like sand spitting knuckles dragging the bottom just to get under the waves paddling out at cochles. barely had to paddle for waves, they just scoop you up. loved it!!! went to that side as the pacific side was FLAT. was happy to get back west side once things picked up again. would i go back to puerto veijo area? yes, but only if the west coast was flat.

    EDIT ADD: that break ott is referring to is the famous salsa bravo. wasn't working while i was there. wrong wind. probably wouldn't have gone near it if it was due to the fact that folks go down there and wait to hit it. LOTS of folks. i'm all set with crowds. don't have to surf around folks at home. why would i do it there. cochles had many empty peaks. i had one to myself a good 200 yards from the main pack.

    rog
    Last edited by icelanticskier; 05-23-2013 at 03:42 PM.

  10. #10
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    Oct 2003
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    Yeah, forgot to mention don't head to Nosara unless you have 4x4. Rains all week have done their thing. All paved roads to Samara and the waves are easy but I think they only work on high tide.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
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    No surf generally on Carib side April-December in Costa and PV is not exactly chill.
    Nicoya Peninsula spots mentioned above like MalPais.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
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    Quote Originally Posted by boltonoutlaw View Post
    No surf generally on Carib side April-December in Costa and PV is not exactly chill.
    i was there in january. stayed in a nice gated resort right across from cochles about a mile south of PV. one night i was at this very cool little bar/restaurant open sided with just the ground as the floor. a bunch of doods at the bar were passing a j-bird around so i stepped in to take part and who would be right in the middle of the mix but the real CAPTAIN ZERO! such a cool old dood. still lives in the jungle off the road, but had just come into some family money and had new teeth and a new board in a new board bag and decent clothes. pretty cool to meet the man and hear tale of crazy times, many that went very bad.

    rog

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by icelanticskier View Post
    CAPTAIN ZERO!
    Great book. I wonder if Weisbecker succeeded in helping his old friend, or if CZ did it on his ownself.

  14. #14
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    Dec 2009
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    Quote Originally Posted by boltonoutlaw View Post
    Great book. I wonder if Weisbecker succeeded in helping his old friend, or if CZ did it on his ownself.
    dunno exactly, but what started as just a 3 day detour (including an 8 hour "interesting" drive each way) from langosta to chase swell, turned into 3 pretty colorful days and nights. witchy vibe down there. real. CAP'N ZERO was so real and wreaked of "i'm smiling, but i could give a fuck either way". on second thought i believe the author did contact him once the inhertance came through. the little ole weathered man most certainly benefitted from it.

    rog

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by icelanticskier View Post
    witchy vibe down there.
    Yup. 20 miles east you got this going on too.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-10874340

    From a homeowner perspective the Carib side side of Centro spooks me out, I wouldn't do it. But for surf, Bocas + Viejo would make a killer trip (Jan-Mar).


  16. #16
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    Nov 2005
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    Down In A Hole, Up in the Sky
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    Shit, I'll be down there for a few weeks in July with the fam-damily, and I have never 'really' surfed. I'm officially intrigued now.

  17. #17
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    Nov 2003
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    I've only been in Nosara and Puerto Viejo, and that was 17 years ago. Both great spots back then. Heard Nosara is much more built up now, and PV sketchier.

  18. #18
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    Oct 2003
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    Hey Tipp, just got back from Nosara area, specifically playa guiones. There is a lot there but it feels pretty spread out and isolated because of the jungle. I would have loved to have seen it 17 years ago, I can't imagine the roads being any worse. Spent time in Nosara, Samara and Tamarindo and liked the first two and felt like Tamarindo was kind of a shithole.

  19. #19
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    I ended up in PV. Doesn't really seem all that sketchy, just don't hang around the bridge at night. Some really nice beaches just south of town. Not much for surf on this trip so far. Heading diving today, hopefully the low surf will mean good vis.

    5.6 earthquake last night was a fun way to wake up.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Hyperspace!
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    Same question, slight parameter change:

    1) were a newb surfer but enjoyed it and your wife is a true beginner,
    2) were in San Jose but had a week and a half and could rent a car to get somewhere,
    3) haven't ever been to CR,
    4) were looking for a safe, small town,
    5) don't care about a party scene, actually prefer to be away from that, but do like local foods/flavors/beers.

    been looking dominical area, other ideas?

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
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    BROulder
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    Look into Manuel Antonio national park / quepos area

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
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    BROulder
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    Dominical is pretty close to Manuel Antonio / quepos but I really like the charm of that area.

    Decent surf can be found off M.A public beach during high tide.


    In that area I like the hotel parador.


    You could also look into staying around Jaco.

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Planning an exit
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    5,930
    Malpais/Santa Teresa.

    As for beer good fucking luck. I'm sure Hugh Conway would tell me I missed something but everything from macro to micro I had in CR made me just drink wine or booze.

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Cruzing
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    11,911
    Drink rum. MA has mostly poor surf, but one really good spot. Malpias is exactly where you want to be based on criteria. Plenty of surf, mellow scene, cheap, and beautiful.

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
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    ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ottime View Post
    Drink rum. MA has mostly poor surf, but one really good spot. Malpias is exactly where you want to be based on criteria. Plenty of surf, mellow scene, cheap, and beautiful.
    Agreed there. MP/ST is perfect if you don't mind the half day drive from SJ.

    Guaro y Fresca (sp?) is pretty good for drinking. Imperial is pretty good for a cheap beer I think.

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