Hot and Dry in the North
I just got back from a fun trip with the family up north in Guanacaste. I’m not going to lie, it’s super dry up there! At one point while swimming (the surf isn’t great up there now, waves are super small on the pacific side during the summer) someone pointed and said “look! A cactus on the side of the hill.” Tamarindo and Nosara are super popular, many more tourists up there. That said, my body and my skin seemed to like things a lot better as we drove south to Uvita.
With Surfing, the Learning Never Stops
The summer months in Costa Rica not only produce less rain, they make the water more clear and, for better or worse, smaller waves. That’s not good if you aren’t a strong paddler like me, but it’s definitely great for learning. My favorite waves are somewhere in between: not small, but not too big. We were blessed recently with a little bump, so I decided it was a great opportunity to get a few lessons (I prefer to call them coaching sessions, it makes me feel better), so I messaged Jossue from South Surf School to check their availability. I know Witch’s Rock Surf Camp is super popular and if you find yourself up north, I can understand why. If you’re further south in the Osa Peninsula area and looking for a great Surf Holiday in Costa Rica, I highly recommend South Surf, here’s why (South Surf on TripAdvisor)…
Get on Your Feet Fast (Catch a “Green Wave”)
Paddling is great, but depending on how long you are in Costa Rica for, you have one goal: SURF. Jossue and the South Surf Costa Rica instructors seem to be very in tune with helping clients/students achieve that goal as quickly as possible. If you’re staying in Costa Rica for a longer period of time and want to work on other surfing skills, you may view your learning curve differently. But if your goal is getting to your feet and surfing as quickly as possible, these folks help you make it happen.
Super Safe Learning Environment
I always felt safe with Jossue in the water. Not only is the guy a sick surfer, he’s a certified lifeguard. On top of that, he’s clearly friends with the lifeguards at Play Hermosa (Osa Peninsula), so I always felt like there were extra eyes on us. Maybe not, but feeling safe is psychological and it’s important to have a good head space while learning to surf.
Fun and Positive Atmosphere
Maybe this is a standard thing in lessons or camps, but there’s a lot of whistling and cheering when you catch waves. I even saw Jossue whistling and cheering on students/beginners that he wasn’t giving a lesson to. They say surfing is all about “sharing the stoke.” Sometimes surfing isn’t fun. It’s hard. So having a positive person with a huge smile saying positive things while learning is a huge plus.
Amenities for Non-Surfers (and close to Envision)
My wife isn’t a surfer. No judgements there, it’s just not her thing. South Surf also rents super comfy lounge chairs and umbrellas. Playa Hermosa is a beautiful beach, it’s just north of the Envision Festival grounds. If you’re in Uvita for Envision, even if you don’t want a lesson, you can rent boards or chairs from South Surf and relax on your own terms. If you have a special request for a group coming in, let Jossue know. I have some friends coming down next week for a trip. All are of different levels of surfing. We’re going to have a photographer there with some extra snacks (and beers if we can talk him into providing those as well), so we can create our perfect surf school experience.
When it comes to learning to surf in Costa Rica or choosing a Costa Rica surf camp, there are many different options. You can choose intense all inclusive, a little more relaxed “2 hour session” approach or something in between. I feel like South Surf Costa Rica provides you with the flexibility, knowledge and focus on customer service to design how it is you’d like to learn to surf. Whether that is on your own with a few hour surfboard rental or a more dedicated private lesson from a certified professional.
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