Nosara is the mellow, green, barefoot cousin to Costa Rica’s busier surf towns. On the wild western edge of the Nicoya Peninsula, this yoga-and-wellness haven is built around Playa Guiones, one of the most consistent and beginner-friendly beach breaks in the whole country, a wave you can surf more than three hundred days a year. Add a couple of quieter neighboring beaches, dirt roads, howler monkeys and a firm no-high-rise ethos, and you have a place people come to learn to surf and end up staying far longer than planned. This is a favorite low-key stop on our guide to surfing in Costa Rica. Here’s every break, when to go, and how to set up your trip.
Quick surf guide to Nosara
- Best season: green season (May to November) for bigger swell; dry season (December to April) for smaller, cleaner, beginner waves
- Best for beginners: Playa Guiones, Playa Pelada
- Best for improvers: the outside peaks at Guiones, Playa Garza
- Wave type: long, consistent sand-bottom beach breaks with a point or two
- Water temp: 26 to 28°C, boardshorts and a rashguard, no wetsuit
- Crowds: low-key overall, Guiones busiest but spreads out
- Getting there: Liberia (LIR), about 2 to 2.5 hours; or the Nosara airstrip
- Budget: $70 to $140 a day
Where to surf in Nosara
The main event is the long beach break at Guiones, with quieter Pelada just north and the point at Garza to the south. Tap a marker to preview a break, then click its name to jump to my full rundown below.
Playa Guiones
Guiones is the reason people come to Nosara: a long, west-facing arc of sand with peaks scattered all the way down it, surfable an astonishing three hundred-plus days a year. The mellow whitewater and reforming inside peaks near the southern end are ideal for first-timers, while the outside banks at low tide give improvers punchier, more rippable waves. Because the beach is so long, even a busy day spreads the crowd right out and you can usually find your own peak. It is, quite simply, one of the best places in the world to learn to surf.
Playa Pelada
Just north of Guiones, Pelada is the smaller, quieter neighbor, a pretty beach with some rock and reef sections mixed into the sand. It is less consistent than Guiones and a touch more variable underfoot, but on the right day it offers an uncrowded session with a scenic, local feel. A nice change of pace and a good spot to escape to when Guiones is at its busiest.
Playa Garza
South of Nosara, the horseshoe bay of Garza faces more to the south, so the waves run smaller and cleaner than Guiones, with a mellow right point at the western end that is a treat for longboarders. It is a quiet, scenic fishing-village beach where you can often surf with only a handful of others, especially at sunrise. Walk along the sand to find your own peak and enjoy the calm.
Ostional
About fifteen kilometers north, Ostional is a wilder black-sand beach that gets faster and hollower than Guiones, especially at high tide, offering a punchier wave for improvers and up. It is most famous as a protected sea-turtle refuge, where thousands come ashore to nest in mass arrivals, so surf with respect for the wildlife and the local rules. A rugged, atmospheric option when you want a bit more bite and some space.
When to surf in Nosara
Dry season (smaller, cleaner, best for beginners)
Wettest (October to November)
The beauty of Nosara is how rarely it is flat: Guiones faces straight into the dominant swell and works nearly all year. The green season, roughly May to November, brings the biggest and most consistent southwest swells, so it is the pick for improvers and stronger surfers wanting more size and push, with mornings usually cleanest before the afternoon rain. Guiones can max out and get washy on the biggest days, but there is almost always a rideable peak somewhere along the beach.
The dry season, December to April, brings smaller, cleaner waves, reliable offshore mornings and wall-to-wall sunshine, which makes it the ideal window for beginners and the town at its liveliest. The water stays warm year-round, so it is always a boardshorts trip. Whatever the season, an offshore easterly in the morning is what you want, and Nosara delivers those in spades.
Surf camps, schools and where to stay in Nosara
Nosara is one of Costa Rica’s great learn-to-surf and surf-and-yoga bases, with a deep scene of camps, schools and board rentals clustered around Playa Guiones. Stay in the Guiones area to be walking or cycling distance from the wave, where the best surf hotels and the yoga-focused camps sit just back from the sand. Learn on the mellow inside at Guiones, then spread out to the outside banks and the quieter beaches as you improve, which is exactly how this place is designed to work. For my full rundown of where to base and book, see our guide to the best surf camps in Nosara.
Compare surf camps in Nosara on BookSurfCamps
What to pack for Nosara
Warm water, strong sun and rough roads are what to plan for. My Nosara checklist:
- Boardshorts and a rashguard, no wetsuit needed in 26 to 28 degree water
- Reef-safe SPF and a surf hat for the strong tropical sun
- The right board: a soft-top or longboard to learn on Guiones, a shortboard for the outside banks; see our best beginner surfboards and check your board volume
- A surf watch for the tides, a spare leash, and a four-by-four for the dusty roads
Getting to Nosara
Nosara is about two to two and a half hours by road from Liberia airport (LIR), which is the main gateway for the Nicoya surf towns, or a longer drive from San Jose. There is also a small airstrip (NOB) with domestic flights if you want to skip the bumpy roads. Those roads are dusty tracks that turn muddy in the green season, so a four-by-four is strongly recommended, and many surf camps include transfers if you would rather not drive. If you are planning a wider trip, pair this with surfing in Costa Rica; the famous town of Tamarindo is a couple of hours north along the same peninsula.
Frequently asked questions
Is Nosara good for beginner surfers?
Yes, it is one of the best beginner spots in Costa Rica. Playa Guiones is a long, consistent, sandy beach break with mellow whitewater and reforming peaks, plus a deep surf-school and camp scene, so it is superb for learning. The long beach means it rarely feels crowded even when busy.
When is the best time to surf in Nosara?
Nosara works nearly year-round. The green season, May to November, brings the biggest, most consistent swell for improvers and stronger surfers, while the dry season, December to April, offers smaller, cleaner waves, sunshine and the best beginner conditions. There is almost always a rideable peak at Guiones.
What is the best surf spot in Nosara?
Playa Guiones, comfortably. It is the most consistent wave in the area and one of the most consistent in Costa Rica, with peaks for every level along a long beach. For a quieter session, Playa Pelada and the mellow right point at Playa Garza are worth the short trip.
Do I need a wetsuit to surf in Nosara?
No. The water is a warm 26 to 28 degrees Celsius all year, so boardshorts and a rashguard are all you need. Bring reef-safe sunscreen and a surf hat for the strong sun, as you will spend long sessions out on an exposed, sunny beach.
How crowded is surfing in Nosara?
Nosara is low-key and uncrowded by the standards of Costa Rica’s bigger surf towns. Playa Guiones is the busiest wave, but its length spreads surfers right out, and Pelada, Garza and Ostional are genuinely quiet. Surf at sunrise and you will often have plenty of space.
Can you surf in Nosara year-round?
Yes. Playa Guiones is one of the most consistent breaks in Costa Rica, surfable more than three hundred days a year. The green season brings bigger swells and the dry season smaller, cleaner ones, but there is nearly always a rideable wave somewhere along the beach.
Nosara is the kind of place that quietly ruins you for anywhere busier: a super-consistent, forgiving beach break, warm water, dirt roads, yoga at dawn and monkeys in the trees. Learn on the soft inside at Guiones, spread out to the quieter beaches as you grow, respect the turtles at Ostional, and let the pura vida sink in. See you in the lineup.
