Playa Hermosa

Surf Guide

Often referred to as the most consistent beachbreak in Costa Rica, Playa Hermosa is indeed a classic setup: four miles of scalloped black sand, fairly deep water offshore, and open exposure to just about any swell except northwest, though it shows its true face on a solid south. It's also one of the closest and most accessible beaches to San Jose, so you can expect crowds of both the visiting gringo and Tico varieties. Fortunately, four miles is a pretty long way -- especially with shifting A-frames and a strong side current -- so you can generally find an uncrowded peak somewhere on its stretch. The north end is home to most of the accommodations and eateries, as well as damn fine sandbanks, and tends to break best on a higher tide and south swell; if you like performing for (and in) a crowd, this is the place, as folks can sip beers and criticize your tube style from the comfort of one of the bars that line the sand. It's also where they've had a couple of international contests and airshows. As you head south toward Tulin, the crowds thin out -- though there's a very popular sandbar right at the big-ass tree. It's more open to west swells, and it tends to break better on lower tides. This is where you can go to escape the glamour-seekers at the main beach. Drive farther to Esterillos for more a more wide open experience. Playa Hermosa at size is a heavy beachbreak -- the call that it's Costa Rica's version of Puerto Escondido is only very slightly exaggerated. It does have an annoying tendency to close out once it's bigger than double overhead, but snapped boards, long hold-downs, and hell paddles are a small price to pay to see the background jungle from inside a green, spinning tube. NEARBY SPOTS Jaco, the main beach town just north of Hermosa, is apparently Costa Rica's "Surf City," but the surf is rarely good, as the sand is pretty flat and doesn't seem to ever form good banks -- which is fine if you're a fan of closeouts. If it's decent in Jaco, there's a good chance it's firing at Hermosa. In between Jaco and Hermosa are a couple bigger-wave reefbreaks, and south of Hermosa are some gentler, mellower beachbreaks. Click here to download Surfline's Central Costa Rica Surf Guide pdf.