The Uvita surf might take a backseat to the whale watching in this town of passing humpbacks, but it’s not bad, not bad at all. This guide will run through all of the key spots on the menu in this corner of the Costa Rican Pacific and reveal when’s the best time to go for the best waves…
An introduction to Uvita surf
Uvita has cut its teeth on its whale watching and wild beaches. This isn’t visited Costa Rica a la Tamarindo and the Nicoya Peninsula. People come to catch glimpses of humpbacks between July and November and then again between December and April, or to seek out some of the wilder runs of the coast between the Corcovado and Quepos. Not many people come to surf.
We can see that changing in the coming years. There are decent waves in these parts and the town retains that authentic Tico charm that’s a magnet to travelers until it’s gone and then it no longer is. For now, it’s all pretty chill. Only some of the Corcovado-bound 4X4s think to stop and untether the boards. What they get is a selection between a few sandbank waves on the south side of the punta and the always-working beachies of Playa Hermosa. It’s all cracking stuff for learners and intermediates, which is why surf camps have begun to mushroom.
Overall, we put this one down as a great option for total beginners who are part interested in surfing, and part interested in wild Costa Rica. You can hit Hermosa to learn and then embark on whale watching. Pretty cool.
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This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in Costa Rica
Uvita surf at a glance
The good…
The bad…
What’s in this guide to Uvita surf?
Where is Uvita?
Uvita is smack dab on a long section of coastline that not all that many people choose to visit in Costa Rica. The surf town of Dominical is the closest place of note – that’s some 7.5 miles to the north. Uvita itself sits on the south side of a headland known as Punta Uvita, which is aptly shaped like the tail of a whale. More generally, it’s in Puntarenas Province, about 4.5 hours’ driving from San Jose and just under two hours’ driving from Jaco.
Uvita surf spots
You could be forgiven for thinking that, just because this is Costa Rica, there’s going to be an overload of surf options. Not true of Uvita. Anywhere else in the country and it would be, but the coastal topography here sees a much-elongated continental shelf that tends to temper and tame any NW winter swells and those nice summer S swells into smaller sets. There are some good places, most of them tending towards the logger crowd or the improving intermediate…
Playa Dominical
Playa Dominical is a real swell magnet that’s basically always working. It’s rare that it shows its very best side – which means hollow left barrels off the river mouth. That’s not an issue, though, because even when it’s not on here it’s still good fun. To be honest, we’d usually recommend picking Dominical town as a base for surfing over Uvita, but it all depends on how much you want to do whale watching!
We’ve also got a complete guide to surfing in Dominical right here.
Playa Hermosa
Playa Hermosa (or Playa Hermosa de Osa to make sure it’s not confused with its namesake near Santa Teresa) is a classic Costa Rican beach setup that drags down south from the surf town of Dominical along a coffee-brown stretch of sand. It’s peak after peak after peak that can shape up into nice, bowly lines when there’s a 6-footer on a pushing tide. Full tides mellow it completely into a cruisy little lip for beginners. This is the place you’re likely to frequent day to day on those surf school outings.
We’ve also got a complete guide to Playa Hermosa surf right here.
Punta Uvita
The currents get rippy and the peaks get shifty as you approach the end of the famous whale-shaped punta in Uvita. But small days are safe enough. The draw a longboard crowd on good S swells that are under 6 food with nice left-right peelers. Big winter swells from the NW tend to work best on the northern side of the headland but that’s better for shortboarders and is much rippier on the whole so be wary.
Playa Colonia
The southernmost end of Punta Uvita is known as Playa Colonia. It’s generally more exposed to head-on W and SW swells in the wet season, so can get big. Usually, though, it’s a similar story to Hermosa in that you get wall after wall of okayish rights and lefts off moderately punchy beach peaks. On a full tide, the sets thicken out loads and become wishy washy whitewash for beginners. There’s almost never a crowd here, but then it is in the boundaries of the national park.
Where to stay when surfing in Uvita?
Uvita town has a great selection of hotels, largely thanks to its booming whale-watching industry. We still think most surfers will be better off in nearby dominical, but if you insist on staying here then check out the following, which are all close to the beach…
- Bungalows Ballena – A very Costa Rican eco lodge with arguably the best access to Punta Uvita of anywhere in town, the Bungalows Ballena sit in lush gardens brimming with frangipani and orchids and have access to their own pool.
- La Uvita Perdida – If you’re renting a car, consider this proper jungle escape. You’ll sleep to the sound of chirping crickets and slithering snakes and then be able to drive down to the 100% empty lineups of Hermosa every morning. A car is needed, though, sorry.
- Tropical Beach – A lovely shared pool surrounded by a series of affordable rooms, again within good reach of the main beach south of the punta. Tropical Beach also has a range of self-catering apartments that sleep up to four people at once.
Step-by-step guide to planning your Uvita surf trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the Uvita surf…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Get insuranceThis is kinda’ important. Not just for surf trips but for any trips. SafetyWing is great for nomad travelers. They offer rolling contracts that cover amateur surfing.
Step four (optional): Rent a car If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step five: Enjoy!
For paying for stuff when you’re traveling – Get a Wise borderless card/account. They charge NOTHING for POS payments in any country and have some of the best FX rates around in our humble opinion.
When to surf in Uvita?
The best season for surfing in Uvita is the Costa Rica wet season, which runs from May to September. That’s when the steadiest S and SW swells originate down past the Equator. They’ll push the strongest waves into the punta beaches and up into the reefs and points of Dominical further north. The dry season can be flat here, mainly because of that wide continental shelf and lack of spots that work good on NW swells. Still, there are often surfable days. They’ll just be better suited to beginners when they do come.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
