Costa Rica is a well known and well developed surfing destination - especially since featuring in Endless Summer 2; direct flights from the USA also add to its popularity. The country is safe, beautiful, friendly and blessed with great surfing on both coasts. It is, however one of the more expensive countries in the central and south Americas, with the positive aspect that hotels are good quality and car rental relatively easy and safe.

The surfing can be broken into three main areas: The Pacific North (Guanacaste-Nicoya), the Pacific South (Punta Arenas) and the Caribbean. Surf towns are developing in places such as Jaco, Tamarindo and Puerto Viejo. Year round warm water, warm air and offshore breezes (in Guanacaste) make for great conditions. The best waves occur in the rainy season (northern Hemisphere 'summer') on the pacific side, and in the hot dry season ('winter') on the Caribbean - ensuring that you should be able to find surf someplace.

The rainy season (especialy September and October) are very wet - with most of the countries secondary roads becoming impassable (even to 4x4s).
Location: Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 84 00 W
Coastline: 1,290 km
Climate: tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
Terrain: coastal plains separated by rugged mountains
Natural hazards: occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes.

Location: Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
Geographic coordinates: 10° 0' N, 84° 0' W
Coastline km: 1,290 km km
Climate: tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
Terrain: coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes
Elevation: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
Natural hazards: occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes
Currency: Costa Rican colon (CRC)
Population: 4,075,261 (July 2006 est.)
Languages: Spanish (official), English
Capital: San Jose
Divisions: 7 provinces; Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose

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Seasonal swell & wind variations

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