In our trusty little Dahiatsu Terio we start our journey north – destination the Nicoya Peninsula home to numerous surf breaks which line the length of its coast in Northern Costa Rica. Tamarindo, put on the map in the surf flick - Endless Summer II, is a booming surftown which has suffered by its own success in terms of over-development. Worldwide economic downturn is evident here as many developments now stand unoccupied or partially constructed. Although we are not fans of the large tourist towns, Tamarindo, with its numerous surf shops, housing options and access to various local surf breaks, was a logical basecamp. As you drive into town you immediately see the long stretch of beach, home to three different breaks, and the obvious spot for the surf lessons and polliwog surfers.
First chore: find a place to stay. Using our trusty guidebook, we stopped at a few, very basic flop houses, and then found the Hotel Mamiri Although more expensive than the others, we were offered the green season (aka rainy season) rate of $30 for a cute room with private bath. The couple managing the place was great, super friendly and helpful with surf beta and “otra cosas”. (Remember we are suppose to be learning Spanish so I feel the need to occasionally intersperse Spanish words in these blog entries)
After settling in and chillin for awhile in what will turn out to be our temporary home for the next few weeks, we head to the main street in town which is along the beach and lined with surf shops. Our initial plan was to buy surfboards with the intent of keeping them through Central America and then selling them before continuing south. But it turns out that rental prices are less than we expected – averaging $10 a day with a further discount for several weeks. The nice thing about renting is you can try different boards which could turn out to be a big advantage if the surf gets big (small board preferred) or stays small (longboard waves). Here in Tamarindo the board selection is fantastic, all sizes and shapes and great quality boards. Tomorrow we will pick up boards and go in search of the perfect wave.
In our trusty little Dahiatsu Terio we start our journey north – destination the Nicoya Peninsula home to numerous surf breaks which line the length of its coast in Northern Costa Rica. Tamarindo, put on the map in the surf flick - Endless Summer II, is a booming surftown which has suffered by its own success in terms of over-development. Worldwide economic downturn is evident here as many developments now stand unoccupied or partially constructed. Although we are not fans of the large tourist towns, Tamarindo, with its numerous surf shops, housing options and access to various local surf breaks, was a logical basecamp. As you drive into town you immediately see the long stretch of beach, home to three different breaks, and the obvious spot for the surf lessons and polliwog surfers. 
First chore: find a place to stay. Using our trusty guidebook, we stopped at a few, very basic flop houses, and then found the Hotel Mamiri Although more expensive than the others, we were offered the green season (aka rainy season) rate of $30 for a cute room with private bath. The couple managing the place was great, super friendly and helpful with surf beta and “otra cosas”. (Remember we are suppose to be learning Spanish so I feel the need to occasionally intersperse Spanish words in these blog entries)
After settling in and chillin for awhile in what will turn out to be our temporary home for the next few weeks, we head to the main street in town which is along the beach and lined with surf shops. Our initial plan was to buy surfboards with the intent of keeping them through Central America and then selling them before continuing south. But it turns out that rental prices are less than we expected – averaging $10 a day with a further discount for several weeks. The nice thing about renting is you can try different boards which could turn out to be a big advantage if the surf gets big (small board preferred) or stays small (longboard waves). Here in Tamarindo the board selection is fantastic, all sizes and shapes and great quality boards. Tomorrow we will pick up boards and go in search of the perfect wave.
