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The Pacific coast of Costa Rica is fast becoming one of the hippest
spots on the backpack merry-go-round. It’s a surfer’s
paradise in Central America’s most laid-back holiday spot.
Areas such as the Nicoya peninsula and Dominical further to the
south are the real hotspots where the beaches are sublime and trees
and rocks tumble down the meet the fine, white sand – Costa
Rica has a reputation for its magnificent flora and fauna and there’s
nothing to be disappointed about on that score here. Pelicans and
frigate birds wheel overhead as the booming calls of howler monkeys
resound from the nearby rainforests. For those not satisfied by
the ocean alone there are also numerous hikes in the region and
due to Costa Rica’s relatively small size you are never far
away from the eco-tourism centres further inland.
Sticking out like a spare limb into the temperate waters of the
Pacific, Nicoya has a myriad of unspoiled beaches where the breakers
roll in consistently offering great surfing for all levels of ability
whether you’re a pale rookie paddling out for the first time
or a sun-gnarled veteran. It is this variety that makes the area
perfect for one of the world’s fastest growing sports and
the region has had a fantastic reputation in the worldwide surfing
community. A few years ago villages such as Santa Teresa were no
more than a few fishing huts clustered together but with the boom
of tourism in the area numerous services are now provided by locals
offering the dusty streets a ramshackle charm – a perfect
setting for the laid-back surfers and the ever-growing community
of young visitors. For those just wishing to hang out then there
a numerous beach restaurants and beer shacks where laid back tunes
and chilled cerveza set the tone for the after hours entertainment.
Further to the South lies Dominical, probably Costa Rica’s
most famous surfing grounds. It’s slightly less isolated
than the Nicoya region offering easy access to the surrounding
national parks and also the nation’s capital, San José.
The area is famed for its “surf camps” where surfing,
accommodation food and activities are all included in the package
and is a great way for beginners to get into the sport and even
for experienced surfers who get the chance for tips from local
instructors. The region has begun to develop but by no means to
the extent that we are used to in big European resorts, eco-lodges
are the typical accommodation here and the focus is on preserving
an area of immense natural beauty. Whether surfing Dominical’s
famous breaks or just chilling on the beach you’ll find the
area is as close to paradise as you’re likely to get in Costa
Rica.
It’s also worth noting that it’s not just surfing
that’s on the activities list on Costa Rica’s pacific
coast, the whole area is a huge aquatic playground; waters teeming
with fish and other life mean great scuba diving and yes, you guessed
it, great fishing with many local boats taking tourists out on
the hunt for tuna, wahoo, marlin and other big game.
There are even language schools opening to cater for the influx
of young travellers – no longer solely the domain of evening classes
in the UK, learning a second language these days is all about cultural
immersion. The message is “why not learn Spanish whilst you’re
learning to surf or dive?” and with much of Central and South
America now more open to tourism there’s no better time to
learn the skills to make yourself understood whilst enjoying the
more obvious pursuits open to travellers.
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