Girl with surfboard looking at sunset

Guide to Costa Rican Surf Trip

Nosara, Costa Rica

    

Car Rentals:

Renting cars in Costa Rica can be a tricky and expensive ordeal. A lot of companies say that they require renters to purchase an insurance policy. That usually adds $40+ per day a 15$/day car rental.  If you are traveling to Nosara like we were, it is extremely recommended to have a car with 4 wheel drive. Evan and I had to drive through several riverbeds on our 2 and a half hour drive from the Liberia Airport to Nosara. Furthermore, many roads were not paved or well marked and our 4 wheel drive SUV came in very handy as well as the GPS we rented for an extra $12/day. I would highly recommend booking a reservation online prior to arriving in Costa Rica and throughly read the terms and conditions for each individual car company. We ended up rented a car from Thrifty Car Rental which provides a free shuttle to and from the Liberia International Airport.

Side note – if you are looking to save money and do not need a car for your entire stay it is possible to negotiate a one day rental with some car rental companies and return the car to a location in Nosara upon arrival. Alternatively, you can schedule a shuttle to and from the airport with Gypsy Cab Nosara, prices range from $50-60/person depending on the season, and renting a quad is a good option for your time in Nosara, we recommend using Monkey Quad Rentals, they are centrally located in Nosara with great service and reliable quads.

              

Where to Stay

Hotels in Nosara have greatly increased their rate in the past 6 years since Evan’s last visit to the region. Prices are typically around $300 a night, if you’re not on a strict budget and would like a beautiful, clean resort nestled in the jungle and featuring a restaurant, pool and swim from the ocean, bars/restaurants and surf rentals. For cheaper accommodation options there are numerous surf hostels all throughout Nosara, Evan and I opted for an AirBnB for our 4 night stay because we wanted more of a secluded and quiet atmosphere. We had a great stay at The Backyard – Nosara, this place was just steps from the beach, had a great outdoor lounge, pool, hammocks and a grill.

Board Rentals

There are several board rental options all within walking distance in Nosara. Evan and I simply walked up to the first board shop near the beach – the small outdoor shop is actually located at a restaurant and hotel called La Negra . We were so happy with the boards and the owner, Juan Carlos, that we rented our boards from him for our whole stay. An average price for a board is $15 for 24 hours and you can get the board and a private lesson for $65. La Negra has a hippy, yoga vibe with a nice pool, great food and a bar for an affordable price and fun-loving, kind employees. Juan Carlos met up with us while surfing nearly every day and would hang out with us for drinks and conversation every evening when we returned the boards.

Where to Eat:

Best Beaches:

 

Pura Vida!