As you probably know, there are many beaches all over the world where you can learn to surf. Costa Rica, Hawaii, California, Portugal, France, Bali, and Australia are some of many ideal surfing destinations.

But what makes a good location to learn to surf? And what factors should you pay attention to when choosing your beginner surf destination?

This blog will discuss six key factors to consider when choosing where you want to learn to surf. All of which can be found at Playa Uvita in Costa Rica — the best place to learn to surf.

What makes Playa Uvita the best learn-to-surf destination?

Playa Uvita (which has several names, Playa Chaman as the locals call it, or Playa Colonia), is located within the Marino Ballena National Park.

This spectacular national park is adjacent to the communities of Bahia Ballena – Uvita in Osa, Costa Rica. It is an approximately four-hour drive from the San Jose international airport (SJO) on some of the country’s best roads.

Playa Uvita is not only the best beach I’ve ever had the pleasure of teaching surfing lessons at, it is also the most safe.

As an ISA-certified surf coach and former ocean lifeguard, safety is my number one priority when teaching beginners how to surf.

Avoiding strong rip currents and pounding shorebreak are key safety factors for any new surfer.

This is why I prefer to teach lessons at Playa Uvita over any other surf break in Costa Rica. It is one of the safest surfing beaches in the country.

It’s also one of the most beautiful, peaceful, and pristine beaches I’ve ever visited due to its marine sanctuary status.

What makes Playa Uvita the best place to learn to surf in Costa Rica?

1. Safe, sandy-bottom beach break
2. Waves for all skill levels
3. Warm, clean water
4. Location within a marine sanctuary
5. Friendly surf lineup
6. Delicious food options nearby

Playa Uvita is one of the safest surfing beaches in Costa Rica

According to an article published by The Tico Times, 90% of Costa Rica’s annual drowning deaths occur in just 30 of Costa Rica’s 600+ beaches. Moreover, 80% of those who drowned were caught in a rip current.

The smartest thing you can do to stay safe is to avoid swimming or surfing at these dangerous beaches where there are strong, frequent rip currents.

Playa Uvita is one of the safest beaches in the country because it has a very flat, gentle-sloping bottom with no steep dropoff. This means that the rip currents at Playa Uvita are far less dangerous than many other beaches in the region.

What is more, Playa Uvita is one of few beaches in Costa Rica with lifeguards, park rangers, and police officers to keep you safe.

Other factors that make Playa Uvita safe place for beginner surfers to learn to surf:

• Sandy bottom beach break (no rocks or reef)
• Offshore islands block swell energy, resulting in less-powerful waves
• Large stretch of beach allows surfers to spread out
• Minimal crowds on both beach and in lineup because of national park entrance fees

Playa Uvita has great waves for beginner surfers

The waves at Playa Uvita are characterized as spilling waves — waves that break over a flat ocean bottom.

What is a spilling wave? One that, as it approaches the shore, slowly releases energy and the crest of the wave gradually spills forward and crumbles into white water.

Spilling waves take more time to break than other types of waves, and are considered to be “mushy, beginner waves.”

What is more, the waves at Playa Uvita are consistently in the 2-3 feet (less than a meter). This is because Playa Uvita is a bay which has several islands, rock formations, and reefs around it which block a great deal of the swell energy.

Playa Uvita’s flat ocean bottom is ideal for beginners surfing in the white water because the waves break so far offshore. This gives the white water surfer lots of room to work with and allows for longer rides.

All the above factors contribute to safer-than-average ocean conditions at Playa Uvita for novice and intermediate surfers.

Warm water all year round means you don’t need to wear a wetsuit

I don’t know about you, but I am not a fan of wearing a wetsuit. Putting on and taking off a wetsuit can be a real pain in the butt.

When learning to surf, wearing a wetsuit can feel like a major impediment to your mobility.

And who likes surfing in cold water anyway?

The great thing about surfing in the Southern Pacific Zone of Costa Rica is that you don’t need to wear a wetsuit. The water is warm all year long, even during the rainy season.

In fact, the water temperature at Playa Uvita is 80℉/27℃ year-round!

All you need to wear for your surf lesson is a bathing suit, rashguard, surf hat, and some mineral sunscreen.

For more tips on what to bring for your surf trip to Costa Rica, check out our bathing suit recommendations!

Learn to surf in Central America’s first marine sanctuary

The Marino Ballena National Park is Costa Rica’s first marine national park (established in 1992), and the first marine sanctuary established in Central America.

The marine sanctuary, which protects 12,800 acres of ocean and 420 acres of land, is part of the larger Osa Conservation Area, and is home to the largest swath of coral reef on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.

During your visit to the Marino Ballena National Park, it is possible to see turtles, dolphins, rays, humpback whales, marine birds, scarlet macaws, iguanas, crabs, sand dollars, and three different types of monkeys, to name a few.

As you sit on your board out in the surf lineup, you can look back at a beautiful backdrop of green jungle and mountains with little-to-no development.

At Playa Uvita, the jungle meets the ocean, palm trees line the beach, and it is common to see rainbows and beautiful sunsets.

Lastly, the beach is clean with minimal people most of the year, and your ~$7 park entrance fee goes directly to conservation.

The surf lineup is friendly and welcoming

The surf lineup at Playa Uvita is home to a friendly and welcoming mix of expats and local Costa Ricans — known as Ticos.

The Tico surfers exhibit the “Pura Vida” attitude out in the lineup by sharing waves and not being overly-aggressive.

As an expat myself, I’ve never experienced any aggressive behavior out in the surf lineup.

This is not the case at many of my home surfing breaks in San Diego, California, where the waves are often crowded and some of the locals are unwelcoming toward newcomers.

There are plenty of post-surf food options nearby

I guarantee that you will be hungry and thirsty after finishing your 2-hour surf lesson at Playa Uvita.

The good news is that there are plenty of restaurants within walking/biking distance of the beach.

And don’t forget to rehydrate with a delicious pipa fria (cold coconut water) fresh off the tree. On hot, sunny days, there are several coconut water vendors located just outside the entrance to the national park.

In terms of food and drink, here are a few of my favorite spots to grab a meal after surfing:

El Hornito

• Cuisine: Argentinian pizza and empanadas
• Hours of operation: 12pm – 9pm; closed Tuesday – Wednesday
• Price range: $3 – $15 USD per meal
• Recommended for: Families and groups, vegan-friendly
• Distance from Playa Uvita: 5 minutes walking; find directions here
• Online: Access their menu here
• Our recommendation: The Caprese empanada is delicious!

Kinsú Restaurante

• Cuisine: Typical Costa Rican cuisine
• Hours of operation: 12pm – 9pm; closed Thursday
• Price range: $8 – $15 USD per meal
• Recommended for: Families and groups, singles, couples, vegan-friendly
• Distance from Playa Uvita: 10 minutes walking; find directions here
• Online: Access their menu here
• Our recommendation: Make sure to try the quinoa bowl — our vote for the best on the menu!

Que Tuanis Cafe

• Cuisine: Typical Costa Rican cuisine, coffee & smoothies
• Hours of operation: 6:30am – 9pm from Monday – Saturday; closed on Sunday
• Price range: $2 – $7 USD per meal
• Recommended for: Families and groups, singles, couples, coffee lovers, ice cream and milkshakes, breakfast
• Distance from Playa Uvita: 15 minutes walking; find directions here
• Online: Access their menu here
• Our recommendation: Desayuno típico (typical breakfast)

For all of these reasons, Playa Uvita in Costa RIca is the best place to learn how to surf. While you’re considering where to learn how to surf, we encourage you to check out this Learn to Surf video series that we created.

It will give you a good idea of our teaching philosophy as well as the where we teach our surf lessons (Playa Uvita — already established as the best place to learn to surf in Costa Rica!)