# Yoga and Surf in Costa Rica: Where to Learn Both

> You can combine yoga and surfing on most of Costa Rica's Pacific coast, and you can learn as a complete beginner: surf camps in Santa Teresa, Nosara and Uvita teach first-timers on sandy beach breaks, with yoga before or after the lesson. Beginners do well from December to April, when Pacific waves average smaller; bigger swells arrive from May to October, and the Caribbean's surf season runs roughly December to March.

Source: https://costarica-yoga-retreats.com/yoga-and-surf-costa-rica/
Last checked: 2026-11-04
Main yoga-and-surf towns: Santa Teresa and Nosara on the Nicoya Peninsula, Uvita in the South Pacific, and Jaco near San Jose
Beginner-friendly beaches (per local surf schools): Playa Guiones (Nosara), Playa Hermosa (Santa Teresa), Playa Chaman (Uvita), Jaco
Experienced surfers only: Playa Negra (reef), Playa Dominical, Salsa Brava in Puerto Viejo (reef)
Pacific waves: smaller on average November to April, bigger May to October (Surf Simply, Nosara)
Caribbean surf season: roughly December to March (The Tico Times)
Surf group sizes: 2 or 3 students per instructor at Shaka, Pura Vida Adventures and Women's Quest
Places checked: 2026-Nov-04; our profile of each one notes its current status

Costa Rica is one of the few places where you can roll out a yoga mat at sunrise, walk a few minutes through the trees and paddle out on warm water before breakfast. This guide covers where to do both, which beaches suit a first lesson, when the waves are right for your level, what a typical day looks like and how to stay safe in the water.

We checked every camp and retreat named here on 2026-Nov-04, and each one links to our profile, which notes whether it's still open. For the regions themselves, see our [region-by-region guide to yoga in Costa Rica](/where-to-do-yoga-in-costa-rica/); for surf breaks in depth, our sister site [Costa Rica Surf](https://costaricasurf.org/) goes further than we do.

## Can you combine yoga and surfing in Costa Rica?

Yes, and it's one of the most common ways people practice here. The Pacific coast has warm water all year, sandy beach breaks where surf schools teach first-timers, and yoga shalas a short walk from the sand in Santa Teresa, Nosara, Uvita and Jaco. You don't need to have surfed before: every surf camp we checked teaches complete beginners, with yoga classes for mixed levels.

## Why yoga and surfing fit together

Surfing asks for things yoga trains: shoulders that can paddle for an hour, hips and a spine that can move from lying flat to standing in one motion, balance on something that moves, and breath you can control when a wave holds you under. Yoga before a session warms the body up; yoga after it stretches out the shoulders and lower back that paddling tightens.

Nosara's surf teachers saw this early. In 2011 the local paper described a "surfer's yoga" class at the [Nosara Yoga Institute](/nosara-yoga-institute/) built around shoulder work, balance and hip flexibility.

> "Surfer's yoga is not about spirituality. It is more about to help your body and surfing. And if yoga affects you any deeper than that, that's great."
>
> **Karl Spaeth**, who taught surfer's yoga at the Nosara Yoga Institute, quoted by The Voice of Nosara in 2011

The two also share something less physical. Both ask you to pay attention to what's in front of you right now: the next breath on the mat, the next wave in the water. Many people find that the calm they build in class makes the ocean less frightening, and the humility the ocean teaches makes them gentler on the mat.

> "When I'm practicing yoga and when I'm in the water surfing, that's the only time I'm present and not worrying about all the things I have to do."
>
> **Nicole Loría**, a vinyasa yoga teacher and surfer in Tamarindo, in a 2008 interview with The Tico Times

## Costa Rica's coasts and their surf seasons

Costa Rica has surf on both coasts, and the seasons work differently on each. [Costa Rica's tourism board (the ICT)](https://www.visitcostarica.com/things-to-do/adventure/surfing) divides the country into 4 surf zones: the North, Central and South Pacific, and the Caribbean. The Pacific has most of the surf areas, and most of the yoga.

Rain and swell aren't the same thing. The rainy season changes the roads and the afternoons; the swell decides how big the waves are. This table puts them side by side.

| Coast | Yoga-and-surf towns | Easier for beginners | Bigger swell | Rainy months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Pacific (Guanacaste) | Nosara, Tamarindo, Playa Negra | November to April | May to October | May to October, wettest September and October |
| Southern Nicoya Peninsula | Santa Teresa, Mal Pais, Montezuma | December to April (dry season) | May to September (south swells) | May to October |
| Central Pacific | Jaco, Playa Hermosa | Year-round options at Jaco | Year-round at Playa Hermosa | May to October |
| South Pacific | Dominical, Uvita, Pavones, the Osa | Playa Chaman in Uvita year-round | May to September (south swells); Dominical powerful all year | May to November, longest rainy season |
| Caribbean | Puerto Viejo, Cocles | Few spots; most need experience | Roughly December to March | Rain all year; driest February to March and September to October |

Sources: Surf Simply in Nosara for Guanacaste wave heights; Shaka Costa Rica for Santa Teresa and the Pacific's south swells; costaricasurf.org, Bodhi Surf + Yoga and The Tico Times for the Central Pacific, South Pacific and Caribbean; Bodhi Surf + Yoga for South Pacific rain; the [IMN, Costa Rica's national weather institute](https://www.imn.ac.cr/documents/10179/31165/clima-regiones-climat.pdf/cb3b55c3-f358-495a-b66c-90e677e35f57), for rain.

### The Pacific: smaller waves in the dry season, bigger in the green season

[Surf Simply](https://surfsimply.com/nosara-surf-seasons), a coaching resort at Playa Guiones in Nosara since 2007, says it hasn't had a single flat day there. Its own averages put the waves at roughly waist to shoulder high from November to April and roughly head high from May to October. It also notes that between Christmas and Easter, strong Papagayo winds from the east sometimes push the morning session later in the day.

In Santa Teresa, [Shaka Costa Rica](https://shakacostarica.com/blog/why-costa-ricas-green-season-might-be-the-best-time-for-your-surf-trip-1) says consistent south swells reach the Pacific from May to September, which it calls a good time if you're past the total-beginner stage. The IMN puts the Pacific rainy season at May to October, wettest in September and October, with a drier spell, the veranillo, in July and August.

For a first week on a board, then, December to April is the easier choice. If you already surf, the green season brings bigger waves and quieter lineups, and November sits in between.

> "November in Costa Rica is a kind of quiet magic. The beaches in Santa Teresa feel open and unhurried, the surf lineups are mellow and uncrowded, and the hills glow a deep, vibrant green after the rains."
>
> **Tierza Eichner**, founder of Pura Vida Adventures, Santa Teresa

### The Caribbean: a short, powerful season

According to [The Tico Times](https://ticotimes.net/2022/01/02/puerto-viejo-deep-dive-surfing-the-caribbeans-gnarly-waves), the Caribbean surf season runs from around December to March, when east-northeast swell reaches the coast. Its waves are fast and most of its spots need experience. The IMN says the Caribbean has no true dry season, but February to March and September to October are its driest spells.

## Where to learn: beaches by skill level

These are the beaches where yoga and surf meet, with the level each one suits according to the surf schools that teach there and our sister site's break guides. Conditions change with the tide and the swell, so always ask your instructor which beach suits you that day.

| Beach | Town | Suits | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playa Guiones | Nosara | Beginners and intermediates | Long, forgiving waves | Safari Surf School |
| Playa Hermosa | Santa Teresa | Beginners | Sandy beach break, calmer mornings | Shaka Costa Rica |
| Playa Grande | Near Montezuma | Beginners | Mellow waves, reached on jungle trails | Anamaya |
| Tamarindo | Guanacaste | Beginners | Mostly small to medium waves | The Tico Times |
| Playa Negra | Guanacaste | Experienced surfers | Reef and rock, shallow at low tide | costaricasurf.org |
| Jaco | Central Pacific | Beginners and up | Sandy beach break | costaricasurf.org, The Tico Times |
| Playa Hermosa (south of Jaco) | Central Pacific | Not for first-timers | Big sets can arrive without warning | The Tico Times |
| Playa Dominical | South Pacific | Experienced surfers | Powerful waves, currents and rips | costaricasurf.org |
| Playa Chaman, Bahia Ballena | Uvita | Beginners and intermediates | Sandy bottom, waves averaging 2 to 4 feet | Bodhi Surf + Yoga |
| Salsa Brava | Puerto Viejo | Experienced surfers only | Strong waves over coral | ICT |

## Nosara and Playa Guiones

::: slideshow "Surfing at Playa Guiones, Nosara: riding a small wave, and a lesson starting on the sand"
![A surfer in a patterned rash guard rides a small breaking wave at Playa Guiones](/static/img/p03-bodhi-tree-guiones-surf-1600.webp "Photo: [Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort](https://bodhitreeyogaresort.com/)")
![A surf instructor talks a student through a lesson on the wide sand at Playa Guiones, with a board lying beside them](/static/img/p03-bodhi-tree-guiones-lesson-1600.webp "Photo: [Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort](https://bodhitreeyogaresort.com/)")
:::

Nosara sits on the Pacific side of the Nicoya Peninsula, in Guanacaste, and Playa Guiones is its main surf beach: a long, open beach break with forest behind it and no buildings on the sand, because it's part of the protected Ostional Wildlife Refuge. [Safari Surf School](https://safarisurfschool.com/), which teaches there, calls Guiones ideal for beginners and intermediate surfers thanks to its long, forgiving waves.

> "How many places in the world can you go that has a beautiful beach where there are no restaurants, there are no hotels? When you're surfing, you're looking back, and it's jungle."
>
> **Gary Edwards**, founder of Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort, Nosara, in a 2017 interview with The Tico Times

Nosara suits you if yoga is the center of the trip and surf is the second practice. It has more of the retreat centers we profile than any other area, and the waves at Guiones work for a first lesson.

### Yoga and surf places we profile in Nosara

- **[Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort](/bodhi-tree-yoga-resort/)**. Open. A large yoga resort in the hills above Guiones with several shalas. Its [surf page](https://bodhitreeyogaresort.com/surf-at-bodhi-tree/) offers beginner, private and group lessons through 2 partner surf schools, with lessons at Guiones beach about 200 meters from its office.
- **[Harmony Hotel](/harmony-hotel/)**. Open. A hotel with daily yoga classes and a healing center, a 2-minute walk along a sandy path from Playa Guiones, according to its own FAQ.

More in our [Nosara section](/category/retreat-centers/guanacaste/nosara/) and our older [Nosara town guide](/most-popular-destinations-in-costa-rica-nosara/).

## Santa Teresa and Mal Pais

::: triptych "Santa Teresa: practicing the paddle on the sand, a lesson on the beach, and Pura Vida Adventures' open-air yoga studio"
![Two women practice paddling on the sand while surfers carry their boards along the beach at Playa Hermosa, Santa Teresa](/static/img/p03-shaka-sand-practice-1600.webp "Photo: [Shaka Costa Rica](https://shakacostarica.com/)")
![A surf coach demonstrates a stance on a board on the sand while a group of women watches under the trees](/static/img/p03-pva-surf-lesson-1600.webp "Photo: [Pura Vida Adventures](https://puravidaadventures.com/)")
![Women sitting on mats in an open-air yoga studio with a wooden floor, surrounded by tropical plants](/static/img/p03-pva-yoga-dojo-1600.webp "Photo: [Pura Vida Adventures](https://puravidaadventures.com/)")
:::

Santa Teresa and Mal Pais run along the southwest tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, in Puntarenas province. Santa Teresa is a surf town first, and it has more surf-and-yoga camps than anywhere else we cover. Playa Hermosa, just north of town, is where many beginner lessons happen.

[Pura Vida Adventures](https://puravidaadventures.com/costa-rica-surf-experience/surf-instruction/) calls Santa Teresa a good spot for beginners to surf for the first time and for intermediate and advanced students, with a range of beaches nearby. Shaka Costa Rica says Playa Hermosa's sandy beach break suits novices, with calmer mornings.

### Surf and yoga camps we profile in Santa Teresa

- **[Shaka Costa Rica](/shaka-beach-retreat/)**, Playa Hermosa. Open. A surf camp in the Playa Hermosa surf zone that now runs its own yoga classes. It works with 3 students per instructor and teaches beginners in small, step-by-step stages.
- **[Pura Vida Adventures](/pura-vida-adventures-surf-yoga-retreats-for-women/)**. Open. Women's surf and yoga retreats since 2003, with mixed co-ed camps on some dates. Its instructors hold lifeguard and ISA surf-instructor certificates, and it keeps to no more than 3 students per instructor. Daily yoga is in an open-air studio built around a Guanacaste tree.
- **[Hotel Tropico Latino](/tropico-latino/)**. Open. A beachfront hotel with daily yoga on an oceanfront deck; Pura Vida Adventures' retreats are based there.
- **[Nautilus Surf and Yoga Villas](/nautilus-boutique-hotel/)**. Listed on booking sites. Villas that offer surf and yoga classes; formerly the Nautilus Boutique Hotel, and its old website no longer works.
- **[Horizon Hotel and Yoga Center](/horizon-yoga-hotel/)**. Open. A hillside hotel with daily yoga, handy as a base if you book surf lessons separately.

More in our [Santa Teresa](/category/retreat-centers/southern-nicoya-peninsula/santa-teresa/) and [Mal Pais](/category/retreat-centers/southern-nicoya-peninsula/santa-teresa/malpais/) sections. For food, beaches and getting around town, our sister site [Santa Teresa](https://www.santa-teresa.com/) is the better read.

## Montezuma: quieter yoga with surf nearby

Montezuma, on the Gulf of Nicoya side of the peninsula, is more of a yoga village than a surf town. [Anamaya](https://www.anamaya.com/guides/surfing/) describes its spot as sitting between the mellow beginner waves of Playa Grande, reached on jungle trails from Montezuma, and the bigger breaks of Santa Teresa, about 25 minutes away.

- **[Anamaya Resort](/anamaya-yoga-resort/)**. Open. A clifftop yoga retreat above Montezuma with retreat dates listed through late 2026. Its yoga-and-surf weeks, with guided lessons at nearby beaches, are described in our [Soul Surfers at Anamaya profile](/soul-surfers-yoga-retreat-at-anamaya/).
- **[La Escuela del Sol](/la-escuela-del-sol/)**. Not confirmed. It once combined yoga with Spanish and surfing in Montezuma; its old website no longer works and we couldn't confirm it's still running.

More in our [Montezuma section](/category/retreat-centers/southern-nicoya-peninsula/montezuma/).

## Guanacaste beyond Nosara: Tamarindo and Playa Negra

Tamarindo is Guanacaste's busiest surf town, with many surf schools. A Costa Rican surfer writing for The Tico Times calls it a good option for beginners, with waves mostly small to medium. Playa Negra, to the south, is different: [costaricasurf.org](https://costaricasurf.org/playa-negra/) lists it as a reef and rock break for experienced surfers, with shallow reef and sharp rocks exposed at low tide.

- **[Playa Negra Yoga Center](/playa-negra-yoga-center/)**. Open. Yoga classes and flexible-date retreats near the Playa Negra surf break; a good fit if you surf well and want yoga between sessions.
- **[Reflexion Yoga Tamarindo](/reflexion-yoga-tamarindo/)**. Website still up. A studio in Tamarindo for drop-in classes after a lesson with one of the town's surf schools.
- **[Costa Rica Surf Institute](/costa-rica-surf-institute/)**. Probably closed. This Tamarindo school once added yoga to its surf lessons; its old web address now belongs to an unrelated site, and we found no sign it still operates.

See our [Tamarindo](/category/retreat-centers/guanacaste/tamarindo-guanacaste/) and [Playa Negra](/category/retreat-centers/guanacaste/playa-negra/) sections and our older [Tamarindo guide](/most-popular-destinations-in-costa-rica-tamarindo/).

## The Central Pacific: Jaco and Playa Hermosa

::: slideshow "The Central Pacific: a surf school stand on the beach at Jaco, and big surf at Playa Hermosa just to the south"
![Rows of soft surfboards on a rack under a white tent on the beach at Jaco, with flags flying above](/static/img/p03-jaco-surf-school-1600.webp "Photo: Armando Olivo Martín del Campo, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons")
![Lines of big breaking waves and white water across the bay at Playa Hermosa, near Jaco](/static/img/p03-playa-hermosa-waves-1600.webp "Photo: Bernal Saborio, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons")
:::

Jaco is on the coast closest to San Jose, and it hosted the ISA World Surfing Games in 2016, according to the ICT. Its sandy beach break works for learners; costaricasurf.org calls it a base for all sorts of surfers, with consistent waves through the year and the most surfable hours about 2 hours before high tide.

> "I love Jacó: it's a beach break and very easy for people to learn. You can find a lot of different waves around here."
>
> **Lisbeth Vindas**, Costa Rican surfer from Jaco and 11-time national women's champion, in a 2015 interview with The Tico Times

Playa Hermosa, about 5 minutes south, is another story. The Tico Times calls it the "National Stadium of Surfing" and says it isn't for anyone who has never surfed, because big sets can arrive without warning.

- **[School of the World](/school-of-the-world/)**, Jaco. Status unclear. Founded in 1997, it combines surf, Spanish and yoga programs for beginners to advanced; its website still describes the programs, but we couldn't find dated sessions, so check before you plan.
- **[Vida Asana](/vida-asana/)**, near Playa Hermosa. Open. An all-inclusive yoga retreat center that arranges surfboard rentals and trips to beginner breaks.
- **[Aurora Yoga Studio](/aurora-yoga-jaco/)**, Jaco. Open. A town studio with daily drop-in classes, handy between sessions.

More in our [Jaco section](/category/retreat-centers/central-pacific/jaco/).

## The South Pacific: Uvita, Dominical, Pavones and the Osa

![A woman in leggings rides a small green wave on a soft board, with white water breaking behind her](/static/img/p03-bodhi-small-wave-1600.webp "Photo: [Bodhi Surf + Yoga](https://www.bodhisurfyoga.com/)")

South of Quepos, the coast is greener and quieter. Playa Chaman, inside Marino Ballena National Park near Uvita, is one of the gentlest places in the country to learn. [Bodhi Surf + Yoga](https://www.bodhisurfyoga.com/faq) says waves there average 2 to 4 feet over a sandy bottom, the lineups are uncrowded, and park rangers and lifeguards patrol the beach. Dominical, a little farther north, is the opposite: costaricasurf.org calls its main beach suitable only for experienced surfers, with powerful waves, currents and rips, though nearby Dominicalito suits beginners.

- **[Bodhi Surf + Yoga](/bodhi-surf/)**, Uvita. Open. A surf and yoga camp that teaches at Playa Chaman, caps its weeks at 10 guests and teaches bodysurfing as part of learning to read waves. Its co-founder Pilar Salazar, raised in San Jose, is its main yoga teacher.
- **[Danyasa Eco-Retreat](/danyasa-yoga-retreats-and-teacher-training/)**, Dominical. Open. A yoga retreat and teacher-training center on the Baru River, close to the Dominical breaks.
- **[Boca Sombrero](/boca-sombrero-surf-and-yoga/)**, Osa Peninsula. Old website gone. A beachfront surf and yoga venue on the Osa that still appears on retreat booking sites.
- **[Pavones Yoga Center](/pavones-yoga-center/)**. Probably closed. It ran surfer's yoga near Pavones, whose wave the ICT calls one of the best in the world, running more than half a mile (about 1 kilometer); we found no sign it still operates.
- **[Buddhi Retreats](/buddhi-retreats/)**. Not confirmed. Yoga and surf weeks at Punta Banco, near Pavones; its old website no longer works.
- **[Women's Quest](/womens-quest/)**, Matapalo, Osa Peninsula. Open. A women's surf and yoga week, 18 to 24 April 2027, at the tip of the Osa Peninsula, according to [its website](https://womensquest.com/). Its Costa Rica page describes 2 students per surf instructor.
- **[Vajra Sol Yoga Adventures](/vajra-sol-yoga-adventures/)**. Not confirmed. A company that ran yoga and surf retreats and was still advertising in late 2025.

See our [Uvita](/category/retreat-centers/central-pacific/uvita/), [Dominical](/category/retreat-centers/central-pacific/dominical/), [Osa Peninsula](/category/retreat-centers/southern-pacific/osa-peninsula/) and [Pavones](/category/retreat-centers/southern-pacific/pavones/) sections.

## The Caribbean: Puerto Viejo and Cocles

![A quiet beach curving away under tall rainforest trees and palms at Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast](/static/img/p03-puerto-viejo-beach-1600.webp "Photo: Ben Kucinski, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons")

The southern Caribbean is a place to practice yoga and surf if you already surf. The ICT says Salsa Brava, in front of Puerto Viejo, has strong waves and big tubes over coral, and only experienced surfers should try it. Cocles, about 2 kilometers away, has good waves and lifeguard posts. The yoga centers here, such as [Samasati Nature Retreat](/samasati-nature-retreat/), are rainforest retreats rather than surf camps, so plan your surf separately.

See our [Caribbean section](/category/retreat-centers/caribbean/), which includes Puerto Viejo.

## What a surf-and-yoga day looks like

![A yoga class in an open-air shala with a tiled roof, students lunging with their arms raised among tropical plants](/static/img/p03-shaka-yoga-class-1600.webp "Photo: [Shaka Costa Rica](https://shakacostarica.com/)")

Most camps plan the day around the tide and the heat. Women's Quest, for example, usually surfs in the morning after an early yoga class and plans several sunset yoga sessions during the week. A typical day at the camps we checked looks like this, though the times move with the tide:

| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| Early morning | Yoga or a short mobility class to wake up the shoulders and hips |
| Breakfast | Breakfast together, often with fresh fruit and coffee |
| Mid-morning | Surf lesson: theory on the beach, then time in the water with your coach |
| Midday | Lunch, rest in the shade, video review of your waves at some camps |
| Afternoon | Free time, a second surf session, a hike or a massage |
| Late afternoon | Sunset yoga, often slower: yin, restorative or stretching for tired shoulders |
| Evening | Dinner together |

Expect to be tired. Paddling uses muscles most people don't train at home, and by day 3 your shoulders will tell you about it. Good camps adjust the yoga to match: stronger flows early in the week, gentler stretching once everyone's arms are sore. Our [guide to choosing a yoga retreat](/yoga-retreats-costa-rica/) shows a full daily schedule from Pura Vida Adventures.

## Can you learn to surf as a beginner on a yoga retreat?

Yes. Every surf-and-yoga camp we checked teaches complete beginners, and many of their guests have never stood on a board. What changes from camp to camp is how they teach.

![A smiling woman lies on a surfboard paddling in calm blue water](/static/img/p03-bodhi-paddling-1600.webp "Photo: [Bodhi Surf + Yoga](https://www.bodhisurfyoga.com/)")

> "If you are waiting until you are perfectly fearless, perfectly fit, or perfectly balanced to try surfing, you will be waiting forever."
>
> **Pilar Salazar**, Costa Rican co-founder and main yoga teacher of Bodhi Surf + Yoga, Uvita, writing on its blog in 2026

### What to look for in a beginner camp

- **Small groups.** Shaka and Pura Vida Adventures keep to 3 students per instructor, and Women's Quest to 2. Ask for the ratio in the water, not just in the brochure.
- **Beach theory first.** Good camps start on the sand: how to pop up, where to lie on the board, how waves break and where the currents run. Shaka covers ocean awareness from day one.
- **Soft boards.** Big foam boards float well and hurt less when they hit you. You'll move to smaller boards as you improve.
- **Certified, rescue-trained instructors.** Pura Vida Adventures' instructors hold lifeguard, CPR and first-aid certificates, and Bodhi's are trained in ocean rescue. The ICT advises checking that a surf company is certified.
- **A gentle beach.** Sand, small waves and few people. The beaches in our table marked for beginners are where most camps teach.
- **Yoga for all levels.** Pura Vida Adventures says its classes cater to complete beginners and long-time practitioners; Bodhi Surf + Yoga says its classes are multi-level, with variations of many poses.

You don't need to be an athlete, but being able to swim helps a lot. Bodhi Surf + Yoga, for example, asks you to swim about 200 meters before joining its bodysurfing lessons; otherwise you'll catch white-water waves in chest-deep water instead.

### How far will you get in a week?

Shaka's sample beginner week starts with a safety briefing and drills; by the end of day 2, beginners link moves on small to medium white-water waves, and day 3 works on choosing waves, with some guests moving on to turns on bigger, unbroken green waves. It also says progression isn't the same for everyone and that consistency matters more than "advancing". A week gives you the basics; many people come back for a second trip to build on them.

## Nosara or Santa Teresa for yoga and surf?

Both have good beginner waves, and both have yoga every day. The difference is which practice leads.

- **Choose Nosara** if yoga is the main reason for the trip. It has more retreat centers, bigger shalas and teacher trainings, a quieter feel, and Playa Guiones for lessons. It's closer to Liberia airport.
- **Choose Santa Teresa** if surf is the main reason. It has more surf camps built around coaching, more breaks within a short drive, and more restaurants and evening life. From San Jose it's usually reached on the Puntarenas to Paquera ferry.
- **Choose Uvita** if you want a small camp, a very gentle beach and rainforest close by, with a longer rainy season.

Our [region-by-region guide](/where-to-do-yoga-in-costa-rica/) compares the drives, airports and rainy months for each.

## Staying safe in the water and the sun

![A surf instructor in a red rash guard gives a safety briefing to 3 students on a wide sandy beach](/static/img/p03-bodhi-beach-briefing-1600.webp "Photo: [Bodhi Surf + Yoga](https://www.bodhisurfyoga.com/)")

Many surf beaches have no lifeguards, as Bodhi Surf + Yoga points out. Under an agreement renewed in 2018 to run to 2020, the Costa Rican Red Cross provided volunteers and lifeguards on the busiest high-risk beaches in high season, and in December 2018 the ICT put rip-current warning signs on 100 beaches, according to El Mundo CR. Don't count on a lifeguard being there. Swim and surf where your camp tells you to, and never alone.

### Rip currents

Rip currents are powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water that run out from the beach. [NOAA](https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ripcurrent.html), the US ocean agency, says they can move faster than an Olympic swimmer, and that panicked swimmers who try to swim straight back to shore against one risk drowning from exhaustion. If one pulls you out:

1. Don't panic, and stay on your board if you have it.
2. Don't fight the current. Swim or paddle parallel to the shore until you're out of it.
3. Then head back to land at an angle.

A good surf lesson teaches you to spot rips from the beach; Bodhi Surf + Yoga, for one, covers rip currents in its lessons.

### The ICT's surf safety tips

[The ICT's surfing page](https://www.visitcostarica.com/things-to-do/adventure/surfing) asks surfers to learn each beach's currents, waves and bottom (sand or coral) before going in; to always wear a leash; never to surf beyond their level; for beginners, to pick uncrowded spots away from swimmers; and to ask a coastguard, the Red Cross or locals whether crocodiles live near a beach, since some river mouths have them.

### Reef, rocks and small creatures

- **Reef and rock:** at Playa Negra and Salsa Brava, the bottom is sharp. Surf them only at your level and at the right tide, and clean any coral cut straight away.
- **Stingrays:** they rest in shallow sand. Bodhi Surf + Yoga teaches the "stingray shuffle": slide your feet along the bottom as you walk in, so they swim off.
- **Agua mala:** Bodhi Surf + Yoga says some currents bring in tiny, seasonal stinging organisms; they're not dangerous, and a rash guard is usually all you need.

### Sun

The tropical sun is strong. The [IMN publishes a daily UV forecast](https://www.imn.ac.cr/documents/10179/27818/que-es-IUV.pdf/ba16982b-814b-460a-9d3c-17d349daf6b7) for the hour of strongest sun, around midday, and at its higher levels it advises staying in the shade at midday and using clothing, a hat and sunscreen. Surf early or late, wear a long-sleeved rash guard, and use reef-safe sunscreen; Shaka's packing list asks for SPF 50 or higher.

## More on yoga and surf

Browse every profile in our [Yoga and Surfing section](/category/yoga-and-surfing/), or start with our [guide to choosing a yoga retreat in Costa Rica](/yoga-retreats-costa-rica/). For getting to the coast and packing, see [our trip-planning guide](/plan-a-yoga-trip-costa-rica/); for trainings near the surf, see [our teacher-training guide](/yoga-teacher-training-costa-rica/).

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I learn to surf on a yoga retreat in Costa Rica?

Yes. Surf-and-yoga camps in Santa Teresa, Nosara and Uvita teach complete beginners, usually with 2 or 3 students per instructor, on sandy beaches with small waves, and fit yoga classes around the lessons.

### Which beaches are best for learning to surf in Costa Rica?

Local surf schools teach beginners at Playa Guiones in Nosara, Playa Hermosa in Santa Teresa, Playa Chaman near Uvita, and Jaco and Tamarindo. Avoid Playa Negra, Playa Dominical and Salsa Brava until you're experienced.

### Which months have good waves in Costa Rica?

There are waves all year on the Pacific. From November or December to April they're smaller on average, which suits beginners; from May to October they're bigger. The Caribbean's main season runs roughly from December to March.

### Is Nosara or Santa Teresa better for yoga and surf?

Nosara suits a trip where yoga leads, with more retreat centers and a quieter feel. Santa Teresa suits a trip where surf leads, with more surf camps, more breaks and more going on in the evening.

### Are there women-only surf and yoga retreats in Costa Rica?

Yes. Pura Vida Adventures runs women's surf and yoga retreats in Santa Teresa, and Women's Quest has a women's surf and yoga week at Matapalo on the Osa Peninsula in April 2027.

### Is it safe to surf in Costa Rica?

It's safe if you surf at your level with a qualified instructor. The main risks are rip currents, strong sun and sharp reef at some breaks. Many beaches have no lifeguards, so never surf alone, and if a rip pulls you out, paddle parallel to the shore.

### Do I need to be fit to do a surf and yoga retreat?

You don't need to be an athlete, but you should be comfortable in the water and able to swim. Paddling is tiring at first, and the yoga classes help your shoulders and back recover.