Costa Rica - Country 26

At the end of 2024, I spent a lot of time on Google Flights searching for a destination for my four days off in April for Easter. One of the biggest perks of living in Denver is being so close to an international airport that has direct flights all over the world. I am lucky to work at a company that not only encourages travel and PTO, they incentivize it. After my one year anniversary, I was given $2,000 by my company’s Vacation Incentive Program. Every year, it is a “lose it or use it” program that is to be used only towards a trip’s expenses (flights, accommodation, food, etc.)

I’ve always wanted to take the Helsinki to Tallinn, Estonia ferry, but Reddit warned against Scandinavia in April because of the unpredictable weather. I also was eyeing Palm Springs so I could see Joshua Tree, but quickly found out that it was the same weekend as Coachella. I then stumbled across a direct flight to Liberia, Costa Rica. As my research went on, I found out that April is still considered the dry season in Costa Rica, and Tamarindo is home to world famous surfing conditions. I have lived in landlocked states my entire life and I am not terribly confident in my swimming ability, but as my research went on I kept seeing Witches Rock Surf Camp pop up as one of the best places to learn how to surf. After comparing Witches Rock’s prices compared to other surf schools in the area, I was sold and booked my flights and accommodation on a whim. My lovely boyfriend was interested after the fact and decided to join me (and I am very glad he did). 

The Gist: 

The Witch’s Rock Surf School operates on a Saturday to Saturday schedule, with early morning surf lessons and seminars to follow. You have the entire afternoon to yourself to go on snorkeling tours, explore national parks, or try a new smoothie flavor in Tamarindo. It was a good balance of work and play, but my favorite aspect of the week was being in an area where everyone goes to bed by sundown so they can catch the first wave at sunrise. 

Surfing as a Beginner - Helpful Tips

• Wear sunscreen on the back of your legs. Please God. Don’t get scorching sunburns on your calves like we did. You’ll spend hours laying around on the surf board waiting to catch the next wave in UV 10+ and not realize how much sun you’re getting. 

• Paddling out requires an unbelievable amount of cardio. I wished I would’ve been more in shape for this aspect of surfing.

• You’re going to get an unbelievable amount of new information from your surf instructors. Soak it all in, but turning your brain off once a wave comes will help you tremendously. I was a better surfer on my first couple of days versus the end of the week because I felt like I knew too much at the end, which made me more likely to second guess myself. 

Here’s the breakdown of what you don’t want to miss:

• JR’s Grill - Some frequenters let us know about JR’s, a great deal walking distance from our accommodation. JR himself is such a character and makes a hell of a shish kabob. We went there daily for a cheap $5 snack.

• Estuary tour - We booked a cheap ($30) boat ride through an estuary about a five minute drive north from our accommodation. It was a fun experience meeting other people, seeing iguanas, crocodiles, birds, and other surprise swamp creatures.

• Breakfast at Witch’s Rock Surf School - Carb load with a massive breakfast from the surf school after a morning in the water. You won’t regret it. 

What you can miss:

• The night market in Tamarindo - It is crowded, hot, and a bit of a walk out of town. 

My rambling thoughts and tips overall:

• Eat before going to the Tamarindo Airport

• Tip your surf instructor well

• Pick up five pieces of trash every time you walk back in from the beach

• Respect the wildlife

• Get humbled by the ocean. Everytime you think you’re getting the hang of surfing, prepare for mother nature to laugh in your face.