Friends - Safari Surf

Safari Surf School Presents: The Evolution of Nosara and Our Costa Rica Surf School

If you’ve visited our Costa Rica surf school recently, it might be hard to imagine a time when surfing wasn’t integral to Nosara’s culture. Surfing and the Pura Vida lifestyle are intertwined, but that wasn’t always the case. Continue reading below as we explore the history of Nosara and Safari Surf in Safari Surf School Presents: The Evolution of Nosara and Our Costa Rica Surf School.

Early Beginnings

Nosara, located on the Nicoya Peninsula, was a sleepy fishing village before it became a renowned surf destination. The area’s natural beauty, with its pristine beaches and lush jungle, remained largely undiscovered by tourists for many years. In the 1970s, adventurous surfers from the United States began exploring Costa Rica’s coastlines, drawn by the promise of uncharted waves, warm water, and year-round swell. These pioneering surfers discovered Playa Guiones, a beach with consistent and forgiving waves, ideal for surfing. Despite the lack of infrastructure, these early visitors established a surf culture, leaving behind surfboards and stories of perfect waves that enticed more surfers to follow.

The 1980s: Building a Surf Community

Just another day coming to an end in Nosara

Throughout the 1980s, the surf community in Nosara slowly began to take root. The area saw an increase in the number of surfers visiting annually. This decade marked the beginning of Nosara’s transformation from a quiet village into a budding surf town. Local Costa Ricans started to notice the potential of surf tourism, and a few small accommodations and eateries began to spring up to cater to the growing number of visiting surfers.

The 1990s: The Birth of Safari Surf School

Aloha plus Pura Vida is Safari Surf School!

The 1990s were a pivotal decade for Costa Rica and its surf scene. After the release of Endless Summer II in the early nineties, the secret was out about Costa Rica and its world-class surf. Around this time, our founders, Tim and Marsi, visited Costa Rica for the first time in 1995. Captivated by the country’s natural beauty and the kindness of its people. By 1999, they established Safari Surf School. The early years were challenging, with the team wearing many hats to keep the business afloat. However, their commitment paid off, and Safari Surf School quickly gained a reputation for excellence. They attracted a loyal clientele who returned year after year to improve their skills under the guidance of local instructors who knew Playa Guiones better than anyone.

The 2000s: Growth and Recognition

As Nosara continued to grow in popularity, Safari Surf School evolved with it. The team’s dedication to providing a top-notch surf experience helped cement their place as a staple of the local community. Tim’s vision led to the development of Olas Verdes, an eco-friendly hotel that would become the new home of Safari Surf School. This move marked a significant step in aligning with Nosara’s commitment to sustainable tourism and environmental stewardship.

Expanding Horizons: Panama and Ecuador

Safari Surf School’s success in Costa Rica set the stage for international expansion. Inspired by the surf culture and community they had fostered in Nosara, Tim and Marsi looked for new locations that echoed the charm of Playa Guiones. This search led them to Playa Venao in Panama and Ayampe in Ecuador, where they established new surf schools that upheld the same values of quality instruction and local involvement.

Today: A Thriving Surf Community

Today, Nosara is recognized as one of Costa Rica’s premier surf destinations. Its surf culture blends local and international influences, strongly emphasizing community and environmental preservation. Safari Surf School remains at the heart of this community, offering surfers of all levels the chance to experience the Pura Vida lifestyle.

As we celebrate 25 years of Safari Surf School, we reflect on our journey and Nosara’s evolution from a hidden gem to a global surf mecca. Safari Surf School’s legacy is not just in the waves we ride but also in the community we’ve built and the countless surfers who have joined us on this incredible journey. Here’s to many more years of waves, sun, and Pura Vida!

Meet Our Safari Surf Ecuador Team

If you’ve visited us before, either at our Costa Rica Surf School or in Playa Venao, Panama, you have an idea of what separates Safari Surf from other surf schools, resorts, and hotels. While our surf schools are located in beautiful, tropical locations with world-class waves, it’s our staff that makes the Safari Surf experience so special. Every year, guests return to our Costa Rica surf school, not because we’re nestled in the jungle of Nosara with direct access to Playa Guiones, but because our coaches and managers make a lasting impact on every guest they interact with in Costa Rica, Panama, and now in Ecuador. After searching far and wide for the right crew to man the helm in Ayampe, Ecuador, home of our newest surf school, we have found the perfect duo. I sat down with Safari Surf founder Tim and the Ecuador team to learn about the new Safari Surf location in the wave-rich Ayampe, Ecuador. Continue Reading for our interview with our new Safari Surf Ecuador team, Trisha and Caesar.

Trish and Caesar, tell me a bit about what led you to Ayampe.

Trisha: Caesar and I while studying in Hawaii in 2016. I’m from the States, and Caesar is originally from Ecuador. After getting to know each other, we realized they wanted the same things out of life—mainly to find a piece of land somewhere beautiful where they could pursue their passions and live sustainably.

Caesar: I’m originally from Ecuador. I moved to the States when I was 17. I would always go back to Ecuador on surf trips, and after living in Maui, we decided it was time to go back to my roots. Surfing is my passion. I’ve been surfing since my childhood, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

Tim, tell me a bit about what drew you to Ecuador and Ayampe specifically.

Tim: One of my goals with Safari is to offer my clients a variety of places to learn to surf. I worked with Nico in Costa Rica before he moved to Ayampe. After a visit to see Nico and his wife Tam, my wife and I fell in love with Ecuador and Ayampe. I see Ecuador as an off-the-beaten-path option for clients, especially experienced surfers.

What’s the wave like in Ayampe? What can Safari Surf guests expect on an Ecuador surf trip?

Caesar: Ayampe is exposed to year-round swell. It’s a small town near the popular surf mecca of Monatanita. Unlike Montanita, which is a popular backpacking and party destination, Ayampe is more laid back. The wave in Ayampe is a powerful beach break. North and South of Ayampe, there are dozens of waves. The surf travel potential on this coastline is insane. Ayampe prefers north swells but will still break during the south swell season.

What can travelers expect from Ecuador weather-wise?

Trisha: The high season is from December to mid-May. During the high season, expect sunny skies and tropical temperatures. The period of mid-May to mid-December is known as Garúa. During Garúa, Ecuador experiences perpetual gray skies and cooler temperatures.

What can Safari Surf Ecuador guests expect beyond the surf?

Trisha: Ecuador has a bit of everything. There’s obviously the mountains and the Galapagos. In Ayampe, we have whale watching, jungle tours, surf trips by car and boat, hiking, mountain biking, and more. Ayampe has grown a lot in the last five years. When we first got here, there were only a handful of restaurants, and most of them closed seasonally. Now, there are lots of places to eat and stay, but it still has that small-town feel.

Whether you’re a new surfer looking for a bit of adventure or an advanced surfer chasing swells in South America, our Ecuador surf school has everything you need for the trip of a lifetime. Book your Ecuador surf trip here.

Ecuador surfing

Revisiting Safari Surf History: 24 Years of Costa Rica Surf School Excellence

Our return guests likely know the Safari Surf story, but for those who don’t, we’ve decided to revisit our history as we continue to grow our business operations in Costa Rica and beyond. Safari Surf School, Nosara’s premier Costa Rica surf school, began decades ago, born out of a passion for surfing and a love for Costa Rica, its land, waves, and people. For many, the idea of starting a business in a foreign country is a distant dream that never materializes. For Tim Marsh and Marsi, our founders, it was inevitable. Dive in below to find out how it all began and learn the history of our Costa Rica surf school.

The Beginning

After traveling to Costa Rica to surf in 1995 and falling in love with the country and its waves, Tim and Marsi returned the following year and bought a small market in Garza, where they lived and worked. Making a living selling sandwiches to traveling surfers and fishermen while living on the beach seemed like a dream, but the slow season proved too much to bear, and Tim and Marsi returned to the states.

By 1997, Tim and Marsi had resumed their lives in the States but were still just scraping by. When Marsi revealed she was pregnant, Tim knew he needed to get his act together. He got a job in the mortgage business, bought a house and a Range Rover, and began checking all of life’s boxes. Despite his success, Tim knew that something was missing.

The Turning Point

One day in the late nineties, Tim ran into an old friend, Pat Weber. Pat had started a surf school in California and was living the dream—surfing every day and getting paid to do it. He handed Tim a surf school t-shirt and said to keep in touch. Tim’s run-in with Pat changed everything and gave him the perspective he needed to realize his dreams. He missed the Pura Vida lifestyle, the people, and the waves in Costa Rica.

A Costa Rica Surf School is Born

When Tim was a boy living and surfing on Oahu’s South Shore in Hawaii, he would ask tourist girls if they wanted to learn how to surf. Sitting in his office, Tim realized his dreams were right in front of him all along. “Why not start a Costa Rica surf school?”

Tim called his brother Tyler, who was living in Costa Rica at the time, and proposed starting a Costa Rica surf school. Tyler was enthusiastic about the idea, but neither of them knew how to start a surf school. They used to eat at Casa Tucan in Nosara, so they approached the owners and asked if they could start a surf program based to help attract more guests. They got the OK from the team at Casa Tucan, and the Safari Surf School was born.

The first few years were tough for Safari Surf School, as Tim and Tyler had to work tirelessly to grow the business. Over time, they built a reputation for providing high-quality surf lessons and excellent customer service.They hired experienced, local surf instructors, who were passionate about teaching and spreading stoke.

Safari Surf School Today

Today, Safari Surf School is a premier Costa Rica surf school with 24 years of surf lesson excellence. Located in Playa Guiones, Nosara, Costa Rica, we offer surf lessons, surf tours, surf retreats, and so much more. Since opening our doors in 1999, Safari Surf has expanded to Panama and Ecuador with new surf schools with the same founding philosophy based on a love of surfing and spreading stoke and joy to all of our students.

Costa Rica Nosara Safari Surf School surfing

Safari Surf School’s Week with Donavon Frankenreiter

Last week was Billabong’s Surf With a Pro with none other than the legendary surfer and musician, Donavon Frankenreiter! We had an awesome time sharing the pura vida vibes of Nosara and Playa Guiones with Donavon, Billabong crew and the lucky SWAP winners! Donavon and Grundy’s topped the week off with an epic show at the Tropicana in front of a jam packed crowd! Scroll down to see some snapshots of the stoke-filled week:

Safari Surf School's Week with Donavon Frankenreiter — Donavon and Surf with a Pro winners on their way to Mala Noche waterfalls.

Donavon Frankenreiter - Safari Surf School — Mala Noche waterfalls. Photo by Donavon Frankenreiter via Instagram.

The Inside Peak – Weekly Wrap Up 04.29.13

Top of the morning, afternoon and evening to you all and welcome to the Inside Peak.
As we move into the month of May (Already? I know, right!), our little coastal hamlet of Guiones continues to chug along at a comfortable, easy pace. After the craziness of a few weeks ago, client numbers at Safari Surf School and the Casa Tucan have also eased. While this means slightly fewer pool-side conferences, impromptu surf sessions and bar singalongs (I promise this actually happens) for those lucky enough to be currently visiting us, it also means more time for optimum relaxation and tranquility. And, there is still a whole bunch of good times to be had, both in the water and out.

tucan-bar — Whether it is with 2 of your best friends, or 200 of your best friends, Casa Tucan always delivers.

Anyway, let´s talk surf.
Steady pulses of WSW swell from the southern Pacific has seen a continuation of the mid-range swells from the previous week. The rain storms have eased off somewhat, only really hitting late at night and early in the morning. This means that the wind has shifted back into its standard pattern of offshore until around 10am, followed by light onshores and an afternoon glass off. With the swell not getting too crazy, our students have been able to really get out and make the most of the conditions.

owen-students — Owen going through some on the beach, last minute theory before hitting the waves.

This move is called ´the dropped wallet´.

James at Surfing Nosara has again delivered the goods with his exclusive, weekly Safari Surf School video. This week´s edition also has some older footage from some of the big swells to hit earlier in the month, and it definitely worth a look if you haven´t seen it already.

Meanwhile, an awesome collaboration between Safari Surf School and our friends at HKTK clothing and apparel has resulted in a new range of SSS rash vests for our instructors that use 100% vegetable-based inks in the screen printing process. These inks contain absolutely zero environmentally hazardous or carcinogenic content, and the printing is done here in Nosara. Environmentally sustainable projects that support the local community like this form the core of what Safari Surf School is all about, so we are naturally incredibly stoked with the outcome!

zac-hktk — Zac from HKTK weaving his magic.

Be sure to check out the HKTK Facebook page for more info on their products, and to support the local surfing scene in Nosara .
Now, for a slice of nature. Yesterday afternoon, my girlfriend and I were lucky enough to stumble across (almost literally) an Olive Ridley Turtle laying its eggs on the high tide line at Playa Guiones. This is the first time I have ever seen a turtle doing its thing this far south from Playa Ostional, but I am told that it is a relatively common occurrence. It was a real treat to observe such a rare and endangered animal in its native habitat, and it really does amaze when you think how much these gals go through to reach this stage of their life. The Olive Ridley Turtles are the species responsible for the Arribada, which is the mass nesting and hatching that takes place at Playa Ostional, just north of us, however obviously this particular turtle decided to go it alone down with us gringos at Guiones. Here are a few of the photos my girlfriend took (right when I had just pulled a backhand cheater 5 on my Robert August 9´6 in the shorebreak in front of her, mind you. But just kidding, I heart turtles).

Best of luck to all the baby turtles that momma left behind last night, and if you happen to have a can of radioactive goo poured over you and turn into a Ninja Turtle, remember that Casa Tucan makes the best pizzas in town!

teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-pizza — Cowabunga!

And on that note, I will see you all next week. Surf safe!

inside peak