The Safari Surf Guide to the Best Beginner Waves on the Planet

Beginner Waves Playa Venao

If you’re a new surfer, looking to improve your fundamentals with professional coaching, or trying out surfing for the first time, taking a surf trip and immersing yourself in the surfing lifestyle may be the best thing you can do. Nothing beats traveling to a far-flung corner of the world where the water is warm the sun shines bright in the sky, and palm trees sway effortlessly in the breeze. You be under the impression that surf trips are for experienced surfers chasing massive swells at advanced breaks, but there are thousands of waves around the world ideally suited for progression. If you’re on the fence about pulling the trigger on a surf trip as your next vacation, continue reading below for The Safari Surf Guide to the Best Beginner Waves on the Planet.

Our Favorite Beginner Wave and Home Break: Playa Guiones- Nosara, Costa Rica

surf Nosara

Our home break, Playa Guiones, is a wide-open sandy expanse that stretches for nearly 4.5 miles in front of a backdrop of dense mangrove forest and tropical jungle. Unlike many of the beaches in Costa Rica, Playa Guiones is bordered by state-protected land, meaning that there’s nothing built on the sand. Instead, the beach is lined by massive trees that are bisected by a trail system. The wave at Playa Guiones is ideally suited for new surfers. It has a gently sloping face and, even at size, breaks rather softly. Additionally, the four miles of sand bars allow surfers to spread out.

Playa Venao, Panama

Surf school in Panama

Home to our second Safari Surf School, Playa Venao, on Panama’s Pacific coast, is the perfect beginner wave. Playa Venao is a south-facing, crescent-shaped cove that picks up an enormous amount of swell. The sides of the cove, however, are sheltered. So, even when overhead waves are breaking on the sand bars in the middle of the cove, the sand bars on either side of the cove provide gentle peeling beginner waves.

Waikiki, Hawaii

Waikiki Surfing

Hawaii is the birthplace of surfing, and Waikiki is steeped in surf lore and tradition that dates back centuries. As the birthplace of modern surfing and the home of the iconic Waikiki Beach Boys, surfing at Waikiki is like riding a wave through time. The wave at Waikiki is soft and peels for what feels like an eternity. While there’s definitely a crowd, there’s no denying that Waikiki is one of the best longboard and beginner waves on the planet.

San Onofre, California

San O Surfing

San O was once the most coveted wave on the California coast. Back when all surfers rode single-fin logs, and getting toes off the nose was the pinnacle of high-performance surfing. Now, San O is to longboarders and new surfers what Trestles is to the high-performance crowd. Located in Camp Pendleton, just outside of San Clemente on the northern edge of San Diego County, San O provides surfers with plenty of room to spread out and practice the fundamentals. The main peak is best suited for intermediate and advanced surfers.

Lagos, Portugal

Lagos surfing
Algarve Where to Surf – Best Surfing Beaches in the Algarve

Lagos, located in the south-facing Algarve region of Portugal, is perhaps Europe’s best beginner wave. Tucked away in the southern reaches of the Western Iberian Peninsula, Lagos’s main stretch of coast is protected from Europe’s large northern swells. Instead of producing pumping surf in frigid water, like the rest of Portugal, Lagos is home to gentle peeling waves. The water is still a bit chilly, but the air temperatures in Lagos are much warmer than the rest of the European continent.

Beginner surfers rejoice. Safari Surf now has three locations across the globe where our expert coaches share their passion for surfing with students in Costa Rica, Panama, and Ecuador. To book your surf trip and discover the best beginner waves on the planet. Click here.

Safari Surf School’s Sustainability Goals for 2021 and Onward

As surfers, we feel we must be as environmentally conscious as possible in all facets of life, including our business. Sustainability, however, goes beyond just one’s environmental impact. Sustainability in travel and tourism means not only being eco-conscious and reducing waste but ensuring our existence as a business doesn’t displace, diminish, or damage the local culture and economy. 2020 was a rocky year for travel, but we used that time to reflect on our core values as a business in Costa Rica and as surfers. This year, we aim to continue our sustainable mission through a commitment to preserving, protecting, and improving the natural environment of Nosara, its culture, and its people. To find out more about our sustainability goals for 2021, continue reading below.

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Have you tried surfing Nicaragua yet?


10% OFF ALL PACKAGESINCLUDING CUSTOM TRIPS
It’s no secret that this time of year is one of the most popular for surf trips. Most of us have time off work, want to celebrate the season and head down to the tropical waters to catch some solid sets. There is also no bigger bummer than hearing the dreaded “we’re all booked up”. We hate saying it…you hate hearing it. And, unfortunately, unless you book super early…this time of year is notorious for that very phrase.
But fret not, fellow surfers…we’re here to help! We are so stoked to announce that our Nicaragua location is finished renovations and is back online and ready for business.
Nicaragua has recently experienced a resurgence amount surf travelers because it offers some of the best surf in the world, is fairly easily traveled and frankly, is just a damn good time.

Headed up by one of our head coaches, Nicolas “Nico” Almeida, our Nicaragua location offers incredible top-notch instruction, amazing cultural adventures, and perfect surf conditions. Located at La Jolla de Guasacate, the Safari Surf Resort is perched upon a gorgeous landscaped hill with majestic ocean and mountain views. Pristine beaches and world-class waves for every level of surfer are just a short hop away. With a stylish clubhouse, restaurant, 2 pools, 18 room boutique hotel, with a luxurious spa, yoga center, and a 4 bedroom luxury rental home, Safari Surf Resort is the hottest new full-service lodging facility in the Tola and Playa Popoyo area.

We are also providing an incredible array of other activities, like deep sea fishing, SUP, yoga, horseback riding, golf (Guacalito de la Isla Golf Course & Hacienda Iguana Club), day trips to Granada, Ometepe, or other towns close by.
Just like our Costa Rica program, we provide an array of packages in Nicaragua…including completely customized trips (currently at 10% off). This is the place to book your next surf vacation.

Assignment: Describe Surfing in THREE Words

“Fun, Not Fun, So Fun!”

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This was my assignment for a group of students who spent a busy March week with us here in Nosara. Group coordinator Jason Roderick, an administrator and school counselor at Providence County Day School in Rhode Island brought 15 lucky students on his annual ‘Spring Break Surf/Yoga Retreat’ at Safari Surf School. This was Roderick’s SEVENTH annual trip!
Jason believes that surfing can offer students a positive alternative stress reliever and explains, “as the PCD Wellness Coordinator, my goal is to offer students the opportunity to experience healthy and organic ways to reduce and manage stress. Furthermore I want kids to push themselves (in a safe environment) to experience a different place and people; to respect the local community and culture, and to learn self-sufficiency, as important tools to be utilized throughout high school, college and the rest of their lives”.
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This year’s Surf/Yoga group was kept busy with surf lessons, zip-lining adventures, daily yoga and meditation sessions, a beach walk clean-up, and a spirited soccer game verse the Safari Surf instructors on the village soccer field. At the end of the day sleep came easily!
Needless to say everyone had a solid time…but, it wouldn’t be school without an assignment, right?
So we decided to come up with one…
Without exception surfing has a profound impact on one’s psyche – it’s fast and beautiful and fluid and dangerous all in one. A good time to register the impact surfing can imprint on someone’s demeanor is to catch them immediately upon exiting the ocean. This is when we asked students to pause and describe surfing in three words. The answers were awesome…here are some responses:
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Whenever I meet a new guest I give them the ‘Safari Surf School Guarantee’:
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The Bermuda-Costa Rica Connection

INSIDE PEAK April 10, 2015

aerial-bermuda

Playa Guiones
What comes to mind when one thinks about Bermuda? For sure the Bermuda Triangle pops up, but anything else? I venture that most of us (like myself) knows very little about this fascinating island.
Bermuda is the most northerly group of coral islands in the world, lying just beyond the Gulf Stream some 650 miles off the coast of the Carolinas. Although very small and isolated in its part of the ocean, it offers a wide variety of places to see, people to meet, and things to do. With an economy based on tourism and international business, Bermudians enjoy a high standard of living with almost no unemployment, no national debt, and no income tax. Sounds like paradise to me! Google Bermuda and your senses are bombarded by a panorama of dreamy blue seascapes – every shade of blue imaginable! One of the great joys of living in Nosara and working at Safari Surf is that it opens a portal to the big wide world we live in. The Bermuda-Nosara connection was spawned five years ago by long time Bermudians the Hammond family. “We were looking for a vacation where the boys could learn to surf, at least stand up” Sharon Hammond reflects. “Richard did a lot of research on the internet and found Safari Surf and signed us up”. “Everything about that first trip just resonated, says Richard, we all loved it; the waves, the food, the spirited people, and we kept returning for more”. As is likely to happen, it’s hard to keep a good secret, and as the Hammonds relayed their surf stories to close friends, the connection grew. “I reckon we are now up to around thirty-five fellow Bermudians that love the place and return every year”. And you have never met more affable, gentle, lovely slice humanity anywhere. It dawned on me that this is how Nosara continues to grow, with these kinds of good hearted, fun-loving families tuning into the Pura Vida. It’s magical, really!

 Hammonds

Meet the Hammonds – Richard, Rudi, Louie, Sharon

 We always love when Team Bermuda is in da house! Talk about energy, they are all buzzing with stoke and can’t wait to get wet. I reflect on my past trips here when we lived in Florida. I was absolutely rabid to catch as many waves as possible, and bottle it all up to get me through the flat spells. The beauty of this place is that there are always waves breaking out there, it is a constant, a defining gift that Nosara proudly offers. Bermuda is ringed by a coral barrier reef which results in beautiful calm swimming beaches, but also prevents consistent rideable surfing waves from forming. Nosara’s ever-reliable consistency can take care of our surf-starved friends in no time!

barrier-reef

Bermudas Barrier Reefs “consume” Incoming Wave Energy

Here a kite surfer rides the wind!

Rudi and Louie

Peter

Serious Q & A with my new bros

Over the years I have watched Rudi (12) and Louie (11) not just become better surfers, but also turn into solid people. Surfing does that, it immerses you in something larger and very powerful, what I like to call Big Blue. They are easy going and fun-loving. They love the food here and are always hungry! “Fish, plantains, and Britt chocolates” the lads enthusiastically exclaim. They already have monikers or nicknames, perhaps to keep in pace with instructors Chumi, Gato, Hellboy, and Pio!

‘Tsumani Rudi Gabas’ on a Screamer!

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‘Big Wave Louie’ Sets up a nice Bottom Turn

Big Wave Louie (1)

 

Richard and Sharon

It is interesting how many doctors come to Safari Surf. Richard and Sharon are M.D.s in Bermuda.
I asked them what fuels the economy there: “tourism has been overtaking by the reinsurance industry” explains Richard. What is that I asked? “Reinsurance is insurance issued for Insurance Companies, and Bermuda is a leading hub for this”. When asked about Bermudas beaches, Sharon says “oh we have many lovely beaches here, perfect for snorkeling and swimming, but few waves”.

 Richard Backdoors a Nice Section

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Sharon Pulling in at the Boca

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Beautiful Seascapes but No Waves!

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The Bermuda Triangle

location-of-bermuda

The real Bermuda Triangle in my book is the connection to Nosara spawned by the Hammonds’ sharing with their friends via the Coconut Telegraph. Richard says “we would come back after these fabulous surfing vacations and spread the word to our best friends. They would look at the photos of the whole family surfing together and one by one more families joined the next trip.” “Let’s see” says Sharon, “We have the Pecketts, Outerbridges, Skinners, Betts, Kendalls, and Wojo’s, that’s nearly 40 people!”.  Many thanks to all of our Bermuda families for coming – our house is yours!

Sharon and Rudi spending Quality Time

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Our House is Your House

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 Team Bermuda – April 2015

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Nosara News- New Stuff!- Inside Peak

Nosara News

INSIDE PEAK- March 17, 2015

 Nosara News- New Stuff!

New Stuff in Nosara!

Every season here in Nosara ushers in a wave of new businesses and this year is no exception. So from us to you, here is Nosara News- New Stuff!
From restaurants, to retail, to recreation, Nosara is continuing to grow in support of our already well established active/surf/wellness reputation. Despite this inevitable growth Nosara still retains its charm and “mom/pop” feeling. This I attribute to the enormous impact of our beachfront protection, which has steered big time developers and chain hotels further north.  Here is a sampling of some of Nosara’s new offerings this season.

Food and Beverage

Every new season brings a new wave of eateries to town. Some “make it’, but others disappear once the rainy season arrives. This season has seen quite a few new eateries. We haven’t tried them all, but did seek some reviews from visitors.

Nosara News- New Stuff!Al Chile

Located in the former Casa Tucan restaurant (Safari’s old digs), Al Chile opened at the end of July with a menu of tacos and burritos. All ingredients are fresh and prepared to order, including the corn tortillas used for tacos and the wheat tortillas used for burritos. Jeffrey loves the place!

tibidaboTibidabo

Mediterranean restaurant with a chef from Barcelona offers authentic tapas, montaditos, paellas, sangria and desserts. Very positive reviews on Facebook page – looks worth a try!  Tim is stoked about this one!

 fusion 2Fusion

Located within the 506 Townhome community, Fusion is upscale, serving  cuisine from celebrated Chef Jairo “specializing in the fusion of culinary tastes”. The Wednesday “Sushi Night” gets great reviews.

solo bueno Solo Bueno

Converted from an old surf hostel, Solo Bueno is a restaurant/water park featuring inside and outside dining,  an 8 jet jacuzzi for adults and a small step in pool for children. There are 4 pools in total, on 4 different levels, overlooking 3 patios, 8 waterfalls, and a multitude of exotic gardens. The menu varies from salads, burgers, and wraps on the pool deck to gourmet dinner entrées and custom cocktails.

go juiceGo Juice Smoothie and Juice Bar

All natural fresh fruit and vegetable smoothies, fresh pressed juice, iced coffee, fresh ceviche, poke, and nutritious snacks. Super healthy juice concoctions such as ‘beetnick’ (for detox), hydro blast (for hydration),‘ginger kale’ (for blood circulation’, and ‘Eye Opener’ (for immune system), had me totally perplexed! My daughter loves this place.

El ChivoEl Chivo

Located in Playa Pelada on the site of the former Panchos, El Chivo is a beautiful new restaurant with made from scratch Mexican cuisine and specialty margaritas. The burritos are amazing. Thumbs up!
 

luna brunchLa Luna Breakfast/Brunch

Super popular and trendy beachfront restaurant La Luna in Playa Pelada now serves daily breakfast. The very interesting and eclectic international menu features such specialties as the mediterranean feast, breakfast pizza, shakshuka, balkan, full English breakfast, and muesli. Their brand new espresso machine rocks!

pipa (2)Pipa Fria

Undoubtedly the hottest ticket in town these days is ‘Pipa Fria’, or chilled coconut water served in the shell.  Vendors have popped up on every corner this season, and there is nothing better than grabbing a cold pipa right after surfing – plus it’s just plain hip, everyone’s doing it!

Retail

love nosara (2)Love Nosara

Open air women’s clothing boutique created by Susanna and Manolo. Offering distinctive and original clothing, jewelry, and leather goods sourced from small independent artisan clothing manufacturers. May not be open on rainy days as they are completely exposed to the elements!

Tamale (2)Hot Tamale

New recycled and vintage fashion located on main street Guiones.

Recreation

tennisTennis Club Colibri

Beautiful red clay tennis courts on main street Guiones

climbClimb Nosara

A unique freestanding climbing wall offering 36 roped routes and other bouldering options. Designer/climber Steve Way proclaims “Climbing helps to build confidence, with great lessons in teamwork, trust and leadership skills.  It also helps to develop core strength, balance & co-ordination, and develops muscular strength, muscular endurance, body composition and flexibility!”

skate parkEskina Skate Park

Skate Park – Skate Pool – Hostel – Skate Shop – Skate School – Bar – Restaurant – Event Center. Eskina Skate Park.  Open daily to the public and available for private bookings, birthdays, etc. On-site full service Yums  Restaurant overlooks the skating action. Stay tuned to their Facebook page for the latest events and promotions including live music, fashion shows, and professional exhibitions.

ad boardCheap Advertising – Nosara Style!

Safari Photos

As some of you may know, Jeffrey added to his plate this year by agreeing to take on the photography aspect of Safari.  Initially, he was met with some challenges: lenses breaking, computer not uploading, basic learning curves… but, he has overcome and is taking some superb photos of our guests!  We have also hired local photographer, Bryan Espinoza, to come in on his off hours to take some additional photos for us and give Jeffrey some pointers. Between the 2 of them, we are adding some fantastic shots to our growing gallery.

Newest Photos from Jeffrey

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Newest Photos from Bryan

Wow! friend Nosara News- New Stuff!

Inside Peak- Join Our Family

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JOIN OUR FAMILY

Safari Surf recently had the privilege of welcoming Stan and Olga into our family. They stayed with us for a month, and the idea was that they would trade out breakfast and room at the Safari House in exchange for a couple of promo videos, to be posted on the Safari Surf website, Facebook page, and other social media sites. Stan and Olga are from Germany, where it is very, very cold right now so, they were happy to take a break from the cold in Nosara.  Their “assignment” was to soak up the “Safari Vibe” and translate this to video. Having founded the adventure travel blog website http://www.epiclist.com, they were no strangers to “extreme adrenaline sports”, and were familiar with surfing, but in their time here, they fully embraced the essence of surfing and pura vida, which is captured brilliantly in their video creations. At the end of their 1st published video they encourage us to “join the family”, which is exactly what we are. I feel like we are in the 1970’s again! Check it out here: https://vimeo.com/119782826.

Stay tuned to Safari Surf for more from Stan and Olga. And  muchas gracias for the stoke lift you two!

Stan Olga

Stan and Olga at work

 

Family Vacations at Safari Surf

Traveling to Costa Rica with your family is an enriching experience for everyone. You will be immersed in a culture and adventure that takes place outside of your iPhone! When I fly Northbound from San Jose to Orlando, Florida to visit my daughter, the planes are full of excited Costa Rican families heading to Disney World; but the Southbound flights are full of Americanos headed to paradise for surfing, kayaking, horseback riding, fishing, zip lining, and  yoga. Surfing brings people together and creates a memorable bonding experience for families.  Meal times are generally long, leisurely affairs around a happy table where people actually talk to one another. It is definitely quality time!
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Strong Family Unit

curleys

Bill Curley and family love surfing so much that they bought a vacation home here

 

One Big Happy Family

Whether you come as a single solo-traveler or bring your husband/wife and kiddos along, everyone becomes part of the family. You surf together, zipline, kayak, ride horses……you get to know everyone in town.

Safari welcomes a huge amount of return clients, we call them our alumni.

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Family Horseback Tour

family zipline

Families that Zipline together, stay together!

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Sam & Jeff Chandler – football bonding

Around the Table

Safari Surf guests share breakfast and dinners together every day. The conversation is lively and spirited and the television is turned off!
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Sam’s Birthday Celebration!

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Three Generations of Lewis Girls!

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The Wagner Family dining under the stars

JOIN THE SAFARI FAMILY TODAY!

Sure it sounds like the old cliché, but down here ‘Lo Que Hay’ (it is what it is!).

Come on down to Safari Surf for Spring break, its way better than Ft. Lauderdale!

Guilford college

Student group from Guilford College in North Carolina

sofia

All-Girls Surf Clinic for Local Nosara Families