The 13 Best Surf Lessons in Costa Rica

1.Surf Lessons in Manuel Antonio

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 91 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $65Our pick

Meet Glen and his surf team at Playa Espadilla Norte for a two-hour lesson built around your ability, from first-time standing to better wave choice. Instructors such as Derek, Sebastian, Isaac, and Willie teach on the beach and in the water. Afterward, keep the board for more practice that day, with water and tropical fruit included.

“Although it was a rainy, drizzle type of day, surfing was super fun. My husband and I did a lesson with Sebastian who has been surfing for over 20 years. I had been surfing once before in Hawaii and remember it being fun but super hard. This experience was totally different with me and my husband being able to ride the wave in almost every time! Sebastian was a great coach, not overbearing but gave pointers here and there. He also had the waves timed perfectly. The water was warm which was a plus, and they gave us each a bottle of water following the lesson and offered to let…”

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2.Surf Lesson + Beach day in Jaco Beach!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 87 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $52

Meet Aloha Josi Surf School in Jaco for a two-hour beginner-friendly lesson built around the tide. You get a surfboard, rash guard, sunscreen, water, beach chairs, and an umbrella. Instructors such as Jason, Jeyson, Giovanni, and Giovanny teach land safety and wave timing before helping you practice in the water. Pickup and photos are available.

“My kids (ages 13 and 15) and I took lessons with this surf school and had so much fun. It was easy to find, there was a place to park our car, and they had canopy tents and chairs set up for us to use even after the lesson, for as long as we wanted to stay at the beautiful beach. The instructors were great and we were all up on our boards in no time. Highly recommend this surf school!”

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3.Stellar 3 Day Surf Package

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 83 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $360

Spend three days learning to surf at Iguana Surf in Tamarindo. Your instructor assesses your level, adjusts each lesson, and helps you build confidence in the water. The package includes three 90-minute lessons, beach photographs, unlimited board rentals for one week, wax, bottled water, and an Iguana Surf T-shirt. Lessons suit beginners and can be scheduled around your plans.

“I had an awesome experience with Iguana! Edwin was my instructor and he was awesome and so helpful. Iguana also helped us book other excursions, which was a great help!”

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4.Specialized Group Surf Lesson in Playa Hermosa

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 74 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $95

Meet Alvaro or Juan at Playa Hermosa for a 90-minute private group lesson built around safety, board skills, and constant coaching. You’ll learn how to stand, enter the water, and read your session while using a surfboard supplied by Salt Water Surfing Co. The lesson suits first-timers and surfers working to correct bad habits.

“Absolutely amazing surf lessons with Álvaro and Juan! I booked together with two friends and had an unforgettable experience. From the very first moment, we felt incredibly welcome, safe, and perfectly taken care of. They explained all the basics and the rules in the water in a clear and motivating way, which gave us a lot of confidence right from the start. Álvaro took a very individual approach, gave constant, constructive feedback, and helped us improve so quickly. The surf sessions in the lineup were an absolute highlight and so much fun. I’m already looking forward to coming back to Playa Hermosa and surfing again with Álvaro and Juan. Thank…”

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5.Surf Lesson in Tamarindo: Private and Group

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 68 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $70

Meet Blue Wave Surf & Tours on Tamarindo Beach for a two-hour lesson with instructors such as Andric, Jonathan, Johnny, and Paulo. You get a board, land practice, water coaching, and instruction matched to your level. Private lessons suit families, children, first-timers, and surfers ready for a shorter board.

“Excellent surf lessons for our teen sons.. they had 3 lessons with Jonathan.. he took them from being beginners to standing up in no time.. by day 3 they had progressed on to shorter boards and catching lots of waves.. Jonathan was friendly, fun and an excellent teacher. Andric who runs the surf school was also very friendly and let me sit on their sun loungers to watch the lessons.. and looked after our stuff so I could swim in the ocean and take photos! Boys were given a coconut to drink at the end of each lesson. Totally recommend this company.. thank you Blue Wave surf!”

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6.Surfing Lessons in Tamarindo by Tidal Wave Surf Academy

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 67 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $85

Meet Alvaro and the Tidal Wave Surf Academy team in Tamarindo for a two-hour lesson built around safe, practical coaching. You’ll learn paddling, board control, wave selection, and how to stand and ride. Private and group lessons suit beginners and mixed-age families, with fresh fruit after the session.

“It was such a good experience and fun at my age learning surfing. Alvaro was very knowledgeable , patient and kind. Will definitely come back and try it again.”

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7.Beginner Surf Classes

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 55 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $70

Costa Rica Explorer’s two-hour beginner surf class near Dominical teaches board control, wave timing, currents, and safe ocean habits. Instructors including Alex, Josue, Angel, Jose, and Jake work with small groups of up to eight. Beginners may surf Playa Dominical or Dominicalito, depending on conditions and ability, so confirm the beach and time before booking.

“I had an epic surfing lesson with Jake about a week ago. After years of trying to learn how to surf (I'm in my 60s), and taking lessons from at least four surf instructors, I was beginning to think that surfing was a dream of mine that was just not going to come true. I decided to give it one last chance, as Jake was highly recommended as an excellent nature/surf/rapids guide (I live in Costa Rica and got the inside scoop on instructors). In short, it was the best surf day I ever had in my life. I repeatedly caught waves one after the other. More importantly, Jake explained…”

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8.Surf Lesson by South Surf Costa Rica

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 53 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $99

Meet instructor Josué Venegas for a private two-hour surf lesson near Dominical. You’ll learn beach safety, board handling, paddling, standing, and wave riding at Playa Hermosa or another nearby beach chosen for the tide and your ability. Boards, water, fruit, chairs, umbrellas, and 10 digital photos are included.

“Super surf lesson - one of the best I ever had. Really enjoyed the session with Jossue & Mario.”

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9.Private Surf lessons in Santa Teresa Beach

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 48 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $100

Meet Sammy, Ryan, or another instructor from Santa Teresa Extreme Center for a private 90-minute surf lesson in Santa Teresa or Hermosa Beach. Beginners learn to stand and control the board, while stronger surfers work on green waves, bottom turns, cutbacks, and roundhouses. A surfboard is included.

“This surfing class was really fun. Sammy was a great instructor! He teached us a lot and was really patient. We had a lot of fun!”

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10.2-Hour Private or Group Surf Lesson in Tamarindo!

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 46 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $50Best value

Meet at Tamarindo’s beach parking area for a two-hour surf lesson with instructors such as Gustavo and Jonathan. You get a rash guard, leash, board, sunscreen, 30 minutes of beach instruction, and guided water practice. Private and group options are available, plus paddleboard classes, body boards, and rentals.

“Meeting point was vague and the guide arrived 20 minutes ns late and didn't even apologize. The whole experience was supposed to last 2h but it was more 1h30 actually. Waves are small, which is good for beginners, but they good ones can be rare, they were on the 2 days we spent around Tamarindo beach.”

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11.Surf lessons at Manuel Antonio Beach

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 39 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $55

Meet Tony at Restaurante Marlin beside Playa Espadilla for a private, two-hour surf lesson. You will spend about 10 minutes learning the pop-up on sand, then practice in the water as Tony pushes you into waves, fixes your stance, and helps you paddle and catch waves on your own.

“Tony is an excellent teacher! I had a great time learning how to surf. I am very happy that I was able to surf. Thanks again! 100% recommend!”

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12.Surfing Lesson in Tamarindo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 39 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $75

You will learn surfing basics on land, practice the pop-up, review ocean safety, then work with a certified instructor in the water. The 90-minute lesson includes a board and rash guard. Instructors such as Alejandro, Tommy, and Stephen are praised for patient coaching, and children 12 and under must attend with an adult.

“You can do it! I am a 54 year old woman who never surfed before. I tried it with two daughters (19 & 22) and we had a fantastic time! Stephen (our surf instructor) was amazing! He had us all surfing within half an hour with his expert instruction, patience and picking the perfect waves for us. We had the next 1-1/2 hours to enjoy actually surfing!! The ocean was calm so they changed our lesson time so we would get better waves. Incredible sunset was a huge plus. Highly recommend for priceless family memories!!”

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13.Conquer the Ocean with Surf Masters- Surf Lessons for all Levels

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 34 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $65

Meet at Sababa Surf School in Jacó for a two-hour lesson with an ISA-certified instructor. You’ll learn surfing rules, board handling, wave timing, and how to ride professionally. Instructor Jay is praised for helping beginners and fine-tuning intermediate and advanced surfers.

“Jay is a very respectful and motivating young man. His surfing skills are master level as are his instruction skills related to surfing. Even if you’re intermediate to advanced skill level, he can pinpoint the things you need to focus on to improve your surfing skills. I give my highest recommendation.”

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