Learn to Surf at a Sustainable Beach Camp in Costa Rica

A typical day starts around 7am with breakfast, then surf theory or a quick briefing on the beach before you're in the water by 9. Lessons run for about two hours, with the instructor in the water with you the whole time pushing you into waves, calling you onto the right ones, and telling you what to fix on the paddle back out. Boards and rash vests are provided, and groups are kept small enough that everyone gets attention. After the session you rinse off, eat lunch, and the afternoon is free — most people nap, read in a hammock, or walk into the nearest village for coffee.

Late afternoon often brings a second, shorter surf session or a yoga class on the deck, followed by dinner cooked by the camp kitchen. Evenings are low-key: people play cards, sit around the fire pit, or head to bed early because the next morning's session starts just as early. There's no pressure to drink or go out — this is a camp for people who came to surf.

The Costa Rica camp at Avellanas is the smallest of the group and the one best suited to first-timers. The beach is a five-minute walk, the water is warm enough to surf in boardshorts year-round, and the break is protected from the biggest swells by the point at the north end. Instructors here are Costa Rican locals who grew up surfing Avellanas and Tamarindo and hold ISA or equivalent surf-coaching certifications; several have been teaching for over a decade. Lessons are in English and Spanish, and the ratio is usually one instructor to four or five students.

What separates this camp from a standard surf hotel is that almost nothing is outsourced. The instructors work only for the camp, the kitchen cooks three meals a day, and the same small crew runs the place all season — which is why the reviews mention staff by name. The camp itself is built from bamboo, wood and fabric glamping tents that can be dismantled each season without leaving a mark, and the camp works with local NGOs on beach clean-ups and environmental education. Guests are welcome to join those clean-ups, and the camp also runs talks and training on reducing plastic and water use.

If you're travelling with ten or more people — a group of friends, a university club, a team — the camp will put together a custom package with a group discount, and they also host outside surf and yoga retreats that want to use the site and instructors. Solo travellers are common and get placed in shared rooms with other solos of the same gender unless they book a private.

What's included

- Accommodation for the length of your stay (private room or shared glamping tent) - Three meals a day at the camp restaurant - Daily surf lessons with an instructor in the water - Surfboard and rash vest rental during your course - Yoga classes on the outdoor deck - Video analysis sessions - Access to camp facilities: restaurant, bar, lounge, hammocks, board storage - Beach clean-ups and conservation talks

What's not included

- International and domestic flights - Airport transfers - Travel insurance - Alcohol and drinks outside meal times - Optional excursions (Tamarindo day trip, boat trips) - Massages and spa treatments - Personal expenses and surf shop purchases