1976 Doc Stewart Skate Video

Surf Boards
There are several surf shops where you can rent boards in Playa Hermosa or Playa Jaco for as little as $10 a day.  The best selection is at W.O.W. Surf on the North end of Jaco.  Simply continue down the road you turned on to go to Maxi Bodega but continue to the end and turn left.  You will see the shop on the left.  If you are staying for more than 2 weeks, either bring a board or buy one and then sell it back to a shop when you leave.  Airlines charge $80-$200 each way to transport a board now.  You do the math.  Leave your wetsuits at home.  If you have sensitive skin, bring a rash guard or t-shirt.  I always go bare-back and have never been cold – ever!
The Beach & Nearby Surf
Puntarenas is the name of the Costa Rica region encompassing the Central Pacific Coast south of the Golfo de Nicoya most accessible to you from the Jungle Haven Surf Camp. For beginner surfing and swimming, I recommend you go to Jaco.  The waves are fairly large most of the time in Hermosa and you should be an intermediate-expert level surfer. 
Playa Hermosa surf is only 1.5 miles from the house. There is nothing in California like this break when it is on. I had to relearn how to paddle and duck-dive to deal with its “teeth”.  It is always best on a rising tide and often “wally”.  Here are the popular Playa Hermosa surf spots all only a few minutes away:
T-Land right in front of the Hotel Terraza.  It is the annual site of the Quicksilver Pro event. Needs a west swell. Hollow right off the rocks.  At the south end of town, turn of the main highway heading south.  Right at the turn is the popular break in front of the Backyard Restaurant.  They hold a weekly Saturday afternoon surf contest right in front of the restaurant. This is usually crowded with the hotel surfers.  Continue south on the narrow road to The Tree or “El Almendro”.  This is one of my favorite (often crowded) spots right in front of the only almond tree on the beach side of the road.  Continue down the road and there are several more possible breaks.
Just down the road about a kilometer is Pig Farm.
The road loops inland at this point around the Hermosa Palms development and then juts back at Rio Tulin. Big powerful beach break peaks shift up and down the beach. Good river-mouth breaks but there are crocodiles.  You can continue down the dirt road towards the turtle preserve and surf just about anywhere along the way.  There is no way back out except the way you came in.
Back where the road hits the highway, you can travel South to the three Esterillos beaches Oeste, Central, and Este.  Esterillos Oeste is the most popular and has a nice long-board outside right break.  I’ve surfed it at 16 foot breaking nearly a mile out.  Esterillos Centro & Esterillos Este can be good with very typical beach breaks which always close out when big. Continue further south and follow the signs to the uncrowded Playa Bejuco where you can be the only one out.  This is one of my favorite beach breaks.

If you are north-bound, you first encounter a rocky right called Roca Loca (Crazy Rock) under the cliffs between Jaco and Playa Hermosa.  It is seldom surfed and is for expert surfers only.  You have to climb down the cliff to get there.  I would not recommend it unless accompanied by someone who knows the break.
Playa Jaco is probably the biggest surf center in Costa Rica but the waves are smaller and less powerful than Hermosa.  There is a decent beach break on the North end, but it closes out at only 6 feet.
There is boat access surfing out of Playa Herradura (“horseshoe”) Bay.  There is an excellent left off the island but it needs a big west swell to break.  Playa La Escondida is the best wave I have ever surfed in my life.  A “must ride” wave some time in your surf career.  Heavy local vibe though.  Usually several champion surfers out when breaking.  A waste of time if more than 20 guys are out and too dangerous at low tide.  Expert short board surfers only.  Boat access only for about $20 per person from Playa Herradura.  Guacalillo south of Tavives, before the Tarcoles River is a left point off the river mouth.  It is a high crime area and full of crocodiles.
Playa Tavives is a good beach break with lefts and rights.
Playa Valor is a shallow, low, rocky river mouth left.  Paddle across the river to the break. Experienced surfers only.  High crime area so leave nothing in your car. Take the Pan American highway and turn off at the sign just south of Caldera.
Boca Barranca (“mouth of the hillside”) is a classic left break and one of the world’s longest waves.  Breaks for 1 km plus with a west swell over 6 foot!  I caught the longest wave of my life here.  It needs a good south swell and a low tide.  It is 2 km past Caldera off the Pan American highway.  There is a steady current resulting in a continuous paddle to stay in the lineup.  Big time crowded but you have to at least try this one.

Surf Not So Nearby
Costa Rica lies between 8oN to 11oN, with Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south.  The country varies from 70 to 150 miles wide.  In the same day, it would be possible to surf the waves of both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts.  The roads are so indirect though that you should always overestimate the travel times.
NORTH:  The classic surf spots of Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula are to the north.  You must make the long drive around or take the ferry across the Golfo de Nicoya to get to these spots.  This includes Portrero Grande (Ollie’s Point), Roca Bruja (Witches Rock), Playa Grande, Tamarindo, Playa Langosta, Las Avellanas, Playa Negra, Playa Nosara, Playa Coyote, Manzanillo, and Malpais (Bad Country).
SOUTH:  The south Pacific coast includes Quepos, Manuel Antonio, Playa el Ray, Domini­cal (crowded line-up but “Pipeline-level-left” fun), the desolate Drake’s Bay (Playa Tortuga), Rio Claro, Cabo Matapalo, Backwash Bay, and Pan Dulce.
South of this area is the Gulfo Dulce.  This is not a day trip and spots are difficult to access.  On the southern coast of the Gulfo Dulce are Zancudo, the world-renowned left Pavones (be prepared for localism), and Cabo Blanco.