Planning a group surf trip to Costa Rica

A surf trip with friends is one of the great group holidays — and Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula is one of the best places on earth to take one. Warm water, year-round swell and a string of beach breaks that suit every level make it almost too easy. The hard part isn't the surfing; it's the organising. Here's how to plan a group surf trip that runs smoothly from the first message in the group chat to the last sunset session.

Start with the base, not the flights

The single biggest decision is where you stay. For a surf crew, the ideal base is close to the water, has room to store boards and hang wetsuits, and gives everyone somewhere to collapse and refuel between sessions. Santa Teresa is purpose-built for this: the town runs along the beach, the breaks are spread over a few easy kilometres, and the surf culture is woven into everything.

Book the accommodation first and the rest of the trip falls into place around it. A single house for the whole group beats scattering across hostels — you'll surf the dawn patrol together, cook together, and actually feel like a crew rather than people who happen to be in the same town.

Match the breaks to your crew

One of Santa Teresa's strengths is the range of waves within a short distance, so a mixed-ability group can all find something:

• Playa Carmen — the most forgiving, with a sandy bottom and gentle peaks. The place to put first-timers and rusty intermediates.
• Playa Santa Teresa — consistent beach breaks that step up as the swell builds; great for confident intermediates.
• Playa Hermosa — a little north and a little quieter, with longer rides that reward more experienced surfers.

If your group spans complete beginners to seasoned surfers, plan to split up for sessions and regroup afterwards. Booking a couple of lessons or a guide for the newer surfers on day one pays off for the whole trip — they progress faster and everyone gets to surf together sooner.

When to go

Costa Rica's Pacific coast has surf all year, but the seasons feel different. The dry season, roughly December to April, brings reliable offshore mornings, sunshine and the biggest crowds. The green season, May to November, has fewer people, lush scenery and bigger, more powerful swells — often the favourite of more experienced surfers who don't mind an afternoon downpour. For a first group trip, the shoulder months either side of the dry season tend to hit the sweet spot of good waves and smaller crowds.

Gear and logistics

You don't need to travel with boards. Santa Teresa is full of rental and surf shops with quality boards for every level, and renting saves the airline board-bag fees and the hassle of hauling them on the ferry. Bring your own leash, wax and reef-safe sunscreen if you're particular; rent the rest when you arrive.

For the trip itself, line up airport transfers in advance — moving a group with luggage from San José is far smoother when it's arranged, whether you come via the Tambor airstrip or the Puntarenas ferry. A good base will sort this for you.

Build in the non-surfing hours

Even the most committed crew isn't surfing twelve hours a day. The hours between sessions are where a group trip is won or lost. A pool to ease sore shoulders, a kitchen and BBQ for big shared meals, hammocks for the inevitable midday siesta, and games for the evening all keep the energy up. Yoga is practically a religion in Santa Teresa and a brilliant counterweight to surfing — a morning class does wonders for paddle-weary backs.

Why Tanit works for surf crews

This is exactly the kind of trip Tanit Villa was made for. It's about ten minutes from the breaks, sleeps twelve across five en-suite suites, and has the 18-metre saltwater pool, BBQ, yoga corner and games that make the downtime as good as the surf. Our concierge can arrange lessons, board rentals, a private chef and transfers, so the only thing the group has to coordinate is who's up for dawn patrol. Surfers consistently tell us the same thing in our reviews: it's the base that made the trip.

Very peaceful from the noise of the town but also super close — fantastic for dining, groceries, surfing and other tours.

The short version

Lock in a single, surf-close base for the whole group; match the breaks to your range of abilities; pick a season that suits your crowd; rent boards locally; and plan the in-between hours as carefully as the sessions. Do that, and a Costa Rica group surf trip more or less runs itself.

Thinking about Santa Teresa for your crew? Tell us your dates and we'll help you build it.