Continent |
Central America |
Country |
Costa Rica |
Next Big City |
San Jose, Liberia |
Next Town |
Tilaran, Canas |
Type: |
Lake |
Rider Ability: |
Expert |
Features: |
Rooms, Rental, Rescue, Shower, Toilet, Food, Parking |
Type: |
Chop, Small wave, Medium wave |
Hazards: |
No information |
Quality: |
Clean |
Best Tide: |
Tide independent |
The water is sweet and clean. Due to strong winds it gets nice waves. Staying upwind is recommended.
Type: |
Grass |
Size: |
Small |
Hazards: |
No information |
Beach Users: |
None |
Small launching area. Rigging on grass.
|
Spring:
|
Shorty |
|
Summer:
|
Shorty |
|
Fall:
|
Shorty |
|
Winter:
|
Shorty |
Definitely the best period to visit Costa Rica and to surf is during the winter time, between December and April. These are the months where the wind reaches its highest average and the sun is guaranteed, specially on the north Pacific beaches. This is also the dry season. During the day it's hot but dry and the nights are cooler. You can spend hours in the warm water. All year around the temperature is between 22 and 34°C. Water in the lake around 72°F. It is super-windy and does have some rain in the beginning of the season, but it is patchy and you get hours of sun in between for the most part. As the season progresses the rain tapers off and by January it is mostly sunny and still cranking.
Best Months: |
January, February, March, April, May, July, December |
Wind Type: |
Thermal |
Best Direction: |
No information |
Main Direction: |
No information |
During the main windy season from December through May, it is mainly a high-wind destination. Bring your 6 sqm kites because you will need them. Some locals have never flown bigger than a 9 sqm kite. The frequency of the nuking days starts falling off in March, but still it is 9 sqm kites conditions most days. In the months from April through June it becomes summer-like weather, really dry for the region. When this happens the weather is mostly calm and hot. You still get wind, but for a few days at-a-time when fronts pass through. Then is July and August another windy period as it tees up for the rainy season. This is less windy.
Transport |
Car |
|
Access
|
Short walk |
From either airport take the Panamerican highway to Canas, go east through Canas 21 kilometers to Tilaran. Just as you begin to enter the town of Tilaran take the very sharp left onto the road that goes around the lake. Tilawa is basically closed so continue past Tilawa and continue to Tico Wind. It's very easy to move around by car or by bus. There is no need for a 4x4 but the road to the beach at Tico Wind is dirt and a bit rough. You can rent the cheapest car for 250 per week or rent a four wheel drive could cost approx. $350 per week. Buses are cheap.
Rules |
None |
Strong winds, for experienced riders only.
Tilaran is a 12-minute drive. There are 4 bars. They have dancing, drinking, and karaoke almost every night, and there is a killer discotheque 10 minutes the other way from the lake every Saturday.
