The best surf beaches near Playa Potrero are Tamarindo, Playa Grande, Playa Avellanas and Playa Negra, all within about 30 minutes of the houses. In part 1 of this guide we covered the calm-water beaches you can walk to from Casa Roberta and Casa Daniel — great for a relaxed swim, but not exactly where you'll find a wave to ride.
Can you surf in Playa Potrero?
Not really. Playa Potrero itself has no real surf break, but that's kind of the point — it means you get to choose your wave instead of settling for whatever's out front. Within about 30 minutes you've got everything from a forgiving, sandy-bottomed beginner beach to a reef break serious surfers plan trips around. Here's where to go depending on where you're at.
Part Two: Surf beaches, by skill level
Playa Tamarindo — the easiest place around to learn. The main beach break is sandy-bottomed and forgiving, with several surf schools to choose from, while the river mouth end picks up a bit more speed for surfers who've outgrown total-beginner waves. It's also the liveliest town on this list by far, with restaurants, bars, and a night market every Thursday. Advanced surfers based in Tamarindo often book a boat out to Witch's Rock or Ollie's Point for bigger, more serious waves.
Playa Grande — about a 25-minute drive from Surfside, and one for surfers who've already got the basics down — the waves here are powerful and well-shaped with long walls, though paddling out takes more effort than a beginner beach. Check the tide report before heading out; you want to be there close to high tide to catch it at its best. If you want a lesson or a board, Frijoles Locos Surf Shop right at Playa Grande offers both — or ask Lis, who can set you up at no extra charge for the booking. It's also a wonderful place to watch the sunset, with a small taco stand near the entrance for beers and mojitos afterward. Parking costs around 3,000 colones at the time of writing, so bring cash.
Playa Grande sits entirely within Las Baulas National Marine Park, a critical sanctuary on Costa Rica's Pacific coast that protects one of the world's largest nesting grounds for endangered leatherback sea turtles. The official nesting season is October 20th to February 15th, and the highest probability of seeing turtles is November to January. To safeguard the nests, Playa Grande is closed to the general public at night from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM during nesting season.
Playa Avellanas — the next bay south of Tamarindo, though you'll need to head back out to the main road to reach it — the drive itself is part of the fun. Avellanas has several different breaks and handles a bigger swell than Tamarindo, so it tends to draw a slightly more experienced crowd, though there's still room for confident beginners on the right day.
Playa Negra — the specialist's beach, just past Avellanas: a reef break known to serious surfers (and immortalized in the old surf film Endless Summer II) that turns into a genuinely world-class wave on the right swell. It's far more forgiving at higher tide; at low tide the reef is shallow and it gets technical fast, so it's really an advanced-surfer wave at that point.
A few practical tips
- Check the tide and swell before you go. It matters more here than at any of the calm-water beaches — the same spot can be a completely different wave a few hours apart.
- Bring cash for parking at Playa Grande.
- Reef shoes are worth packing if you're heading to Playa Negra, especially around low tide.
- New to it all? Ask Lis — she can arrange lessons or board rentals for you at no extra charge.
Our favorites
An evening session at Playa Grande followed by a taco while the sun goes down is hard to top. If you're already a confident surfer, though, timing a trip to Playa Negra around the right swell and tide is the one worth planning for.
Up next: Beaches worth the drive
For your last stop in this series, we head further north to the Papagayo Gulf beach towns — beaches worth the drive: Playas del Coco, Playa Hermosa, Playa Ocotal, and Playa Panama.
Planning your own surf trip to Playa Potrero?
Casa Roberta and Casa Daniel put you within 30 minutes of every beach on this list. Book direct with us and save on platform fees.
Questions about which break is right for your level? Reach out — you'll get us, not a call center.