Costa Rica - Pura Vida

-      C  O  S  T  A      R  I  C  A      -

-   P A V O N E S   -

Early morning surf in Pavones

'PURA VIDA'

 ... means literally pure life, and in Costa Rica it means even more. 'Hello', 'Goodbye', 'Thanks', 'Good', 'Nice' and many more. In case you don't speak any Spanish, just always say 'Pura Vida' and you should be alright.

To be honest, my trip in Costa Rica was always feeling like Pura Vida - I started on the very southern end with the longest lefthand point-break in Central America a beautiful place, remote and one of the greatest waves I have ever surfed.


KLICK ON LINK TO WATCH THE NEW COSTA RICA VIDEO

Green lizard in Pavones

Pavones - one of the longest point-breaks in the world - on the other side you will find Matapalo (also a point-break)

Cutbacking

Set wave on midday

Pavones breaks over cobblestone - not that bad as Indonesian reef to fall on

Locals ripping the wave on the biggest day

When it was on, there were more than 70 people in the water

Trying out like the professionals - good but not yet good enough!

Snap!

Sneeking

into

the tube!

Local kids

-   D O M I N I C A L  -

After one whole week I continued going further north to Dominical, a small and nice laid back fishermen village, where I found strong and barreling waves and also some easier waves. Landscape in and around Dominical was really stunning, as the mountains start just behind the beaches. In the Cool Vibes Beach Hostal - really recommendable - I met my newest travel buddies Cathi and Dennis as they also went up north.

Playa Dominical

Dennis going for a big set wave

Luis from Limon (Costa Rica) ripping the biggest wave

Hilly beaches of Dominical

The sky was on fire in Dominical that day

-   M A N U E L    A N T O N I O  -

Next stop was Manuel Antonio, which is a super crowded National Park and a big disappointment for everybody as it appears that animals have escaped because of too many tourists wanting to pay 16 Dollars entrance fee. Most animals you see on the following pictures, we saw outside the park.

Inside the park...

...we could see some crabs...

...ants...

...one snake, which is cool - thats it!

Outside the park, we found the sloths...

...and the big iguanas

-   S A N T A    T E R E S A    /     M A L    P A I S  -

One of the most beautiful places in Costa Rica was Santa Teresa, even if it was a bit more touristy than thought before. I was staying with Cathi and Dennis in the Mal Pais Surf Camp, a great accomodation in a huge area with pool, mango trees and a lot of cheeky monkeys and iguanas.

Waking up like this is just spectacular 

Feeding the birds with our leftovers from breakfast - this time mangos

Inside the Mal Pais Surf Camp area, we found also other animals like this local squirrel and many more...

These funny squirrel monkeys were each day around 4 pm jumping around the trees and trying out mangos - in case they didn't like them they threw them onto us! No joke!

In the air!

All days in Santa Teresa, I did not go into the water - In the end my foot healed very well and it was worth it (and the waves were not perfect down there!)

In between Playa Santa Teresa and Playa Carmen

Sunset surf session

Lots of hermit crabs swarming around the beaches

Juniors trying out the surf...

...they are doing really well!

Beautiful Playa Carmen

Playa Hermosa, in the North of Playa Santa Teresa and Playa Carmen

Dennis, Kai, our new friend and me watching the sunset

Dennis, Cathi and me enjoying our evening cerveza!

Beach next to Playa Mal Pais

In case you haven't seen it so far - I'm preparing my moustache for Mexico to look like a local!

Leaving Santa Teresa with our one day rental car! Road trip mode on!

-   P L A Y A    A V E L L A N A S  -

Guanacaste is Costa Ricas most northern state and you see the similarities to Nicaragua in terms of landscape. Very dry, it never rains and in some places already all year offshore winds caused by the Lago Nicaragua. Surfing up here is very good and when we have been there a little bit smaller, but very clean and mellow conditions. Playa Negra and Playa Avellanas were our surfing beaches, as we did not have a own car anymore, we didn't discover more the region. In case you have one, do it - there are still a lot of uncrowded spots, live the search!

Thats how we go to surf! Bryan gave us a ride. An expensive one as we realized in the end! 

Going to the famous Playa Negra - mentioned in the surf movie The Endless Summer

Good surf there!

Dennis scores a bigger set wave at Playa Negra

Group picture with our hostal Big Mama Rita

Playa Avellanas - Little Hawaii - an uncrowded quality reef break with fast moving mellow waves! So much fun!!!

Lots of sea turtles were hanging out in the lineup with us - I had a short dive and said hello!

Playa Avellanas - Next to the rivermouth! 

Leaving the dry but beautiful Guanacaste area

Queridos amigos, I hope you don't get too jealous by my reports, but I'm sure summer will arrive soon back home and in case it won't just do it - take yourself the time and go on your own adventure!

I'm currently in Popoyo, Nicaragua - a very very nice place on earth - you will get very soon some more information about this place and also about the rest of Nicaragua. 

-

-

-

PURA VIDA!