Playa Carmen Surfing

On the other side of the Nicoya peninsula, when you first drop down from the jungle-covered plateau above, you will find the great surf beach called “Playa Carmen”. The best surf spot in the area sits right in front of the commercial center of the Santa Teresa and Malpais villages, with two banks, a french/belgian bakery, sushi, and half a dozen surf shops. On the beach is the Coco Logo nightclub and a beachfront Pizzeria.

The surfing at Playa Carmen is probably the most consistent in the area, and is typically crowded at sunset, with experts outside and beginners inside riding the whitewater. To the left the rocky beaches of Malpais start, so it’s good to keep to the north of the parking lot.

Because the waves are so consistently good here, many of the surf competitions are held here as well.

When the waves are too small in Montezuma, the surf schools on the inland side will head over to Santa Teresa and Playa Carmen, which faces out to the Pacific ocean, so get larger swells, and more of them. The reverse is true as well… when the waves are huge and closing out, surfers will head over to Montezuma and Cabuya.