Costa Rica celebrates the 196th anniversary of the annexation of the Nicoya district.

Guanacaste and all of Costa Rica are celebrating, as this year 2020 marks 196 years of history with the annexation of the Nicoya district to the national territory.

A place with a rich culture, with lush beauty both in its mountains and on its coasts, a town that back in 1824 made the decision to annex itself to our territory and although at that time Costa Rica was not a republic but rather a province, the inhabitants of Nicoya raised their voice through an open council and requested through a letter headed by their leader, Cupertino Briceño, to the General Congress of Guatemala their union to national soil.

It was then, from July 25, 1824, that the phrase "Of the Homeland by Our Will" was written on the province's coat of arms, as it was the inhabitants who decided to join Costa Rica.

In commemoration of its entire history and its coastal beauties that present a great variety of waves, we have decided to make a selection of seven of its best beaches frequently used for surfing, where two local Guanacastecans, Alfredo Barquero (Nosara) and Christian Boos (Tamarindo), tell us what these spots are for them.

Alfredo Barquero:

1- Frijolar Beach (erroneously called Marbella): Located in the canton of Santa Cruz, 14 km from Nosara and 19 km from Tamarindo. This beach has light sand and is 1.5 km long; the coastline features medium vegetation.

"It's an attractive, high-level wave that, depending on the swell size, can work at high tide and low tide; it's simply incredible."

2- Camaronal Beach: Located south of the rugged coast of the Nandayure canton, in the area of ​​the mouth of the Ora River, it has gray sands and a long sandbar of 3 km in length stands out in the beach landscape.

“Camaronal Wildlife Refuge has one of the heaviest waves in Guanacaste when it's big, I consider it unsuitable for low levels, but when it's small and the tide is low, it's a lovely wave.”

3- Ostional Beach: Located in the canton of Santa Cruz, it is part of the Ostional Wildlife Refuge. It stretches for 2.5 km, has dark brown sand, and is straight. It faces the open sea, so precautions should be taken during high tide. A highlight is the arrival of the Olive Ridley sea turtle from September to November.

"It's a favorite wave for getting barreled, but not recommended for beginners because of the strength of the wave and the currents. Plus, you have the option of witnessing the arrival of hundreds of turtles."

4- Guiones Beach: Located in the Canton of Nicoya, this is a large semi-bay with gray sand, darker in some areas, and boasts beautiful vegetation and stunning scenery.

“Playa Guiones has one of the most consistent waves in Costa Rica, friendly to all levels of surfing and works at any tide.”

Barquero believes that Costa Rica benefited from the annexation of the Nicoya district, as it possesses a rich folklore, as well as natural wealth and waves that are the envy of many.

“I would like to emphasize that when people come to visit us, please respect us so that you will be respected, and understand that here it is called Guanacaste and not “Guana” and that we are Guanacastecans and not “Guanacos” as some people mistakenly say.”

Christian Boos

5- Naranjo Beach - Witch's Rock: Located within Santa Rosa National Park, this beach stretches for 6.6 km. Two estuaries run parallel to the beach, and the end is characterized by rock formations. Like Nancite Beach, it is a protected nesting area for turtles between August and December. It also features a mangrove area in Estero Real and Laguna El Limbo.

"It's a wave that becomes incredible with offshore winds. It works well with a south swell, which works well at the estuary, and a south-southwest swell also works at the estuary and El Burro. If it's a northwest swell, you can surf it, but only at El Burro. In my opinion, Roca Bruja is one of the best waves in the country. It's best surfed two hours into the incoming tide. You can get there by boat, but there's also road access, but only at certain times of the year, since Santa Rosa National Park is closed most of the winter. I recommend bringing good boards. If it's big, I use a 6'2" or 6'4" board, or if it's small, a high-performance board works great for having fun."

6- Playa Negra: Located in the Canton of Santa Cruz, 5 kilometers south of Playa Avellanas, it is bordered to the northwest by the Pargos point and estuary. It has rocky ends, 1.5 km of light brown sand, and many trees.

“I like to surf on an incoming low tide. Depending on the swell size, you can use a fish board for small waves, or a round pin when it gets really heavy. This beach prefers a south to southwest swell direction, producing good barrel sections, and is usually crowded with surfers.”

7- Playa Grande: Located in the Canton of Santa Cruz. It has an approximate length of 3 km, with white sand, straight to the south and curving in the northwest sector, before reaching Cabo Velas. It has a moderate slope towards the Playa Blanca sector and increases slightly towards the north. Its shoreline features disturbed vegetation. Las Baulas National Marine Park is located on this beach.

"It's a beach that loves a southwest swell direction and usually has a large number of surfers enjoying its waves. My recommendation is to surf this beach from mid-tide to high tide and from high tide to mid-tide, as this beach doesn't like low tide for surfing."

Of course, Guanacaste has many other beaches, some of which are Avellanas, Junquillal, Tamarindo, among many others, which are also commonly used for surfing, demonstrating that this territory is truly blessed with world-class waves, which we must respect by taking care of it and showing our culture every time we visit.

Written by: Enrique Hernández

General Management: Marco Montero