I Met the Love of My Life at a Costa Rica Surf Camp

Sitting on the warm sand while listening to the sound of the waves crashing around you as you gaze into the horizon and watch the sunset over the ocean. What could be more romantic?

The beauty of Costa Rica makes it the perfect place for lovers, but what about the single folks? Believe it or not, a Costa Rica surf camp for singles can be a great place to meet that special someone. One of our past guests did just that.

Amanda came to Costa Rica in December of 2021 from Canada at the age of 22. She stayed for a week at Iguana Surf Camp to have fun, learn how to surf, and meet new people. What she didn’t realize, however, is that she would meet the love of her life at a Tamarindo surf camp. We spoke to her recently to get the full story.

Question: Amanda, what made you want to come to a Tamarindo surf camp?

Amanda: Well, I had my Christmas break from university and I’d been working really hard for the past three years, going to school and working two part-time jobs, so I decided I deserved a break. And once I graduated, I knew I would be focused on my career so I figured now is the time to do something I’ve always wanted to do – learn how to surf. It was already such a cold winter but the weather around Christmas was stormy and awful so I was so grateful to get away. I’d always wanted to go to Costa Rica and see monkeys and sloths and volcanos and all that type of stuff, so I chose Costa Rica and Tamarindo because I found out it is one of the top places to learn how to surf in the world.

Question: Did you come alone or with a friend?

Amanda: I actually came alone. I was really scared! I’ve never traveled solo before. But since I booked a dorm room stay at the surf camp, I felt a little better because I knew I would meet other travelers and hopefully make friends that wanted to hang out between surf lessons. And I did. (laughs) I met the perfect companion, actually!

Question: Can you tell us about this perfect companion you met?

Amanda: Well, his name is Daven, and he’s 26. He’s from the UK and he was actually on a solo trip, too. He was staying in the dorms the same week as me and, yeah, we really hit it off, like, almost immediately.

Question: What made him stand out from the other guys in the surf camp?

Amanda: Well, he was really fit (laughs) and he had that sexy accent, of course. Plus, he was really friendly and polite, and talking to him was just really easy. We found out we had a lot in common and wanted to see and do a lot of the same things so we started doing tours together and it just kind of blossomed from there.

Question: What sort of things did you do?

Amanda: We did so much! We started out taking the ATV tour together and we had so much fun. He actually got stuck in the mud and the guides had to help him and I said he could hitch a ride with me so he climbed on the back of my ATV and we took off. I just remember us laughing the whole time.

We also went ziplining together which I had never done and was so scared at first. Daven was really supportive and even offered to stay behind with me if I didn’t want to go but he also managed to encourage me to try that first zipline. After that, I was hooked! So, I was really glad I didn’t give up.

Since our other tours went so well, we decided to do a big day trip together. We are both big nature lovers and wanted to see animals in the wild so we decided to go on the Tempisque River tour. We saw so many birds, iguanas, crocodiles, and monkeys! I got to see my monkeys – the little white face monkeys – they were so cute! We also got to learn about some of the culture of the Indigenous people of that area, which was really great.

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Question: What else did you do with your time at the Tamarindo surf camp?

Amanda: We went out to eat together. There was this great restaurant on the beach called Pangas. We watched the sunset from our table on the beach. The lighting was kind of sparkling and romantic and the food was fabulous. It was really romantic. I think this is where we really started to fall for each other.

Later that night we went dancing at Pacifico and sparks were definitely flying out on the dance floor! Just, wow.

We also would meet for breakfast every day at the hotel’s restaurant, Breakfast Grinds, and we just walked the beach and hung out, basically. There’s so much action in Tamarindo we even just loved people watching together.

Question: What advice would you give to a single person who wants to go to a surf camp in Costa Rica?

Amanda: I would say go! Iguana Surf is the best surf camp in Tamarindo. The dorms are perfect for single or solo travelers. You never know who you might meet. You could even meet the love of your life…like me!

Question: What happened after the vacation was over?

Amanda: Well, obviously we stayed in touch because we had such a great connection on the trip. I mean, I wouldn’t say we were in love yet or anything but we definitely did not want our connection to end. We both went back home and texted every day and did video calls almost every night. About six months later he came to visit me in Canada and it was amazing! About six months after that I graduated from university and came to the UK to see him and I’ve been here ever since!

We are actually planning another trip to Costa Rica because I didn’t get a chance to see a sloth like I really wanted on our last trip. There just wasn’t time to see and do it all! We are so excited and we definitely want to come back to the Tamarindo surf camp where it all started so we can say, “hey guys, remember us? We’re still together!”

Our Costa Rica surf camp isn’t just for singles. You can choose a shared dorm room with an outdoor kitchen, a deluxe friends and family dorm suite for four to ten people, or stay in one of our private loft suites. These luxury suites are beachfront for the ultimate romantic getaway.

Our Costa Rica Romantic Vacation add-on for guests of our weekly surf camp is a great option for couples who want to learn to surf and indulge in some of the most romantic activities that Tamarindo has to offer. Your stay will begin with a chocolate and champagne welcome gift. During your stay, you’ll receive a relaxing couples massage, enjoy a romantic sunset cruise on a catamaran, and preserve your memories with a professional couple’s photo session on the beach.

So, whether you are single or already happily partnered off, Iguana Surf is the best surf camp in Tamarindo for love. 

 

Written by Jennifer LaCharite