Good Vibes and Waves: Top Costa Rica Music Festivals to Experience While Surfing

Tamarindo Beach isn’t just about surfing, swimming, and sunsets. There is more to this Costa Rican beach town than meets the eye! Tamarindo is also a hot gathering place for Costa Rica music festivals, with the best events of the year happening over the next couple of months.

It is officially music festival season in Costa Rica and two major music events just took place in Tamarindo. The Tama Fest is an annual week-long event that begins on Christmas Day with rodeo events, music, food, carnival rides, and a general fiesta atmosphere. Two days of the Tama Fest are dedicated to reggae music, with dozens of national and international artists hitting the stage during Reggae Fest and Reggaeton Fest. December 30th kicks off the festival’s electronic dance party and the New Year’s Eve event is a neon party.

Another big event in the reggae world took place in Tamarindo when the Wailers featuring Julian Marley hit the town. This concert took place at La Senda, which is said to be an energy center on earth. The good vibes definitely flowed during this one-time concert event for Costa Rica, with Bob Marley’s son paying homage to his late father’s feel-good tunes.

Ocaso Music Festival – January 6 to 9, 2023

The Ocaso Underground Music Festival is another annual event held in Tamarindo. Three open-air stages will showcase music and good vibes over five days of electronic music from January 6 to 9, 2023. 

This Costa Rica music festival began in Tamarindo in 2017 and brings over 7,000 visitors per year and more than 500 DJs booked for this beach party. With over 50 percent of the bookings reserved for Central American talent, the Ocaso Festival supports the progress of the regional electronic scene more than any other festival. Solomun and Adriatique are the headliners of the big event. More international guests include Dixon, Michael Bibi, Airrica, Bob Moses, and Fideles.

This music festival boasts of being a “leave no trace” event, with a beach clean-up before and after the festival and a focus on being mindful of the local flora and fauna.

BPM Festival Costa Rica – January 25 to 29, 2023

The BPM Festival in Costa Rica is an annual electronic music festival that began in 2008 as a post New Year’s gathering of industry professionals. BPM stands for Bartenders, Promoters, and Musicians, and is a world-renowned event that gathers DJs, industry professionals, and people of all kinds who come to enjoy the music. 

For many years, the festival was held in Playa del Carmen, Mexico but has since moved to a few different locations including Portugal, Tel Aviv, Malta, and Ibiza. And in 2020, the music festival made its way to the sunny shores of Costa Rica.

This year the five-day music festival takes place from January 25 to 29, 2023 in Tamarindo. Over 40 artists have been announced to perform at the Costa Rica music festival spanning across several stages in an incredible open-air setting. Notable acts include Audiofly, Danny Tenaglia, DJ Sharam, Bedouin, and more.

Envision Festival – February 27 to March 6, 2023

The most internationally renowned music festival in Costa Rica is the Envision Festival. Held February 27 to March 6, 2023, this nine-day music festival in Costa Rica is held where the jungle meets the sea near the secluded beach town of Uvita on the South Pacific Coast.

Held in the protected Marino Ballena National Park, this festival strives to be sustainable and started a foundation called Somos El Cambio in 2020 to organize Envision’s impact initiatives, primarily focused on environmental preservation and restoration. The foundation also strives to educate and empower the local community, leveraging volunteer programs and collaborating with government and for-profit organizations.

The Envision Festival has been one of the most evolutionary music festivals in Costa Rica for over a decade. It strives to create an eye-opening experience for its attendees, which come from all over the world to join the eclectic Envision community. The festival is built on a foundation of seven pillars – sustainability, health, movement, education, art, music, and spirituality.

The headliners for the Envision Festival include Bonobo and CloZee, who will play on one of four unique stages along with dozens of other world-renowned electronic music artists. The festival is also known for its elaborate entertainment and art installations, workshops, and yoga classes. If you are interested in green living, chill vibes, and self improvement, this may be the music festival for you.

Visitors and locals alike enjoy the excitement that these festivals bring to town and everyone will come together to listen to the music and feel the energy of a music festival in Costa Rica. Plus, there is no better backdrop than the beautiful beaches and breathtaking sunsets of Costa Rica to dance the night away.

The great thing about coming to a music festival in Costa Rica is that there is plenty to see and do on the days you are not at the festivals. During the time in between events or if you decide to add some time before or after the festivals, the list of incredible things to see and do in Costa Rica is endless. 

One of the main attractions that bring folks to Tamarindo from far and wide is the world-class surfing. Whether you have never even touched a surfboard before or you are a seasoned pro, there are waves in Tamarindo for everyone. 

Check out these Tamarindo beach breaks for beginners, intermediate, and advanced surfers.

Taking some surf lessons or renting a board to hit the waves during your time in Costa Rica is the perfect way to get the true “Pura Vida” experience. You absolutely cannot leave Tamarindo without testing the waves! 

Surf lessons at Iguana Surf start at just $45 per person, and board rentals start at only $10. If you decide to take a lesson with us, all of your board rentals will be 50 percent off for your entire trip! So, whenever you have some downtime between dancing, you can paddle out and get a little quiet time in the ocean and a little exercise too! Plus, nothing cures a hangover quite like a dip in the ocean. 

There are also several day trips from Tamarindo that will allow you to see spectacular sights beyond the bright lights and awesome stages of the music festivals in Costa Rica. From hiking a volcano, to swimming beneath waterfalls, to flying through the jungle canopy on a zipline, to catching the sunset on the ocean aboard a catamaran, you will be blown away by the options around Tamarindo beach.

The best day trips from Tamarindo.

The next few months are filled with fiestas and festivals in Costa Rica, and with so many other things to see and do, you definitely will not be bored! While we know you want to pack in lots of action at the festivals, make sure you save some time just to relax and enjoy the beach as well. There is nothing quite like a sunset on the beach to make you reflect on the upcoming year. What a great way to start 2023! 

Written by Jennifer LaCharite