Top 10 Things We Are Thankful For at Our Tamarindo Surf Shop

We have a lot to be thankful for this year at Iguana Surf Camp. Simply the fact that we are still here after the past two years of difficulty caused by the pandemic, which forced many businesses to close their doors, is a reason to give thanks. In light of Thanksgiving, we are sharing our top 10 things we are thankful for at our Tamarindo surf shop.

Year-Round Sunshine and Warm Waves

There really isn’t a bad time to visit Tamarindo Costa Rica. There is always some sun, some surf, and someone down to hang out, whether it’s catching some waves, grabbing a sunset drink, or just taking a walk on the beach. It really is “Pura Vida” (pure life). With an average water temperature of 27 degrees Celsius (80 F), you won’t need a wet suit or even a rash guard to surf here. Just bring your favorite swimsuit and you’re ready to go! If you do get a little chilly, a few minutes laying on the warm sand or on top of your board will warm you right up, especially in the heat of the afternoon when temperatures can soar to 34 degrees (93 F)! Don’t forget to wear your reef-safe sunscreen, though!

Tamarindo Costa Rica

Tamarindo is an exciting hub with international ex-pats, Ticos (locals), and visitors from around the world. The beach town draws in an eclectic mix of locals and travelers of all types, ranging from soul-searchers to people following the fiestas! It’s also a place where you can practice your Spanish or you can stick to what is comfortable and speak English, secure in the knowledge that you will be able to communicate with almost everyone in town.

Surrounding Surf Breaks

Tamarindo isn’t the only beach to surf at along the North Pacific coast. There are several great surf breaks all along the coast of Guanacaste, with many in Tamarindo and nearby. From Pico Pequeno to Pico Grande, which are both located along Tamarindo beach, to Casitas in Playa Grande and Little Hawaii in Playa Avellenas, there are many surf breaks to test out your skills. And if you really want to try a different style of a wave, head on over to the Caribbean side! Iguana Surf just sponsored a group of local youths to compete in a surf competition in Limon.

Surfboard Smorgasbord

Here at Iguana Surf, we are spoiled for choice, with over 125 boards in total from 5’6″ fishes to 10’0″ longboards. We have every type of surfboard from Al Merrick to local boards shaped here in town. In fact, we even have boards shaped by world-famous surfer Robert August, who stars in the original Endless Summer (1966) and makes an appearance in Endless Summer II (1994). The shop where August hand shapes his custom boards is located just down the street from Iguana Surf Shop, where visitors are encouraged to stop in and say hello to the legendary surfer. He also regularly holds demonstrations of his custom work and screenings of documentary films.

Small Size, Perfect Fit

Costa Rica is a small country and you can travel from one coast to the other in a day. Its small size also makes it easier to travel to bordering countries like Panama and Nicaragua where you can explore different cultures and new waves! In fact, Tamarindo Costa Rica is less than a three-hour drive from the border of Nicaragua where there is amazing surf! The most popular surf beaches in Nicaragua are Playa Maderas and Playa Majagual, which are close to San Juan del Sur, the closest beach town to the border with Costa Rica.

Beautiful Costa Rican Nature

Costa Rica has so many species of flora and fauna, it boasts 5 percent of the entire world’s biodiversity! In terms of wildlife, Costa Rica has 500,000 species, with 300,000 of those being insects, and new species that they are still discovering to this day! There are 9,000 species of flowering plants and over 1,200 species of butterflies flitting amongst the flowers. You won’t have to go far to see the most unique ecosystems Costa Rica has to offer. The Tamarindo Estuary is a mangrove forest that is vital to the environment, and there are several nearby waterfalls and two volcanoes within a three-hour drive of Tamarindo. It is truly a tropical paradise! Read about some of the best nearby waterfalls HERE.

Fresh Fruits & Vegetables

While Costa Rica is best known for its export of pineapples and bananas, there are so many fruits and vegetables to try, you will definitely see something you’ve never seen before at the farmers market. You will find all types of familiar tropical fruits and vegetables in Costa Rica, as it is only 10 degrees from the equator, but there are some that you can only find here. One vegetable you can only find in Costa Rica is the taco and it is often used in the country’s typical dish called olla de Carne. Some native Costa Rican fruits include cas, guava, and some types of avocadoes. There are plenty of fruits and vegetables to discover and even rediscover when you come to Costa Rica. Believe us when we say you will never forget the taste of a fresh, ripe mango plucked right from the tree!

International Surf Students

At Iguana Surf Camp, we have received clients eager to learn how to surf from all over the world. Most often, our visitors come from North America, which is why our instructors all speak English and Spanish fluently. We also host a lot of students from Europe and are proud to have several instructors who speak some French, Portuguese, and German. We strive to make it as easy as possible for our clients because we want to spread our surfing skills to as many people as possible.

Amazing Tamarindo Surf Shop Team

From interns and staff to the owners, the Iguana team is like a family. We even have some cute fur babies to really make it feel like a homey environment! The owners are very involved, while the managers are able to balance being the boss and also being a friend with the rest of the staff. We get interns from all over the world and are excited to successfully intertwine different cultures, traditions, and practices all under one roof. We really are one big happy family!

Happy People

Speaking of happy…we are especially thankful for the genuinely happy people you will encounter in Costa Rica. The Central American country ranked the happiest country in the world two years in a row in 2018 and 2019 and was dubbed the happiest Latin American country in 2020. The motto of Costa Rica is “Pura Vida”, or pure life, and it seems to imply a general sense of wellbeing, a feeling of optimism, and a desire for simplicity. There is a genuine joy for life here and whether you live here, are just passing through, or are looking to move to the country, we guarantee you will feel it.

There are many things to be thankful for this year, and with tourism finally coming out of its pandemic slump, we are especially thankful to see travelers coming back to Costa Rica. We know you will feel thankful when you get here, too!

By Jennifer LaCharite