Surf Honeymoon in Costa Rica: Adventure, Romance and Luxury at Lamangata

A surf honeymoon in Costa Rica at Lamangata Luxury Surf Resort gives active couples adventure, romance and luxury in the same week. You learn to surf side by side, with surf coaching built around each of you, then come back to a private ocean-view suite, chef-made dinners at sunset and a couples massage on the 4-night Romance package.

You said yes to each other, or you’ve reached the kind of milestone that deserves more than a dinner reservation. And the two of you have a sense of adventure, so you’d rather catch your first wave together than spend the whole week horizontal by a pool (though there’s an infinity lap pool for when you do want some relaxation time, too).

A surf honeymoon in Costa Rica gives you both. Mornings are for learning something new side by side, and afternoons belong to everything a honeymoon should be: a private terrace above the rainforest canopy, a couples massage, dinner while the sky turns gold. At Lamangata, high on the hills above Dominical, where the mountains meet the sea, adventure and luxury share the same week.

Here’s how that week unfolds, from your first wave together to the last night by the fire pit.

See the ocean-view suites and check your dates

Why a surf honeymoon in Costa Rica is the trip you’ll keep retelling

A surf honeymoon in Costa Rica turns a beautiful trip into a shared story, because learning something hard together is how couples end up laughing about it for years. Psychologists studying couples have found that trying new, exciting activities together makes partners feel more secure in the relationship, and the more secure partners felt, the more satisfied they were with each other.

Surfing in Costa Rica is about as new and exciting as it gets. You’ll wipe out like every new surfer does, you’ll cheer for each other’s first ride, and you’ll paddle back in salty, sun-warmed and grinning. And the water off Dominical stays warm all year, so you surf in a swimsuit and save the wetsuit for someone else’s honeymoon.

Surf lessons for couples at any level

Every lesson at Lamangata is built around each of you, so it’s fine if one of you is a beginner and the other’s an advanced surfer, or if you’re both first-time surfers. 

Junior, our head coach and a lifelong surfer who won the 2024 national longboard title, matches every surf session to your levels and picks the beach break with the best waves for the day’s swell, from mellow waves at Dominicalito to more power at Playa Hermosa.

Each lesson follows the Pool-to-Ocean Method. You practice pop-ups together in the infinity lap pool, surf on Firewire boards, then sit down side by side at the big screen for your post-surf video review (the camera has no idea which of you promised to stand up first). 

It works, too, since 99% of guests stand up on a surfboard before the end of the week. Our guide to surf lessons with Coach Junior has more on how a lesson runs.

And if only one of you is itching to get in the water, that’s fine too. “My husband surfs but I do not and I still had a wonderful stay here,” Kasey C wrote on TripAdvisor.

Adventure without giving up luxury on your Costa Rica surf trip

Adventurous couples get to have it both ways on a Costa Rica surf trip at Lamangata. You can swim below a waterfall in the morning, catch a wave at one of the beautiful beaches near Dominical after lunch and still be back in your suite’s luxury en-suite bathroom before the sunset hors d’oeuvres come out.

That’s the honeymoon in Costa Rica you’ll be retelling at every anniversary. You come home a little sun-kissed, a lot more confident in the water, and closer than when you left, and half your stories start with “remember when” (it’s usually the wipeouts).

Privacy and luxury on a hilltop above Dominical

Privacy is the first luxury of a honeymoon, and Lamangata keeps it with only six ocean-view suites on a quiet hilltop above Dominical. Your accommodation is an ocean-view suite with teak floors, vaulted ceilings, a king premium mattress with 400+ thread count sheets, and floor-to-ceiling glass doors that slide open onto your private terrace, with sweeping Pacific Ocean views stretching from Manuel Antonio National Park in the north toward the Osa Peninsula in the south.

That’s what luxury means here: high-end in every detail, relaxed in every interaction. One guest, JB, wrote on TripAdvisor that Lamangata is “so secluded you feel like you are alone on the mountain.”

The name fits, too. Mångata is the Swedish word for the road of moonlight on the water, and on a clear night you may see it laid across the ocean below your terrace.

What a romantic week at Lamangata looks like

Couples can build their week on the Romance, Adventure & Relaxation Package, which mixes adventure and downtime over a 4-night minimum. It includes:

• A surf lesson together, with post-surf video review
• A 1-hour couples massage in the open-air massage room
• A 1-hour couples yoga lesson in the teak yoga studio
• A swim below Nauyaca Waterfalls, 15 minutes away, and a low-tide walk out to Rocas de Amancio
• An optional ceviche cooking class, so you bring a recipe home
• Welcome drinks, sunset hors d’oeuvres and three chef-made meals a day

Everything is handled, with a luxury SUV and driver for every activity on your itinerary, so after months of wedding planning, the hardest decision left is which side of the terrace gets the sunset! For honeymoon-specific stays, see our honeymoon getaway page.

Evenings on a Costa Rica surf honeymoon

Evenings start with sunset hors d’oeuvres as the light fades over the water, then roll into dinner. Three chef-made meals a day are curated around what you love to eat and plated to order, with much of it picked from our greenhouse that morning, edible flowers and homemade ice cream included.

Afterward, the ocean-view fire pit is yours for as long as you’d like to sit there, and it’s hard to leave. “Every aspect of our weeklong stay at Lamangata was perfect,” Sid and Anne wrote on TripAdvisor. It’s like staying with friends and family, with a team that knows your names by the first dinner.

Tell us your dates and what you’re celebrating, and we’ll start planning the week around the two of you.

Explore honeymoon stays at Lamangata

Frequently asked questions about a surf honeymoon in Costa Rica

Do we need surfing experience for a surf honeymoon?

No experience needed. Couples who are new to surfing are welcome, and so are intermediate and advanced surfers, because every lesson is matched to your level with a warm-up in the pool first and a video review after, even on your very first surf experience.

Is Costa Rica known for surfing?

Yes, Costa Rica’s Pacific coast is one of the most popular surf destinations in Central America, with well-known breaks from Tamarindo, Santa Teresa and Playa Guiones in Nosara in the north to Pavones near the Panama border. Dominical sits in between, a laid-back surf town with a string of surf breaks a short drive apart along the coastline, and our guide to Dominical vs Nosara vs Guanacaste compares the regions.

When is the best time to visit Costa Rica for a surf honeymoon?

Surfing near Dominical runs year-round, so the right moment to go is whenever you can both get away. The green season, roughly May to November, brings afternoon rain and the rainforest at its most lush, and the dry months from December to April bring the most sunshine.

How long is the Romance package at Lamangata?

The Romance, Adventure & Relaxation Package has a four-night minimum, and you’re welcome to stay longer. Wednesday night is dinner out in Dominical, at guest’s expense.

Are airport transfers included on the Romance package?

Transfers from the airport sit outside the Romance package at every stay length, so plan your transfer to the coast ahead of time. Our guide to getting to Dominical covers the drive from the airport.

Is a couples massage included at Lamangata?

Yes, a 1-hour couples massage is included on the Romance, Adventure & Relaxation Package. On other packages, spa services such as a 60-minute massage can be added to your stay.