What to Pack for a Surf Trip to Costa Rica
Packing for a surf trip to Costa Rica comes down to three things: sand, sun and jungle. Bring 2 swimsuits, a long-sleeve rash guard, high-SPF sunscreen, a light rain jacket, flip-flops and one closed shoe with grip. All-inclusive resorts like Lamangata provide the boards, beach towels and transport to the break.
Once you’ve booked the flights and found your dream luxury surf resort, one small question tends to linger: what do you pack for a surf retreat in Costa Rica?
The answer shifts a little depending on where you stay. At Lamangata the board, the beach towels and the transport are already covered, which makes your list a good deal shorter than most Costa Rica packing guides suggest.
What’s left is the handful of things that decide whether your week runs easy: sunscreen you trust, shoes that handle a waterfall trail, and a rash guard that fits. Sunscreen is the thing people wish they’d brought. The third pair of jeans comes home clean.
So here’s the list, sorted, and the only thing left to decide is which morning you want to surf.
What does a Costa Rica surf resort already provide?
Most all-inclusive surf resorts in Costa Rica supply the boards and the beach towels, and the better ones handle your transport to the break as well. At Lamangata you’ll surf on premium Firewire boards, which float you well and get you catching waves sooner, and your coach picks the board to suit your size and the conditions that morning.
You can leave your own beach towels at home, because they’re folded and waiting in your suite. Depending on the schedule and your package, meals come to you at the beach on surf days, with water and fresh fruit brought down, which takes snacks off your list.
And a private SUV moves you between the property and the beach breaks, so your surf gear travels the short distance from the car to the water and back again (no rental car necessary.)
What to pack for the water on a Costa Rica surf trip
Bring at least two swimsuits, because one of them is always drying. Add a long-sleeve rash guard, which handles your shoulders better than sunscreen does and saves your ribs during pop-up practice.
Board shorts work for the same job if that’s what you’re comfortable in, and leggings do it too if you’d rather keep your legs covered on the board. Just remember that one of the pros to learning to surf in Costa Rica is that the water is warm, so no wet suits are necessary!
You’ll get the most out of anything quick-dry, and anything that takes a full day to dry will spend the week damp.
How much sun protection do you need in Costa Rica?
You need more sunscreen than a normal week calls for, and it’s worth bringing from home, because it’s expensive to buy once you’re in Costa Rica. Choose an ocean-friendly SPF, since you’ll be wearing it into the water twice a day. The sun in Costa Rica is stronger than the temperature suggests, and the surf spots you’ll be visiting have very little shade when you’re out in the water.
Good sun cover here means a surf hat with a real brim, a long-sleeve layer, SPF you’ll actually reapply, and lip balm with SPF in it.
What shoes to pack for a Costa Rica surf trip
Flip-flops or slides are handy for the property, the pool and the sand. Though of course you can relax barefoot around the spectacular oceanview infinity lap pool at Lamangata. One closed shoe with grip handles the days you’re walking somewhere, whether that’s the rainforest trails at Hacienda Baru or the path down to a waterfall.
You’ll find trail runners work perfectly well, and they dry faster than boots. If you’ve booked horseback riding, those same closed shoes will do.
You’ll want water shoes too, the pair most people forget. Bear in mind the rocks around the swimming holes at Nauyaca and Uvita get slippery, and a grippy pair means you can get in and enjoy it.
What to pack for adventure days in Costa Rica
Wondering what to pack for the days you aren’t surfing? Light layers do most of the work. Linen, cotton, a flowy dress or a shirt you can throw over swimwear will carry you from lunch and dinner through to the fire pit, and evenings stay warm enough that one light rain jacket covers you in either the dry season or the rainy season.
Be sure to pack a dry bag or a waterproof pouch. It’s the item guests are most glad they brought, because it turns waterfalls, boat mornings and any afternoon shower into a non-event for your phone. Bring bug spray for the jungle trails. Any insect repellent you already trust will do. You’ll want lightweight long pants on the rainforest walks for the same reason. Add a reusable water bottle to hydrate through the heat, a portable charger, and polarized sunglasses.
Keep your toiletry bag small (whatever you’ve forgotten, somebody at the property has probably got a spare). Your daily medication, a basic first aid kit and your travel insurance details go in the carry-on. And if you’re filling your days with the included excursions, a small backpack earns its space on a day trip.
What you can leave at home for a Costa Rica surf trip
You can leave more behind than a standard Costa Rica packing list would suggest.
Leave the surfboard. Leave the wetsuit. Leave the beach towels. Leave the cooler and the snacks. Leave the six pairs of shoes you had lined up for a week you’ll spend mostly barefoot.
Your Costa Rica surf trip packing list
Work down this list the night before and you’re set. Costa Rican beach towns run laid-back, so nothing on it is fancy.
- 2 or more swimsuits
- Long-sleeve rash guard
- Board shorts or surf leggings
- Quick-dry towel for day trips
- Water shoes for waterfall swimming
- A linen shirt or cotton layers for warm evenings
- One flowy dress or shirt to throw over swimwear
- Light rain jacket
- Lightweight long pants for jungle trails
- Flip-flops or slides
- One closed shoe with grip
- High-SPF ocean-friendly sunscreen, more than you think, since sunburn creeps up fast in the water
- Lip balm with SPF
- Surf hat with a real brim
- Polarized sunglasses
- Insect repellent
- Dry bag or waterproof pouch
- Reusable water bottle
- Portable charger
- Small daypack for excursions
- Binoculars
- Motion sickness tablets
- Basic first aid kit and daily medication
- Small toiletry bag
- Original passport, valid well past your travel dates
- A no-foreign-transaction-fee Visa or Mastercard, since American Express is patchy in Costa Rica
- Costa Rican colones or US dollars for tips and the night out in Dominical
- Travel insurance details
Already waiting for you
- Firewire surfboard matched to your size
- Beach towels
- Transport to the break and back
- Meals, water and fresh fruit at the beach
Ready for your dream surf resort in Costa Rica? Tell us your dates and we’ll answer any lingering questions you have about what to pack.
Frequently Asked Questions About What to Pack for a Surf Trip to Costa Rica
Do I need to bring my own surfboard to Costa Rica?
No, your board comes with your surf lessons at Lamangata, on premium Firewire boards matched to your size and ability. Experienced surfers are welcome to travel with a favorite board, though most guests find it easier to use what’s already here and skip the oversize baggage fees.
Do I need reef-safe sunscreen for a Costa Rica surf trip?
Bring an ocean-friendly sunscreen, which is the sensible choice anywhere you’re swimming twice a day. The beach breaks around Dominical are sand-bottomed, so this is about looking after the ocean generally.
Will a rash guard be provided, or should I pack one?
While we do have Lamangata rash guards, pack your own rash guard so you know it fits and you know you have it. Long sleeve rash guards are the single most useful thing in your bag for a week of daily surf sessions, and they save you reapplying SPF to your shoulders every twenty minutes.
How much local currency should I bring to Costa Rica?
Bring some colones or US dollars for tips and for anything you buy off the property. One evening each week is dinner out in Dominical at guest’s expense, so plan for that meal, and you’ll find the full FAQ covers the rest of the practical questions.
What size bag do I need for a surf trip to Costa Rica?
A carry-on is enough for most guests on a week-long stay, given how much of the surf gear is already at the property. The same holds if you’re mixing surf and yoga days and skipping a morning in the water. Bring a slightly larger bag if you’re traveling with camera equipment or your own board bag.
Do I need my passport for the whole trip in Costa Rica?
Bring your original passport, valid well past your travel dates, and keep it somewhere safe at the property once you’ve arrived.
Is laundry available during my stay?
Housekeeping services the suites daily. For anything beyond that, ask at the property when you arrive and the team will sort it out for you.
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