Playa Negra
Playa Negra
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Surf Spot: Playa Negra
Break Type: Reef-rocky
Difficulty Level: Experienced surfers
Best Swell Direction: Nortwest, West, Southwest
Ride Direction: Right
Tide: Mid and high tides
Description
Playa Negra is a gray sand surfing beach located in Los Pargos, in the Guanacaste Province of Costa Rica, just south to Tamarindo. The remarkable beach is a renowned tourist hot spot particularly among surfers. Moreover, visitors will find a string of surf camps and shops standing along the beach. Playa Negra is popular due to its consistent, clean waves and easy access. It is also close by other surf spots such as Playa Avellana and Tamarindo. Playa Negra instantly gained popularity when it was featured in a memorable surf movie called Endless Summer II.
The back colored beach is a fabulous surf point for those who are seeking a thrilling challenge. For a hardcore surfer, the incredible surf break with its consistent right hand barrels is really fun to ride. The best time to surf is at mid to high tide when the right breaks over the reefs. The world class waves are fast, hollow and powerful riding up to 150 meter. It can be dangerous to surf at a low tide because the reefs are shallow and expose the sharp underwater rocks and corals. If you are a dare devil, you may want to ride the perfect tubes that are created at a low tide but it is not advisable. Although the beach is easily reached, the take off zone is a very small area accommodating only about a dozen of surfers. It can be quite tricky and difficult to take off when the break is crowded. To this date, the black beach is regarded by many veteran surfers to be one of the best surf points in Costa Rica.
Playa Callejones, a lesser known break, is located south to Playa Negra. It is a beach break with fantastic rights and lefts that break over a sandy bottom. The break is fun to surf at a low tide with good swells coming from the north. Playa Callejones is great option for novices who are not yet ready for the powerful waves of Playa Negra.
Surf Camps
Because of its tremendous popularity among wave riders, Playa Negra houses plenty of surf camps and shops suitable to all sorts of budgets. There is Hotel Playa Negra which is a cozy bed and breakfast located on the main street of the town, Los Pargos. It offers surf lessons, spacious rooms, internet access and great facilities. The place is perfect for small families and couples. Casa Mango Tango is a vacation rental in Los Pargos where visitors wishing to spend a quiet, private getaway can reside. Popular surf camps are Costa Rica Wave House and Peace Retreat Costa Rica. The town also has many diners, restaurants, pizza parlous, bars and cafes offering a wide range of local and international cuisines.
