Punta Banco (Pavones)
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Punta Banco of Pavones
Surf Spot: Punta Banco
Break Type: Beach break and Reefs
Difficulty Level: All surfers
Best Swell Direction: S, SW, W
Ride Direction: Left and rights
Tides: All tides
Punta Banco is a great surf spot which is greatly overshadowed by the fact that it’s only 10-15 minutes drive from Pavones, one of the world’s best waves.
The advantage of Punta Banco is that because it’s farther outside of the mouth of the Gulfo Dulce, it gets more swell, and is more consistent with varieties of wave directions. Check it out on the map above to see what I mean.
This is really the very end of the road in Costa Rica. If you start in Nicaragua to the north and drive all the way south, this is where you end up. It’s a very beautiful place with a nice sandy beach break, and few surfers. In dry season, the road farther south can apparently become passable enough so that with a 4×4 and a lot of adventure in your veins, you can head further south, even all the way to Punta Burica.
There are several small resorts here to choose from.
Accommodations at Punta Banco
Rancho Burica – Great beachfront place in the middle of town… excellent location and affordable.
Sotavento Plantanal – Rustic private lodges with ocean views, set on 100 acres of rainforest
Tiskita Lodge – Excellent eco-lodge near the beach.
Yoga Farm – Up the hill from Punta Banco you can find the Yoga Farm, which is very inexpensive, part volunteer center and part yoga retreat.
Rancho Burica Photos:
Surf Forecast for Punta Banco
Gallery of Photographs
More Info
Facebook – page for Punta Banco
Surfline – surf report
The Surfer’s Guides – Blogspot post
Video of Surfing at Punta Banco