What better way to enjoy surfing than to dedicate an entire vacation to the adrenaline-pumping water sport? Sometimes referred to as the “Hawaii of Latin America”, Costa Rica is a fantastic destination for your surfing adventure due to the incredible waves and the amount of surfing-related businesses that call Costa Rica home. If you cannot find a wave where you are, you can simply drive to the other coast, and chances are that you will find something there.

Before starting to plan your surfing vacation, you will need to choose a time when you are able to go. Assuming that you had all the time in the world and your only concern was picking the best time as far as surfing is involved, the dry season is the most popular time to go. This lasts from December to April, and although it is the busiest time of the year as far as tourism is involved, it is also the nicest time to travel. It is easier to find cheaper accommodations and service during the rainy season at the expense of having to spend some time indoors when the weather is inclement.

Depending on which part of Costa Rica you plan to stay, you will want to pack the appropriate clothing. If you are in the capital city, San Jose, or another area in the highlands, you will want a sweater or a light jacket, as the weather tends to be breezy and chilly. Especially for travel during the rainy season, try to wear waterproof clothing that dries easily; otherwise, you may find yourself waiting forever for those denim jeans to dry. Don’t pack too much, because space on public transportation tends to be limited and you will have a harder time getting around. Lugging the surfboard around is challenging enough.

As far as the surfing goes, you will be hard-pressed to find better waves, whether you are on the Caribbean coast or the Pacific Coast. There are major transportation services that offer air-conditioned busing back and forth from each side of the island so you will have no problems finding the perfect wave. All that is left is to enjoy your surfing vacation in the beautiful land of Costa Rica.

One of the important things you should consider before planning a surfing vacation is, of course, whether or not your destination has the kind of waves that you desire. If you are a beginner you may not want to be riding fifteen foot waves off the coast of Australia, for example. That is why surf maps and surf reports exist; they allow you to plan ahead for your surfing adventure by gauging the best spots and describing for you what to expect.

Surf reports exist on the Internet as standalone images, usually with color coding to denote the sizes of the waves, much like a weather forecast uses color to show different weather conditions. They include forecasts for near shore wave activity that go several days into the future so that you know exactly what to expect. One such website is wetsand.com, which offers free detailed surf reports based on the region that you select. Offering a detailed map, surf forecasts, tide charts, wind forecasts, and weather conditions for the area, you can often glean all that you need to know just from this service. You can also sign up to get surf reports by email so that you can keep an eye on a certain location for an extended period of time.

Sometimes, though, that is not enough detail for the traveler who wants to know everything about their destination. If that is the case, surfmaps.com provides detailed surf maps for many regions all over the world. These surf maps contain descriptions of the conditions that you will face as well full-color maps of the surf spots in the area. They are about $4.00 per region and can be immediately downloaded upon purchase. Besides the useful surf map, the detailed writing about the spot tends to be very helpful, containing those “insider secrets” that the natives of the area usually keep to themselves.

There are plenty of other databases online from which you can get tons of information about tides, weather, and choice surf spots. The best way to find these is to use a major search engine. Planning your trip beforehand, as well as knowing what to expect when you get there, is very important and it enhances the whole experience.

Surfing is the quintessential beach pastime, providing laidback beachgoers with an adrenaline-pumping sport that requires balance and fearlessness. Unless you happen to be fortunate enough to live right on the ocean near good surfing waters, you will have to travel at some point in order to enjoy the hobby. Although traveling with all your equipment can be very difficult, there are many ways make it easier.

Firstly, you should make sure that you have packed everything before you embark. It is easy to forget a thing or two, like sunglasses, duct tape, and wax, but make a checklist and include everything that you would think you need. Don’t forget the downtime, either: being prepared for the surfing part is nice, but make sure you have everything you need for the rest of your trip. If you are traveling by car, toss everything in the trunk, secure the surfboard well on the roof, and you are on your way.

If your plans involve air travel, though, things are a bit dicier. Airports nowadays are stressful in general, but they can be even more of a hassle if you need to take your surfboard through the system. Most likely, your board will take a beating because of the rigorous security checks the bag will be put through, so the best thing you can do is to pack it securely, using bubble wrap, in the hopes that you will prevent some of the damage.

Keep your packing light so that it is easier to carry around the airport and to the hotel. Get to the airport early so that you do not have to deal with all of this right before your departure time. Another thing to be aware of is the fact that many airlines are starting to charge extra for checking luggage, as well as for handling surfboards. You should be aware of these fees and either clear them in advance or have your travel agent do it; otherwise, you could find yourself spending all your allotted “spending money” before you even get off the ground.

Traveling with surfing equipment, especially by air, tends to be difficult, but with some forethought and preparation, you should find it manageable.

The coasts of South America feature a huge variety of waves, ranging from relatively calm surfs on the northern coast to fifteen-foot waves on the southwestern and southeastern coasts. The massive country of Brazil features both of these types of waves, making it a great place to go; there will be something for everyone depending on where you go in Brazil. It is no coincidence that many of the top surfers hail from South America.

Long out of the eye of the mainstream surfing community, South America is now coming onto the radar for its world-class waves. Although there are thousands of beaches that can be surfed up and down Brazil’s huge coastline, Copacabana and Ipanema are two of the most well-known beaches in Brazil. They can most definitely be surfed. Another popular destination for surfing and vacation in general is Rio de Janeiro. If you plan to enjoy the country while you are not surfing, Rio is a great place to go because of reasons that are known all too well to many.

A consistently excellent beach on the Atlantic side of South America (which is the only side that Brazil has a beach with), Florianopolis is known for world-class waves. Those interested in heading there for a vacation could book a vacation with Nexus Surf, which promises a deluxe stay in the city with beachfront accommodations and VIP access to the nightlife in the city. But most of all, the whole experience is geared towards surfing, offering access to both crowded beaches that are part social experience, part surf paradise, as well as remote locations where you have the surf all to yourself. The swells are consistent and among the best in Brazil, meaning that you will not be disappointed by your main reason for being in Brazil.

Regardless of where exactly you choose on Brazil’s extensive coastline to surf, you should find the experience to be extremely satisfying. Do some prior research about wave sizes to make sure you know what you are getting in to, and make some nice accommodations, but most of all, enjoy the journey.