Surfing in Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica
Cabo Matapalo sits at the southern tip of the Osa Peninsula where the Pacific swings around the headland and delivers some of the most consistent right-hand point breaks in Costa Rica. The waves here are not the beach break slop of more accessible spots — they're long, powerful points that peel down a reef and reward surfers who understand how to read a wave and position themselves correctly. The surf season peaks from April through August when south and southwest swells from the Southern Hemisphere push north — the same months when the dry season has ended and the jungle turns electric green with daily rain.
July often brings the best combination of swell consistency and the veranillo, a brief dry window mid-rainy season, making it the month where the surf fires and the conditions occasionally cooperate. Getting to Matapalo requires a 4WD on a road that tests both vehicle and driver; the reward is a lineup that sees a fraction of the surfers that more accessible breaks in Costa Rica receive.
Weather & Conditions
| Month | High / Low | Rain Days | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 89° / 72°F | 5 | Okay |
| Feb | 90° / 73°F | 3 | Okay |
| Mar | 92° / 74°F | 4 | Good |
| Apr | 91° / 75°F | 8 | Good |
| May | 89° / 74°F | 18 | Peak |
| Jun | 88° / 73°F | 20 | Peak |
| Jul | 88° / 73°F | 16 | Peak |
| Aug | 87° / 72°F | 22 | Peak |
| Sep | 86° / 71°F | 24 | Good |
| Oct | 85° / 71°F | 26 | Okay |
| Nov | 86° / 71°F | 18 | Okay |
| Dec | 87° / 72°F | 10 | Okay |
Where to Go
Airstrip and jump-off point.
World-class right-hand points.
The biological heart of Osa.
Rainforest lodge reserve
Know Before You Go
Lapa Rios is open to the jungle. You will share your space with insects, monkeys, and macaws. It is not a manicured resort experience.
To minimize environmental impact, the bungalows at Lapa Rios do not have AC. They rely on ocean breezes and ceiling fans. The nights can be warm.
Even in the dry season, the jungle can be muddy. The lodge provides rubber boots, but bring clothes you don't mind getting dirty and wet.
Hotels & Lodges for Surfing
Lapa Rios
A pioneering rainforest lodge set in a private 1,000-acre reserve at the tip of Cabo Matapalo — one of the original and still definitive wilderness lodge experiences in Central America, where the bungalows are open to the jungle and the wildlife arrives uninvited.