Costa Rica Surf Camp

Green Iguana Surf Camp Offers:

• First class surfing vacations of 7, 10, or 14 days in beautiful Playa Dominical, Costa Rica.
• Costa Rica's best quality surf lessons period. Our very dedicated staff is committed to teaching
  surfing in a positive, friendly way, and is highly experienced in providing our clients with the perfect
  Costa Rican vacation.
• Beachside lodging at Diuwak Resort or riverside lodging at Villas Rio Mar.
• World-class guided adventures such as
  rainforest canopy zip-line, river rafting, guided trips to isolated and truly breathtaking waterfalls, and much more.
• All transportation; everything is handled for you safely and efficiently, from the time you arrive in Costa Rica to the moment of your departure.
• A CD with photos of your surf lessons.
• An unforgettable, worry-free vacation that will leave you with memories you'll always treasure.

The rest of your time here is spent:

• Collecting shells and sand dollars
• Surfing warm, tropical waves at your leisure
• Swaying in a hammock on the beach, and...
• Seriously considering quitting your job, selling your house, and running away to Playa Dominical.
  
  

Playa Dominical

Green Iguana Surf Camp is located about halfway down the coast, in Playa Dominical, on the Pacific side of Costa Rica. Though Dominical is famous mainly for its beautiful beaches and great surf, the area is also known among seasoned travelers as one Costa Rica's real uncut gems, and is still relatively undeveloped. We're not in the heart of what could be called “typical tourism” here in Costa Rica, and instead of the high-rise hotels and fast food joints you can find elsewhere, in Playa Dominical the rainforest continues right out of the mountains and virtually covers the town. To put it simply, Playa Dominical is a rustic place, with some of the finest beaches in Costa Rica. Crowds simply aren't an issue on the sands of Playa Dominical! It's a place that offers plenty of solitude and privacy; there is certainly never the scenario of stepping over bodies to try and find a spot to put your towel down.

Running along the north side of Dominical is the Rio Baru, a beautiful river that weaves its way down through the mountains before entering a tropical mangrove estuary, about fifty meters up the beach from Green Iguana. The river supports a wide array of rainforest animals, and over two hundred thirty different species of tropical birds
have been counted along its banks. And of course, green iguanas are all over the place – they practically own
Playa Dominical!

Dominical has some great local restaurants, a surf shop, a few small supermarkets and fruit stands, a small but fun nightlife, a pharmacy, internet, and a bank, and everthing is within walking distance of each other.

Green Iguana Surf School

Surfing is a healthy, natural sport. It gets you in good shape, gives you a nice tan, and most of all is FUN!!! In Playa Dominical, Costa Rica, the water temperature is around 78 degrees year round, so you can leave your wetsuit at home.

Ask any experienced surfer, and they'll all tell you the same thing: nothing in the world compares with riding nice, glassy waves. At Green Iguana Surf
Camp, we teach much more than the simple act of riding a wave; the true spirit of surfing is a very special thing, and is why so many people change their lives to be close to the ocean and the surf. There really is something magical about surfing, and for many people, it's that missing link that makes their lives complete. This philosophy is shared by the Green Iguana staff, and is something we consistently impart to our guests.

Green Iguana's teachers are trained lifeguards, and are all highly experienced in teaching you everything you need to know about surfing; including the basics of reading the ocean, how to stand up properly, and how to ride the wave. Our surf instructors are bilingual Costa Ricans, and have an unparalleled knowledge of local waves and conditions. They know where all the secret spots are, and take you where it's going to be best each day, at the right time of day. Most importantly, Green Iguana's surf instructors keep a smile on your face, and show you how to squeeze every drop of fun out of your surf sessions!

Here's a description of Green Iguana's beginner's surf course:

Day 1- First lesson, held during low to medium tide at Dominical Beach. This lesson teaches you the fundamentals, and how to avoid and get out of rip currents. You'll learn all about surfing etiquette; how to avoid accidents in the water, which surfer has the right-of-way, and how to both give and
receive courtesy in the surf. The first half of the lesson is spent on the beach, where you'll learn about the effects that tide, wind, and swell
direction have on the surf, how to read and avoid rip tides, and how to read ocean swells. The second half of the lesson is spent in the water, learning
how to paddle, getting to your feet, and riding some beginner waves.

Day 2- Day two is where you step up a notch, from the whitewater to the outside break. Lesson two teaches you how to paddle out farther and deal with incoming waves, how to sit up on your board (tougher than it sounds), and how to catch waves and get up to your feet. Lessons two and on are normally held at several other beaches south of Dominical, in order to find the best waves for the day's conditions. These are all very beautiful, secluded beaches, ideal for beginning surfers.

Days 3- on The next series of lessons are held at the area's beachbreaks. These lessons are designed to teach you to ride the face of the wave, with the main focuses being on wave judgment and timing, catching waves and getting up to your feet properly, and learning how to make basic turns. The object of these lessons is to build up "muscle memory" - a term that refers to the body's ability to learn a particular movement, after many repetitions, without the mind consciously thinking about it - very important when you're learning to take off on a wave.

-Green Iguana's surf school courses include one or two surf lessons per day, timed according to the tides. The five, seven, and ten day surf courses also include unlimited surfboard use, and guided transportation to local surf spots.

-Please Note: As with all sports, some people learn to surf very quickly, while others are more comfortable taking their time to learn. Kids are
different - they surf like seasoned pros after about 5 minutes of instruction! It does help to have experience swimming in the ocean, but it's not
entirely necessary. However, we do require that all surf school participants, kids and adults, have some basic swimming abilities. If you can tread
water for ten minutes, and swim a few laps in a pool without feeling beat, then no problem - you're ready to go surfing.

-What to bring for your surf lessons: sun block is imperative - rash guards (spandex) and Aloe Gator surfing sun block can be found in local surf shops.
If you manage to forget your swimmin' trunks, you can find surf shorts and bathing suits/bikinis here as well.

-Green Iguana Surf Camp's Surf Science page is the most comprehensive and informative web page on surfing's basics and ocean safety to be found anywhere on the internet! We highly recommend that anyone traveling abroad on a surf vacation read this page before departing.

View Green Iguana Surf Camp Video