Surfing Pavones Discover Costa Rica's epic surf in the South West Pacific

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South West Pacific - Pavones

If it is off the beaten path you want, a surf and jungle hideaway with miles of deserted beach and untouched tropical rainforest then Surfing Pavones is the place for you. It is the main surf town of the Golfo Dulce area located at Costa Rica's South West corner as it boarders its neighbour Panama.

The area is a 6 hour drive from the Capital and main airport of San José. It is also possible to get a 3hr flight from San José to Golfito, the region's main town. And Golfito is 1hr drive to Pavones the areas main surf town.

You do not need your own transport as it is so inexpensive to get local transport. The area is best surfed from March to October although the shoulder seasons of November to February offer good consistency and less crowds.

The Golfo Dulce area is a real step of the beaten track, no ATMs, no shopping centres, no big commercial restaurants. Just a few chill out bars, cafés and restaurants. Its a wonderful tropical rainforest surfers paradise! Of course there is also a great selection of waves. Surfing Pavones wave itself and you will surf what has been described as the longest World Class Left Break while nearby Pan Dulce has been compared to Rincon in the US.

Weather Conditions

J/F M/A M/J J/A S/O N/D
Air Temp (°C)
30°
30°
28°
28°
28°
26°
Wetsuits
Rain

Surf conditions for Beginners:

Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson JAN for BEG level
J
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson FEB for BEG level
F
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson MAR for BEG level
M
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson APR for BEG level
A
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson MAY for BEG level
M
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson JUN for BEG level
J
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson JUL for BEG level
J
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson AUG for BEG level
A
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson SEP for BEG level
S
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson OCT for BEG level
O
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson NOV for BEG level
N
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson DEC for BEG level
D

Surf conditions for Intermediates:

Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson JAN for INT level
J
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson FEB for INT level
F
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson MAR for INT level
M
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson APR for INT level
A
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson MAY for INT level
M
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson JUN for INT level
J
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson JUL for INT level
J
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson AUG for INT level
A
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson SEP for INT level
S
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson OCT for INT level
O
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson NOV for INT level
N
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson DEC for INT level
D

Surf conditions for Advanced:

Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson JAN for ADV level
J
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson FEB for ADV level
F
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson MAR for ADV level
M
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson APR for ADV level
A
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson MAY for ADV level
M
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson JUN for ADV level
J
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson JUL for ADV level
J
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson AUG for ADV level
A
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson SEP for ADV level
S
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson OCT for ADV level
O
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson NOV for ADV level
N
Surf Conditions in South West Pacific - Pavoneson DEC for ADV level
D

Rain

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Suitable for: Beg/Int/Adv

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Pavones is best described as a laid back surf town. Thanks to its remoteness it has never become a commercial town, it is very laid back and old school, surrounded by lush rainforest and long beaches.

Surf provides the main tourist so most people you will meet will be there to enjoy the laid back lifestyle and the surf. The town is made up of a good choice of restaurants and bars, a nice mix of local food and good old Pizza!

Matapalo is a smaller beach town, located across the Ona Peninsula from Pavones. It still remains a hidden paradise thanks to its remoteness. There is a small selections of restaurants and bars, but it is famed for its tranquility and not its nightlife. Think scenic beaches, lush forests and Coconut trees.
How to get o Pavones and Costa Rica's South West coast

Flights
Costa Rica's main international airport is San José, a 6 hours drive from the South West coast.
It is also possible to get a 45 minute flight from San José to Golfito, the regions capital.

Bus
From San José the bus ride takes approximately 7 hours to the areas major town of Golfito. A one way ticket is only 20 US dollars. From Golfito it is another 1.5 hour bus to the surf town of Pavones.

Car Hire - We have a discount car hire section on our website where you can rent a car. Rent your car from the airport and drive. The journey to Pavones is 6 hours in the car. From Golfito it is an hour's drive to Pavones.

From Panama
Pavones is an hour and a half from Panama's border town Paso Canoas

Visa
No visa is neccessary. A valid passport is required and most visitors can stay up to 90 days.
The Golfo Dulce has plenty of waves making it s a great surf holiday spot. The main surf town Pavones is known for its lefts. The main wave has been called the worlds longest left and can run up to 1km on occassion. Its better for turns rather than barrels and there are a good amount of peaks allowing for different take off spots.

Close by, a few kms further south is Punta Banco which has a mix of left and right reef breaks. From here you can keep on going South to Punta Burica and pass by many uncrowded beach breaks and reefs, including Eclipse, a unique rivermouth break.

Across on the other side of the gulf is Matapalo, better know for its left breaks. You an get a boat across from the locals. The surf here includes Pan Dulce, one of Panamas World Class spots, a right point break, The area has a good mix of mellow waves as well as more hollow ones. Venture around the Corcovado national park and you will discover empty surf and beautiful tropical scenery.

Come Surf Pavones with us...

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