Pura Vida Surfers (Santa Teresa, Costa Rica) ★★★

Santa Teresa is at the bottom west side of the Nicoya peninsula of Costa Rica. There are numerous beach and point breaks along the western coastline and when the conditions are right there is surfing on the east side which is only a 30 minute drive away. The coastline of Santa teresa is entirely white sandy beaches and perfectly breaking waves.

Our camp is for anyone that wants to learn to surf! Here we not only want to teach you the basics of surfing, or help you impove the skills you have, we want to share with everyone our passion for the sport and the lifestyle. There is something for everyone at our camp. With a capacity for only 20 people we maintain a laidback atmosphere where you can relax after a challenging day in the water. Our surf instructors are trained for lessons with kids as young as four years old so this camp is perfect for the whole family. For those interested in more nightlife we are walking distance from popular restuarants and the local discotheque.

Pura Vida Surfers was founded by Victor St. Clair, a local Tico, in 2013 when he settled in Santa Teresa after years of competing professionally in surf competitions around the world. Joined by his partner Elena Horner who moved to Costa Rica, after years of challenging work in the oil industry of Alaska, in search of a slower paced life and a dream of learning to surf. Together they invested in a property nearby the beach to expand the surf camp and bring their dream to reality. Doing all of the designing and much of the construction themselves building the surf camp was certainly a labor of love, and the results couldn't be better. With murals painted by their guests and furniture crafted themselves the camp is charming and unique just like the story that created it.

Our surf camp has six private rooms, two of which our separate bungalows and 4 are in our main house. Each are spacious with comfortable beds, ac, and private bathrooms. There is a separate house with two bedrooms and a shared bathroom and full kitchen, this is a great option for groups or family’s that want space of there own. for our budget travelers we have a spacious dorm with 6 large beds and privacy screens.

In our comunal area we have a screen to project our surf videos for video analysis in the evenings and to display some of our favorite waves during the day for inspiration. We have space for dry land surf training as well as a pool to practice your turtle rolls and duck diving along with other surf fundamentals.

When we’re not catching waves, or training to do so, we offer Spanish lessons, salsa classes and our friendly staff can help you organize fun excursions in the area.

Our surf camp is designed for flexibility so you get the best experience possible. You can tailor your surf camp package to fit your needs. We offer a simple breakfast with coffee and tea on site and if you would like lunch and dinner included you can specify how many for your stay when you book with us and we will set up a price for you. For lunch and dinner you will be given ticket vouchers that are good at almost any restaurant in town. There are plenty of vegan, vegetarian and healthy options to choose from.

Surf lessons vary in group size with there always being an instructor for every 3 students. Exact times for lessons depend on the tide but there will always be a morning and an afternoon session. For those who have never surfed we will spend their first day or two in the white water getting comfortable on the board and after that head to green waves. Every lesson is filmed so you can review your surfing in the evening, we've found this is the fastest way for people to improve. We train on the beach for about 30 minutes before getting in the water and then have 2 hours in the water.

Boards are provided during lesson and after for use. Novice surfers will use 9-10 ft. foam boards and we have a range of sizes of fiberglass boards for more advanced surfers. Rash guards are gifted to our students on their arrival. Fruits, water and coconuts are given out after every lesson. It's recommended students bring their own sunscreen, preferably a water proof zinc for their faces.

Our camp includes daily yoga classes for you to relax and stretch your body after the work out of surfing. Yoga types offered and vinyasa, hatha, ashtanga, power, and yin. Classes are available throughout the day. Spanish lessons and salsa classes are available at the camp also. We organize trips to the nearby waterfall in monetezuma or Cobo Blanco wildlife refuge depending on interest of our students. We can also arrange stand up paddle board tours in Mal Pais.
Our friendly and knowledgable staff is here to help you make the most of your vacation and are happy to help you arrange anything in the area that interests you. ATV tours, horseback rides, fishing tours, ziplining, whale watching, these are just a few examples of what Santa Teresa has to offer.