Teen Overnight Costa Rica Winter Break

This is a sample itinerary and does not necessarily reflect the camp’s exact schedule. Program schedules are dictated yearly by tides, vendor availability, and swell forecasts.

Day 1 – Arrival & Orientation

As your plane touches down in Liberia you’ll get a glimpse of the Costa Rican coastline through the window. Your excitement will begin to grow as you realize you’ve made it to one of the most magical countries in the world after only a half a day of travelling, your week of adventure is about to begin. A WB Surf Camp Trip Leader will be eagerly awaiting your arrival at the Liberia International Airport (LIR). We’ll make our way to Playa Grande to unpack and get settled in. After hitting the beach to lay eyes on the first of many Costa Rican sunsets, we gather for our first meal together where your coaches will give an overview of the week ahead. There is nothing better than waking up to perfect waves and surfing all day long, and with full bellies and plenty of stoke for the first surf session we’re off to rest up for our first full day of adventures.

Day 2 – Surf Instruction, Wave Riding, & Surf Seminars

As you wake up the sounds of tropical birds and monkeys calling out remind you that you are officially in paradise. Your surf coaches have already been up for hours checking the surf, preparing your surfboards, and brewing coffee to kickstart your morning. The sun is just starting to peak over the mountains which means it is almost time for our first surf session. After a protein-packed breakfast we head out to the beach where your coaches take you through the surf techniques you’ll use throughout the week, taking care to pay attention to each student’s pace of learning and keeping it fun for everyone. After surfing we head back to camp and sit down to a freshly cooked typical Costa Rican lunch of chicken or fish, rice and beans, locally grown fruit and get ready for the next activity. Each day wraps up with hands-on seminars that will teach you about surfboard design, how to improve your balance and dynamic movement, and surfing etiquette. As we reflect on the first day of spring break you see the excitement and joy on everyone’s faces, and you can’t wait to see what else is in store for the week!

Day 3 – Surfing & Surf Seminars

We will be surfing “beach breaks,” which are sand bottom breaks, and Playa Grande provides perfect left and right handers, but depending on the swell we may find ourselves at Playa Langosta, Playa Tamarindo, or one of the many other incredible beach breaks in the area. You will feel both your confidence and skill level increase dramatically.  After the morning session and lunch, we have some time before the tides come up for the afternoon surf session, but we always have a way to train!  We head ten minutes up the road to a local skate park to learn and practice skills that we can use while wave riding, and you’ll even pick up some drills that you can practice at home.  The coaches at the park will help you improve your balance, rail work, dynamic movement, and timing on turns.  Once the tide is right we rush back to camp to grab boards and hit the lineup, eager to put what we just learned to the test.  After full days of catching waves and exploring with new friends, dreams of surfing will fill your mind as you drift away to the sound of howler monkeys in the distance.

Day 4 – Community Service, Cultural Immersion, & Sunset Surf Session

During our stay we will be cared for and guided by several local businesses and their employees, not to mention the waves and beaches that are shared with us by the local surf community. We believe that as surfers our job is to contribute to the communities we visit, not just consume what they have to offer before going home. On our community service day we will spend time in-between surf sessions helping a local school that provides free education to families in need.  We will split into 3-4 person crews, and each crew will take on a different project: cleaning, painting, or landscaping.  No matter the size of the project, the contributions we make allow the full-time staff and volunteers to focus on larger projects on the grounds and give their time and energy to their students, they greatly appreciate the time we have to give!  The smiles on the faces of the local students in teachers that we help will stand-out in your memory long after you return home.

Day 5 – Rainforest Zipline & Whitewater Tubing Adventure

Today we start the morning a little differently, and load into the vans to drive inland to Rincon de la Vieja, a national park centered around a volcano deep in the Costa Rican rain forest.  As we journey up into the mountains, you’re amazed at how the landscape can change so much in a matter of an hour’s drive.  The dry, coastal woodlands quickly give way to dense, lush jungle environments. Here we will take a break from the waves as we zipline, hike, and raft through scenic canyons. After a day of new adventures, we head back to the coast for a sunset session.  After dinner your instructors may put on one of their favorite surf films to wind down for the evening, and the clips provide inspiration and fuel the stoke for tomorrow’s dawn patrol.

Day 6 – Dawn Patrol Surf, Beach Sweep, & Closing Ceremonies

We’ll wake up early for our last dawn patrol session, at this point everyone is catching their own waves and surfing well! After a hearty Costa Rican breakfast, we finish our service hours by conducting a beach cleanup on the beach in front of camp.  As surfers and advocates for the ocean, it’s important that we always leave a local break better than how we found it, not to mention the local Costa Rican surfers will take notice and appreciate your efforts.  Then it’s back in the lineup for as many waves as we can get before our final dinner together. Our last night is spent sharing stories, remembering the first steps taken as surfers at the beginning of the week, and making plans to return next year. Tomorrow we will say our goodbyes and wish each other well with one more “Pura Vida,” and head home still smiling as we remember the best Winter Break ever.

Day 7 – Until Next Time, Pura Vida!

Today we must say our goodbyes to our new friends and a place that so quickly felt like home.  The week went by too fast, but you’re so grateful for the connections you made, the waves you scored, and the good times everyone shared.  The group shares one more Costa Rican breakfast at camp before gathering our things and making our way to the airport.  Before leaving you’re sure to exchange information with your new friends so that you can begin planning for next year’s winter break!  It’s bittersweet as we go our separate ways, but have the photos, the memories, and the new surf skills to show that we had the best trip ever.  At the airport, we don’t say goodbye, but instead say see you next time, and until then… Pura Vida!