Windsurfing
Warm waters, mild temperatures and steady winds offer the perfect conditions for windsurfing in Costa Rica. There’s no need for a wetsuit at Lake Arenal or Bahia Salinas, the country’s premiere windsurfing locales. Situated next to the rumbling Arenal Volcano, Lake Arenal is best-visited between December and March (Costa Rica’s dry season), when 40 mph winds whip up the western side of the 21,000-acre lake. Lessons and gear are available at several hotels and shops around the town of Tilaran.
read more closeTraveling west to La Cruz on Costa Rica’s north Pacific coast, windsurfers flock to Bahia Salinas, also known as Bolanos Bay. Here, trade winds work their magic, creating challenging waves ideal for daredevil board heads. Strong winds are most common from December through March. The novice should head a few miles south to the calmer waters of Papagayo. Windsurfing lessons and board rentals are available in both Bahia Salinas and Papagayo.