Playa Pavones
Beach · Osa Peninsula
The long grey-sand beach of Pavones, a remote surf town at the southern end of Costa Rica's Pacific coast, famous for a big, heavy point break and with smaller beach breaks for beginners.
- Cost
- Free
- Time there
- 2.5 h
- Best time
- morning
- Kids
- 3 / 10
- View
- 7 / 10
- Crowds
- 3 / 10
- Swimming
- 5 / 10
- Effort
- 2 / 10
- Location
- 8.39337, -83.13735 — Google Maps
Tip
Beginners should stick to the smaller beach breaks; watch the point from the shore and respect the local surfers if you paddle out.
Be careful
Heavy sets and rip currents, especially near the river mouth: only experienced surfers should go to the point and nobody should swim alone.
Getting there
Long, bumpy gravel road from Golfito or Paso Canoas that can be muddy in the wet season; 4x4 helps. Daily buses run from Paso Canoas.
Places nearby
- Pavones Surf Shop & Surfboard RentalsSurf, Boats & DivingLocally owned surf shop at the Pilón crossroads in Pavones, renting epoxy boards for every level and shaping custom boards in its own workshop since 2008.
- Pollo Surf SchoolSurf, Boats & Diving · from $65Locally owned surf school at Playa Pan Dulce, Matapalo, teaching beginners and intermediates on a gentle right point break since 2002.
- Buena Esperanza (Martina's)Food & CoffeeLong-running local bar and restaurant on the Matapalo road known as Martina's; on Friday nights an artisan market sets up outside with music and dancing that draws surfers, locals and visitors.
- El Remanso LodgeStaysRainforest eco-lodge near the tip of the Osa Peninsula, with villas, a pool and adventure activities such as waterfall rappelling.
Sources: OpenStreetMap way/138761614 · https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Pavones · https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/138761614 · https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23738568