Surfing the southern Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica

Less crowded than the beaches of Southern California, Hawaii and Australia, the warm water waves of Costa Rica are a favorite destination for world surfers. And lesser known than the very-developed Pacific Coast, the laid-back southern Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica is a hot spot for Costa Rica surfing with lots of great waves.

The popular Caribbean town of Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica, is an ideal location for laid-back surfers and travelers looking for a more relaxed Costa Rica travel experience over the highly commercialized Pacific Coast. Playa Cocles and Puerto Viejo hosted the 2014 Olympus National Surfing Circuit competition, the Lime Coral Caribbean Classic II, in January of this year.

Puerto Viejo also is home to the most powerful wave in the country – Salsa Brava, a thick Hawaiian-style barrel wave that builds in deep water and pours over a shallow coral reef lining the coast. It is called the “heaviest wave” in the country, and is for expert surfers only.

The beaches of Playa Cocles, Playa Negra, Cahuita and Manzanillo offer waves for all levels. Beginner and intermediate surfers will enjoy the sandy-bottom beaches of both Playa Cocles and Playa Negra.

A lifeguard watches Playa Cocles and right in front is where most surfers gather. “This beach break offers a more consistent break, with lefts and rights breaking close to the beach. This wave tends to jack up with a big swell due to the steep beach entry … beware of currents. 

Best conditions in the early morning before the winds blow it out. However, you can surf here all day as the wind often improves the lack of form,” according to Surf Costa Rica.

Playa Negra in Cahuita is also good for surfing, and is lesser known and not crowded. Playa Negra “offers a great beach break with waves year-round. Best conditions in the early morning with swell from the south or east at almost any tide,” according to Surf Costa Rica.

Playa Grande, between Punta Uva and Manzanillo, is frequented by local surfers, as is Manzanillo Beach.

When visiting, be sure not to go surfing alone, and always check with local surfers about riptides, strong currents and reefs.

Costa Rica boutique hotel Le Caméléon, at Playa Cocles, can arrange surfing classes and board rentals for you. Their in-house concierge organizes all of the top tours in the southern Caribbean region. 

The upscale Enchanting Hotel of Costa Rica is chicly designed in exuberant tropical gardens. Their La Sula Sea Lounge and beach club is the best place to be on Playa Cocles. You will be minutes from all of the surfing action.

Article by Shannon Farley

Hotel Le Caméléon opens new beachfront club on Caribbean

New beginnings are old hat at upscale Hotel Le Caméléon in Costa Rica, where their motto is “Every day is a new day”.

The Costa Rica boutique hotel on the southern Caribbean Coast, that changes the color of its decor daily like a chameleon, is marking its fifth anniversary year with the opening of its new La Sula Sea Lounge on the beach at Playa Cocles.

A vivacious opening party will be held on Sunday, March 30, from 3:00 to 10:00 p.m. at the La Sula Sea Lounge, across the main road from Hotel Le Caméléon, just south of Puerto Viejo. The event is open to the public to enjoy a beach BBQ, special drinks and soft lounge music by a DJ.

Le Caméléon is the top luxury hotel in the Caribbean region. The hotel fronts Playa Cocles and the dazzling Caribbean Sea – one of the area’s most beautiful beaches, where golden sand lazes between wild rainforest vegetation and crystal clear waters. The main road connecting the vibrant, bohemian beach town of Puerto Viejo Costa Rica south to the Manzanillo wildlife refuge runs between the hotel and the beach.

The posh hotel opened five years ago with great fanfare, heralding a change in tourism on the sleepy backwater coast toward trendy and upscale. “In April 2009, the hotel was inaugurated by former president and Nobel Prize winner, Oscar Arias, while he was in office. Arias came to mark a new era in the region in the infrastructure and image of the province of Limon and the Caribbean,” said Frederic Spahr, general manager of Le Caméléon. “Le Caméléon was the first luxurious hotel to open in the region. Before, Puerto Viejo was mostly for backpackers.”

Over these five years, Spahr and Ben Abdelkader, president of Le Caméléon, have watched the Puerto Viejo region grow into a popular destination for international jetsetters and wealthy weekend travelers from the capital city of San Jose. “There are new high-level restaurants, lounge bars and shops open. There are also more security and a new main police station,” said Spahr.

Le Caméléon strikes an idyllic balance between relaxing seclusion and the area’s vibrant Caribbean culture. Keeping with their name’s theme, the hotel is decked out in stylish white with splashes of tropical colors that change hue every day. Ultra-chic rooms in four categories are tucked in the jungle and gardens or overlooking the pool. Le Numu Restaurant & Bar serves a fantastic fusion of French and Caribbean cuisine. Numu means chameleon in the language of the Bribri, the area’s indigenous people.

The Costa Rica hotel’s remake of its beach club also sticks to the local indigenous culture for its name, La Sula Sea Lounge. Sula is the Bribri good spirit guardian of souls who nurtures new life in the world and represents the feminine.

The new La Sula Sea Lounge facilities feature five shaded, thatched-roof ranchos/palapas, more day beds and lounge chairs, and a full bar and kitchen onsite serving light beach fare and drinks. Each palapa has a different seating experience ranging from lounge-like couches to more traditional dining – of course, all in white with touches of red.

Hotel Le Caméléon is located 3km south of Puerto Viejo on the road toward Manzanillo, across from Playa Cocles. For information and reservations, call 2750-0501 or visit www.lecameleonhotel.com.

Article by Shannon Farley

Discover the magic of Costa Rica’s South Caribbean Coast

Costa Rica's south Caribbean Coast is a magical place. South of Limon, the southern Caribbean beach towns of Cahuita, Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo are ideal destinations for a Costa Rica vacation. Puerto Viejo is the most developed area with a thriving multicultural community, international restaurants, and a diverse array of hotels.

Not as well traveled, simply because Costa Rica's larger Pacific Coast gets most of the attention, the southern Caribbean keeps a quieter, more peaceful tone. Surfers know about Cahuita, Puerto Viejo and Gandoca, renowned for their great waves. Scuba divers and snorkelers certainly know about the marvels of the crystal-clear Caribbean Sea and coral reefs at the Cahuita National Park and offshore from the Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge.

 Beach lovers delight in having the black and golden sands on the beaches almost to themselves.

Le Caméléon ("The Chameleon") is one of the finest hotels on Costa Rica's Caribbean Coast that caters to upscale travelers. The unique boutique hotel with a relaxed vibe is across the street from the beautiful golden sand Playa Cocles, where the hotel has a private beach club.

Le Caméléon blends steamy jungle with modern architectural design. The hotel's decor is pure white with lively splashes of color in cushions, wall paintings, and strategically-placed colored LED lights. Like a chameleon, these decorative elements change every day. Guest rooms follow the theme, being bright white with vividly hued wall hangings, bathmats, towels and bed pillows that rotate colors daily.

At Le Caméléon, an Enchanting Hotel Costa Rica, you will enjoy a serene and relaxing experience in the rainforest, while being pampered in sophisticated warmth with a sense of fun.

Article by Shannon Farley