SURF REPORT -- Costa Rica: in harmony with nature

Welcome to Costa Rica! Watch out for the alligators!

Costa Rica is an estate of more than 20 tropical sims showcasing a variety of Costa Rican natural environments from miles of golden sandy beaches to dense tropical rain forest. In fact, one of the objectives of the estate is to highlight the importance of living in harmony with nature. The estate is home to the three most famous beaches of the Manuel Antonio National Park in real life Costa Rica: Playa Espadilla Sur, Playa Manuel Antonio and Playa Escondido.

The Epic wave on Playa Del Rey

Costa Rica has several interesting surf breaks and there are plans to further develop the Costa Rica estate as a surfing destination. The main surf breaks today are Playa Del Rey on Pacifico Central 1, Playa Escondido on Pacifico Central 4 and Playa Santa Teresa on Pacifico Norte 1.

Playa Del Rey is the home of the Costa Rica estate's only Epic wave. This is a short 100 yard Epic break starting in the middle of the sim and breaking into the beach. Pacifico Central 1 is also home to the Playa del Rey Surf Shack, which sells a variety of surfboards including Analog Surf, Jac Mornington's Realistic, Namiko, Poid Mahovlich's glow at night surfboards and also Heather Goodliffe windsurfers. You can just about see the pod of humpback whales in the neighbouring Pacifico Central sim to the north, although they tend to stay away from the waves.

Playa Escondida's pipeline wave breaks into a secluded bay

Three sims south of Playa Del Rey is Playa Escondida, where a three section wide pipeline wave breaks into an otherwise calm bay fringed with tropical vegetation. Whilst, the newest addition to the Costa Rica surf scene is a long four-wave pipeline break at Playa Santa Teresa, with phosphorescent waves that run in for just about 255 yards onto an island just in front of the Peninsula Nicoya Sur mainland. Playa Santa Teresa also has a vendor for Poid's luminous surfboards. There are two or three sets of fluffies that break along the shores of Golfo de Nicoya and Isla Venado, which are both north of Pacifico Central, but these all run for just a few yards each and so of limited interest to surfers.

Playa Santa Teresa's phosphorescent pipeline wave break

There are many other activities for visitors in Costa Rica include boating, canoeing, fishing, hang gliding, scuba diving, whale watching and white water rafting. Costa Rica has clearly developed the estate aiming to provide visitors and residents with the best experience and the attention to detail really shows.

White water rafting

Most of Costa Rica is residential with privately owned land, but the convenant for the land ensures free passage to allow non-residents to explore the estate, although the homes themselves are out-of-bounds. There's a lot to explore. The estate provides a hovercraft tour for new arrivals in Costa Rica, accessible via hovercraft stations on different sims throughout the estate.

Flickr: More images of Costa Rica
URL: Costa Rica Sims
SLURL: Playa Del Rey
SLURL: Playa Escondida
SLURL: Playa Santa Teresa

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