Surf Camps in Jacó, Costa Rica: 4 Compared (2026)
Compare 4 surf camps in Jacó, Costa Rica: rated 4.8/5, 3-5ft swell. Learner waves: All year. Ratings, surf conditions and season side by side.
Meals included at 2 of the 2 camps that state it (1 full board). Yoga offered at 3 camps. Video analysis of your surfing at 3 camps. As stated on each camp’s own website.
When to go: waves by month
How often each surf town here has waves for each level, month by month, 1995–2025. First lessons happen in the whitewater near the shore, so they are said in words; the other levels are named by what you can do and the size of the wave on the body. What’s my level? · How we calculate this
Jacó · 4 camps
First lessons (whitewater near the shore): Almost every day, all year.
| % of days | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First lessons | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Too small | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Too big | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Beginner (green waves) | 98% | 96% | 87% | 72% | 57% | 59% | 66% | 69% | 63% | 66% | 82% | 95% |
| Intermediate | 15% | 23% | 45% | 67% | 77% | 79% | 70% | 76% | 74% | 69% | 49% | 24% |
| Advanced | 1% | 4% | 10% | 25% | 41% | 39% | 35% | 30% | 36% | 32% | 17% | 3% |
Beginner (green waves) (knee to chest high): most days, all year · Intermediate (chest high to just overhead): most days in Apr–Oct · Advanced (head high and up): no month on most days
Model estimate: no suitable buoy within 50 km to check it against.
Days that miss first lessons are too small when every learner spot is under 0.5 m, and too big when none is in the 0.5–2 m band and one is above it. The other levels are read on the face of the wave at its peak: beginner on green waves 0.6–1.2 m, intermediate 1.2–2 m, advanced 1.5 m and up.
1. Tropical Camas Surf House
★ 4.6/5 (19 reviews)
Locally owned surf house in Playa Hermosa, 5 km from Jacó, within walking distance of the beach, with 4- and 6-bed dorms with privacy curtains and A/C, private rooms and Surf Casitas. The 7-Night Essential Pack includes 6 surf sessions or lessons, ice baths, photo and video content, daily breakfast, a surfboard, 1 adventure tour, and airport pickup for groups of 2 or more.
2. Surf Synergy
★ 5/5 (199 reviews)
Surf and wellness resort in Jacó, spread over 2 properties, Casa Cielo Villa and the Bungalows, on a jungle hillside above the Pacific. The 7-night all-inclusive retreat includes 5 one-on-one surf lessons with video analysis, daily yoga, 3 meals a day except Wednesday dinner in town, a 1-hour massage, ice bath and sauna sessions, an offsite excursion, professional photography and airport transfers both ways.
3. School of the World
★ 4.9/5 (87 reviews)
Surf school teaching since 1997 from its own campus in a quiet neighborhood of Jacó, a few minutes' walk from the beach, with 13 guest rooms, a small pool, a yoga studio and shared rooms where roommates are matched by gender and age. Surf classes run 2 hours a day Monday to Friday with a mid-week video analysis session, and can be combined with Spanish, yoga, photo or video classes; homestays include breakfast and dinner.
4. Room2Board Hostel & Surf School
★ 4.5/5 (618 reviews)
Beachfront hostel in Jacó with its own surf school, private rooms and mixed or ladies-only dorms, a pool with a waterslide, a rooftop deck, yoga classes and a restaurant and bar open daily. Surf lessons with bilingual Spanish- and English-speaking instructors include board and rash guard, and packages of 3, 5 or 7 lessons are sold together with a stay at the hostel; dates and rates are on request.
Common questions
How many surf camps are there in Jacó?
findsurfcamp.com compares 4 surf camps in Jacó.
What does a surf week cost in Jacó?
The cheapest verified surf week we have found is $600 per person at Tropical Camas Surf House: 6-8 nights with surf lessons included, as the camp's own site states it. 2 of the 4 camps here publish a surf-week price we have verified. Prices read on each camp's own site in October 2026.
When are there waves for first lessons in Jacó?
Jacó: Almost every day, all year. Estimated at the beaches from 1995-2025 swell data.
How warm is the water in Jacó?
In Jacó the sea ranges from 28°C (82°F) in Nov to 30°C (85°F) in Apr: monthly medians of the sea surface temperature, 2015-2025.
Which airport is closest to Jacó?
Quepos Managua Airport (XQP) is the nearest airport for every camp here, about 75-90 minutes by car.