Come Dance on Water
With 300+ days of offshore wind and un-crowded waters, nearly everyday is ideal for surfing in San Juan del Sur. For beginners and intermediate surfers, there are three breaks with soft rolling waves over a sand bottom. For more experienced surfers, you’ve got a Newport-style left wedge, and two points that are epic when conditions are right.
Within an hour of San Juan are five breaks along the Tola coast at our sister property, Playa Colorado. When you sprinkle in warm water, groomed waves, and empty beaches, you’ve got the makings of a world-class surfing destination.
Get Your Level On
Beginner
You’ve never touched a surf board, well maybe you’ve touched one, but you have zero experience surfing—and that’s okay. Nearly 90% of our guests are beginners who have longed to surf but never quite had the support and guidance to do so. That’s why we’re here.
Beginner +
Perhaps you’ve stood up in the whitewash or were pushed into a wave. Awesome! That means you likely have saltwater on the brain and are coming back to polish those surfing skills. We’re ready for you!
Beginner ++
So, you’ve tackled paddling to the lineup in small conditions by using techniques like turtle rolling or pushing yourself over the breaking waves. Congrats, because getting to the waiting zone is half the battle! As an advance beginner, you can catch small waves and ride them straight to the beach or at an angle. In other words, you’ve experienced “the feeling” that’s got you hooked!
Where We Come In
At Chica Brava, you’ll learn all the basics about water safety, how to pop-up on a board, wave formation, paddling techniques, catching waves, and the proper stance for riding waves. You’ll also get daily surf theory and video feedback from your surf sessions filmed in the water. The primary focus of the beginner package is to make every novice surfer feel comfortable in the water.
Friendship. Freedom. Fun.
Strong. Beautiful. Fearless.
Intermediate
As an intermediate surfer, you can paddle out alone at a familiar location and catch waves frontside or backside, maybe even trim along the wave face at an angle, and either confidently use (or attempt to use) the three basic surfing turns—bottom turn, top turn, and cutback. You’re pretty literate when it comes to reading the waves, grabbing them by the horns and riding them right or left. All that to say, you’re a bad ass.
Intermediate +
Let’s just call you advanced intermediate, since you’re well on your way to the next level. You paddle out in 4-6 foot waves, courageously taking on an unknown break. You’ve mastered all the skills of an intermediate surfer, and yet, you’re hungry for more. Don’t worry, Chica Brava will feed you.
Where We Come In
We’ll help you conquer timing, angling, technique, style, and will even help you graduate to a shortboard if you so desire. Our program includes daily surf theory and video feedback from your surf sessions filmed in the water. Best of all, our onsite surf photographer can capture you tucking in or boasting that first rooster tail on the cut back.
Advanced
You can hang with the best of them, because you rock. You can also fearlessly paddle out alone to a surf spot you’ve never ridden. Once there, you assess the lineup, catch and ride waves, and confidently throw out your bag of tricks, turns, and maneuvers. Confident, but not cocky, you fully respect surf etiquette and know the various types of breaks, conditions, and what board is best suitable.
Where We Come In
For experienced surfers, Chica Brava has specialty tours to all types of world-class breaks, many accessible only by 4×4 or boat. Get ready to rise up and roar—we’ll treat you to heavy barreling beach breaks and waves peeling over a perfectly formed reef. Since you’re already familiar with the ins and outs of surfing, there’s minimal instruction if desired, which means more time to charge. In addition to daily surf theory, video feedback from your sessions is provided, so you can see the definition of surfing with authority!