Crowd & Localism
The walk-in and the murky water keep the numbers down. Crowds arrive sometimes, not always. No reported localism pressure here, but common-sense lineup etiquette still applies.
Garabito, North Costa Rica, Costa Rica
Boca Tusubres
9.535, -84.555
Edited by Thomas Jackson
Verified May 2026
Cross-referencedCross-checked against 1 reference
A-frame · PointIntermediate2–6 ftJan – Dec
A low-tide rivermouth peak on Costa Rica's central Pacific coast, Boca Tusubres punches above its size with hollow, shifting peaks and a legitimately eerie lineup. SE to NW swell window, 1-8ft, works best at low to mid tide when the rivermouth bar organizes into cleaner, punchier sections. NE offshores groom the faces. Intermediate surfers will find this rewarding when it's on, and the relative isolation means crowds rarely stack up. Bottom: rivermouth sandbar. Season: year-round with medium consistency. Optimum window: SW or NW push at low tide. One honest warning worth taking seriously: the estuary drains brown, murky water into the lineup, and crocs are not a hypothetical in this river system. Get in, surf, get out.
Wave fit
Skill suited
Intermediate
BegIntAdv
Best months
Jan – Dec
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F
M
A
M
J
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Character
Punchy hollow rivermouth peaks.
Conditions
When it worksSwell window
SE
SE - NW
Offshore wind
NE
North easterly
Optimum tide
Low to mid tide
Size range
1-8ft
Medium
Hazards
No concerns
Trip planning
Quick facts
Wetsuit
Boardies
What to bring
- Shortboard 5ft 10in to 6ft 2in for punchy conditions
- Step-up for overhead+ days when the bar is firing
Lineup
Mellow lineup
Where it sits
Location
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About this break
What it's actually like
Access & Facilities
Reach the break via a walk down from the road. No facilities on site, so bring water, wax, and first aid. The estuary drains into the lineup and water quality varies with rainfall. Crocodiles inhabit the river system. Do not linger in or near the river mouth.
Nearby Alternatives
Esterillos Oeste sits south with a long sandy stretch and outside lava reefs. Playa Hermosa to the north delivers powerful black sand beachbreak when Boca Tusubres is flat or blown out. Tivives has rivermouth rights worth checking on the same swell.
10-day swell, wind and tide
Boca Tusubres surf forecast
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Forecast by Windy.app
Stay nearby
Camps within boat range
More breaks in North Costa Rica
If this isn't your wave
Playa Carmen
friendly A-frame beach break with reef at north end · A-frame · Mixed
Beginner → Intermediate
Roca Loca
powerful hollow right-hand submerged reef with exposed rock clusters · Right · Reef
Advanced
Tamarindo
sloppy rivermouth beach peaks with punchy reef sections · A-frame · Mixed
Beginner → Intermediate
Santa Teresa
hollow shifting A-frame peaks over sand and submerged reef · A-frame · Mixed
Beginner → Advanced
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Frequently asked
Before you paddle out
Boca Tusubres is a point break suited for intermediate surfers.
Boca Tusubres
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