Its beaches, lakes, lagoons, bays and rivers make Costa Rica a real paradise for lovers of water sports. Here one can fish to his heart's content. For fresh water sports the country's world famous rivers (over 80 km are navigable) are enjoyed by kayakers and rafters in search of challenging adventure as well as those who are ready for white water thrills for the first time. Surfers flock to internationally famous Pavones Beach which has the longest waves in the world.
 
The Province of Guanacaste Water Sports:
Diving and Snorkeling:  The Pacific has the country's best diving, with less coral, but plenty of big fish. The most popular Pacific diving area is the northwest, where dive centers in Playa del Coco, Ocotal and Hermosa offer trips to several spots in the Culebra Bay and the Bat Islands (Islas Murcielagos), to the northwest, where divers often see sharks and manta rays. The dive center in Flamingo usually takes people to Santa Catalina Island, about five miles off shore, which is another good spot to see sharks and other big fish. The best visibility and water temperatures in the northwest are found from June to September, though the conditions can change from day to day.

There is good snorkeling in Curu National Wildlife Refuge, and near the beach resorts of Tambor and Montezuma. There is also usually good snorkeling off the second beach in Manuel Antonio National Park, and around the points and islands between Dominical and Marino Ballena National Park. However, the best diving off the Pacific coast is found at several underwater reefs near Caño Island, which can be explored on dive trips offered by some of the lodges in nearby Drake Bay. Contrary to the northwest, the best visibility in the waters around Caño occurs during the dry season, though the water tends to be pretty clear year round.

Sport Fishing:  
Giant marlin, sailfish beyond number, high-jumping tarpon, record class snook and a dozen or more hard hitting fresh water species… Costa Rica has them all!

Fishing just doesn't get any better than you will find in friendly, peaceful Costa Rica, and because this is a small nation, it's possible to enjoy it all on a single visit, perhaps with a day of white water rafting and a volcano and a rain forest tour thrown in.

On the Pacific, it's common to release a dozen or more sails and even a marlin or two in a single day, and not unusual to release more than 30 sailfish a day. There are also dolphin (including the long-standing International Game Fish Association's all-tackle record 87-pounder), giant yellow fin tuna, wahoo, cubera, roosterfish, a variety of snapper, grouper, blue runners, rainbow runners, snook and much more. And Costa Rica boat operators release billfish that are not record contenders, so the future of the resource is assured.
Surfing:  Finding the best time and ideal place for an ultimate surf adventure in Costa Rica is easy to do. All you need is a brief outline of the different surf sports, a good idea of how to get there and when conditions are peak.   Costa Rica’s climatic and geographical variations can be divided into four different surf regions: the Atlantic or Caribbean, the North pacific, the Central Pacific, and the South Pacific.

The North Pacific generally has good quality surf year round. The consistent northeasterly "Papagayo" winds during December through March and the Northern Hemisphere storms create ideal waves.  The Central Pacific is an exposed stretch of coast line regarded by many surfers as one of the most consistent areas. Includes a wide variety of restaurants and entertainment for surfers and makes it an ideal place to start off a "Tico Surf Adventure”.  The South Pacific has a wide range of waves to choose from. Some of the best known spots like the point break at Pavones require a south swell, characteristic of the winter months in the Southern Hemisphere (July-November) Costa Rica’s diversity and tremendous variety of surf spots make it possible to surf excellent waves all year long.

The short travel distances and different regions provide traveling surfers with the possibility not only to experience magic and adventure while visiting interesting and unique parts of the country, but to score a variety of world class point breaks, reefs and beach breaks. Best of all, you can surf in warm water all year round.

Costa Rica experiences semi-diurnal tidal differences. Extreme tidal variations on the Pacific coastline often affect certain breaks. But, the long irregular coastline always guarantees quality waves for hard core surfers willing to explore. Stop in at any local surf shop or befriend a local to learn about the best conditions for the different breaks.
White Water Rafting:  Costa Rica's mountainous topography and copious rainfall are together responsible for one of the best white water river selections in the world. About half a dozen rambunctious rivers are regularly run by experienced rafting outfitters, and those river trips not only provide plenty of excitement, they also pass some gorgeous scenery. Not only do white water enthusiasts flock Costa Rica, including several Olympic kayaking teams, but every year tens of thousands of visitors experience the thrill of rafting for the first time there.

The river routes available to rafters range from the turbulent waters of the lower Reventazon, where you hardly have enough time to catch your breath between rapids, to the meandering curves of the Corobici, where you spend more time watching wildlife than paddling. The most popular rafting trips offer a good combination of challenging rapids and calmer stretches where you can sit back and enjoy the passing scenery. If you've done a bit of rafting up north, you'll find the comfortably cool water of Costa Rica's rivers a nice switch from the chilly water of the northern rivers. All rafting trips can also be done in kayaks, but kayakers must be experienced.

A wide selection of outfitters run trips down the country's most accessible rivers using trained river guides and modern equipment -- life vests and helmets are provided for all rafters -- ensuring safe but exciting excursions. One-day river trips include transportation to and from the river, breakfast and a picnic lunch on the riverbank.