Jaco Surf Academy: Learn to Surf Guides
Free learn-to-surf lessons from Jaco Costa Rica Surfing: standing up, paddling, reading waves, tides, swell, etiquette, safety and choosing your first board.
The Jaco Surf Academy is our free library of surfing lessons you can read before (and after) you get in the water. It's written from the way we actually teach beginners around Jacó, and it follows the order most people learn in.
Start Here
- Surfing 101 — the big picture: equipment, the parts of a wave and how a session works.
- Surf Safety — rip currents, falling safely and knowing your limits.
- Surfing Etiquette for Beginners — the unwritten rules of the lineup.
Core Skills
- How to Paddle a Surfboard
- How to Stand Up on a Surfboard
- How to Catch Your First Wave
- Common Beginner Surfing Mistakes
Understanding the Ocean
- How to Read Waves
- Understanding Surf Tides
- Understanding Swell
- Surfing Glossary — every term explained
Equipment and Preparation
Progress and Expectations
- How Long Does It Take to Learn to Surf?
- Can You Learn to Surf in One Day?
- Jaco Beginner Surfing Guide
- Intermediate Surfing in Jaco
See also the step-by-step learn to surf path.
Reading helps, but nothing replaces time in the water with someone watching. When you're ready, learn to surf with our female instructors.
Group Surf Lesson — $75 per person · Private Surf Lesson — $140 per person
Female instructors · Snacks & drinks included · 20% deposit to reserve
Ready to Surf Jaco? Book Your Lesson