Little hawaii, Costa Rica
Also within 20 km of Tamarindo
- El Estero- Tamarindo Surf spot · 3.9 km from Tamarindo
- Pico Grande Surf spot · 4.1 km from Tamarindo
- Tamarindo Surf spot · 4.3 km from Tamarindo
- Pico Pequeno Surf spot · 4.4 km from Tamarindo
- Playa Grande Surf spot · 4.9 km from Tamarindo
- Suizo Surf spot · 4.9 km from Tamarindo
- Playa Langosta Surf spot · 5.5 km from Tamarindo
- Playa Avellanas Surf spot · 9 km from Tamarindo
Watch this spot We email you when Little hawaii is worth the trip.
About Little hawaii
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces W (250°), so it takes swell from the W. The wind blows offshore from the E (70°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up, because of a steep sea floor. It works in 2–8 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very steeply: 10 m deep about 50 m out (1 in 5). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hard and thick, like a slab. The sea is about 28°C in January, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 30°C in May, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually February, March, April and July, with about 6 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Tamarindo, 8.7 km away (about 15 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 3 surf spots.
Water about 28°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
Save this trip A link to come back to, or to send to the group.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 10 h 50 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to LIR, direct.
See flights ORD → LIR · Skyscanner from about £250 returnAdGetting there. 1 h 50 from the airport to Little hawaii.
Accommodation.
Stay in TamarindoAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Tamarindo (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Tamarindo 15 min by car · rooms from £65 a night · 10 places to stay · where Little hawaii stays
Places to stay in Tamarindo · Booking.com AdJunquillal 17 min by car · rooms from £65 a night · 12 places to stay
Places to stay in Junquillal · Booking.com AdPlaya Grande 19 min by car · rooms from £65 a night · 16 places to stay
Places to stay in Playa Grande · Booking.com AdMarbella 34 min by car · rooms from £65 a night · 5 places to stay
Places to stay in Marbella · Booking.com AdBrasilito 34 min by car · rooms from £65 a night · 40 places to stay
Places to stay in Brasilito · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Tamarindo · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Tamarindo · GetYourGuideAd
Budget 
Mid-range 
Luxury .jpg){kind=link}
Where it is
Little hawaii on Google Maps · Directions
The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.
One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Forecast
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for intermediates | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 0, too big | 6 ft13 sslab | 1,050kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 5 knots | 32°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 59, good | 4 ft12 shollow | 415kJ | wind from the south, 6 knots | 28°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 70, good | 4 ft12 shollow | 357kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 3 knots | 30°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 67, good | 4 ft12 shollow | 355kJ | offshorewind from the east, 3 knots, offshore | 30°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 74, good | 4 ft12 shollow | 390kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 5 knots, offshore | 31°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 66, good | 4 ft11 shollow | 317kJ | offshorewind from the east, 6 knots, offshore | 29°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 49, good | 3 ft11 shollow | 215kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 6 knots, offshore | 30°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 40, fair | 3 ft10 shollow | 140kJ | wind from the north, 2 knots | 32°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 46, fair | 3 ft9 shollow | 114kJ | offshorewind from the north-east, 7 knots, offshore | 32°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 37, fair | 3 ft8 shollow | 80kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 3 knots | 31°C |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Direct flight ORD to LIR, then 1h 50 by road. About 10h 50 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Playa Langosta
Best 06:00 to 09:00 local time: 4 ft at 12 s, offshore wind.
- Wed 21 OctSurf Little hawaii
Best 06:00 to 09:00 local time: 4 ft at 12 s, offshore wind.
- Thu 22 OctSurf Little hawaii
Best 06:00 to 09:00 local time: 4 ft at 12 s, offshore wind.
- Fri 23 OctSurf Little hawaii
Best 06:00 to 09:00 local time: 4 ft at 11 s, offshore wind.
- Sat 24 OctSurf Little hawaii
Best 06:00 to 09:00 local time: 3 ft at 11 s, offshore wind.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight ORD to LIR, then 1h 50 by road. About 10h 50 door to door
The plan picks the best of 8 spots near Tamarindo each day: El Estero- Tamarindo, Little hawaii, Pico Pequeno, Playa Avellana, Playa Avellanas, Playa Langosta, Suizo, Tamarindo.
Rough cost
About £755–£1,405 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to LIR, estimated from distance and season, 2 airlines on the route, with a hold bag | £250–£520 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £70–£120 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £170–£280 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £160–£300 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £70–£120 |
| Total | £755–£1,405 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Tamarindo
- Soda MarcelaSeafood · 0.1 km from the centre
- Bar Villa CostaBar and grill · 0.2 km from the centre
- Entonces PizzaPizza · 0.2 km from the centre
- Pollolandia VillarealChicken · 0.2 km from the centre
- Rancho Marion Bar Restaurante y PizzeríaPizza · 0.3 km from the centre
- Pizza ExpressPizza · 0.5 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
Book the trip
Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.