Ostional, Costa Rica
Also within 20 km of Ostional
- Pelada Surf spot · 5.5 km from Ostional
- Olgas Surf spot · 5.9 km from Ostional
- Playa Guiones Surf spot · 9.3 km from Ostional
- Marbella Surf spot · 11.6 km from Ostional
- Barrigona Surf spot · 18.8 km from Ostional
Watch this spot We email you when Ostional is worth the trip.

About Ostional
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SW (234°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (54°). 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 3). 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 April, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually March, April, July and November, with about 6 good days in 7; in September and October, about 4. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Ostional, 0.2 km away (about 5 min by car).
Water about 28°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 11 h 20 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. 2 h 25 from the airport to Ostional.
Accommodation.
Stay in OstionalAd
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 Ostional (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Ostional 1 min by car · rooms from £65 a night · 2 places to stay · where Ostional stays
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Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Ostional · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Ostional · GetYourGuideAd
Where it is
Ostional on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
The score for experts, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for experts | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 19Oct | 42, fair | 5 ft11 sslab | 666kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-east, 3 knots, offshore | 28°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 33, too small | 4 ft12 shollow | 415kJ | wind from the west, 2 knots | 27°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 29, too small | 4 ft12 shollow | 337kJ | wind from the north-west, 3 knots | 29°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 32, too small | 4 ft12 shollow | 387kJ | offshorewind from the east, 2 knots, offshore | 29°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 27, too small | 4 ft11 shollow | 317kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 2 knots, offshore | 27°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 22, too small | 3 ft11 shollow | 234kJ | offshorewind from the east, 3 knots, offshore | 25°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 17, too small | 3 ft9 shollow | 148kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 2 knots | 26°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 19, too small | 3 ft9 shollow | 116kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 1 knot | 29°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 14, too small | 2 ft7 shollow | 57kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 3 knots, offshore | 27°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 Tue 20 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for expert surfers. Change dates
- Tue 20 OctTravel out
Direct flight ORD to LIR, then 2h 25 by road. About 11h 20 door to door
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: 4 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Too small: 4 ft at best.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Too small: 4 ft at best.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: 3 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctRest day
Too small: 3 ft at best.
- Mon 26 OctTravel home
Direct flight ORD to LIR, then 2h 25 by road. About 11h 20 door to door
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.
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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.