Playa Guiones, Costa Rica
Also within 20 km of Nosara
Watch this spot We email you when Playa Guiones is worth the trip.
About Playa Guiones
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces W (263°), so it takes swell from the W. The wind blows offshore from the E (83°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up, because of a steep sea floor. It works in 3–10 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very steeply: 10 m deep about 50 m out (1 in 7). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. 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 month is usually December, with about 6 good days in 7; in September, about 3. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Nosara, 6.1 km away (about 15 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.
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 30 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 35 from the airport to Playa Guiones.
Accommodation.
Stay in NosaraAd
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 Nosara (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Nosara 11 min by car · rooms from £65 a night · 15 places to stay · where Playa Guiones stays
Places to stay in Nosara · Booking.com AdOstional 16 min by car · rooms from £65 a night · 2 places to stay
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Places to stay in Sámara · Booking.com AdMarbella 37 min by car · rooms from £65 a night · 5 places to stay
Places to stay in Marbella · Booking.com AdIslita 53 min by car · rooms from £65 a night · 3 places to stay
Places to stay in Islita · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Nosara · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Nosara · GetYourGuideAd
Where it is
Playa Guiones on Google Maps · Directions
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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 shollow | 1,107kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 4 knots | 29°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 59, good | 4 ft12 shollow | 450kJ | wind from the south, 4 knots | 29°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 71, good | 4 ft12 shollow | 373kJ | wind from the north-west, 4 knots | 28°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 55, good | 4 ft11 shollow | 311kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 6 knots | 28°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 72, good | 4 ft12 shollow | 390kJ | offshorewind from the east-south-east, 3 knots, offshore | 29°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 61, good | 4 ft11 shollow | 317kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 4 knots, offshore | 27°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 54, good | 3 ft11 shollow | 234kJ | offshorewind from the east, 5 knots, offshore | 27°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 38, fair | 3 ft9 shollow | 148kJ | wind from the south-west, 3 knots | 27°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 41, fair | 3 ft9 shollow | 116kJ | wind from the south, 3 knots | 28°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 32, too small | 3 ft8 shollow | 83kJ | wind from the south, 7 knots | 28°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 2h 35 by road. About 11h 30 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Olgas
Best 12:00 to 15:00 local time: 4 ft at 12 s, wind 4 kn (8 km/h).
- Wed 21 OctSurf Olgas
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 4 ft at 12 s, wind 6 kn (11 km/h).
- Thu 22 OctSurf Olgas
Best 06:00 to 09:00 local time: 4 ft at 12 s, offshore wind.
- Fri 23 OctSurf Olgas
Best 06:00 to 09:00 local time: 4 ft at 11 s, offshore wind.
- Sat 24 OctSurf Pelada
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 2h 35 by road. About 11h 30 door to door
The plan picks the best of 3 spots near Nosara each day: Olgas, Pelada, Playa Guiones.
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 Nosara
- Pacifico AzulSeafood · 0.6 km from the centre
- Surdham's KitchenAmerican · 0.6 km from the centre
- ESH Mediterranean Street FoodMediterranean · 2.0 km from the centre
- Rancho Tico0.1 km from the centre
- Soda VanessaLatin american · 0.1 km from the centre
- Pollo Frito PipinChicken · 0.2 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
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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.