Two surfers carrying their boards at sunset on the beach Playa Carmen in Santa Teresa - stock photo

Surfing at Playa Carmen. Playa Carmen is located on the border between Malpais and Santa Teresa in Costa Rica. It has a good set of sand bars that offer some nice lefts and slightly longer rights. The break of Playa Carmen is popular with long-boarders but you can always find a few hot short-boarders pulling tail slides, aerials and 360s. Rip tides and beach breaks at Playa Carmen are less powerful than in other surf spots on the Pacific side of Costa Rica, which makes it well suited for surf beginners. The waves tend to get heavier, faster and steeper as you head north towards Playa Santa Teresa where you find various point breaks, such as the "Suck Rock".