Witches Rock

Surf Guide

The wave itself is no Black's or Ocean Beach or even Hossegor -- it's easy, playful beachbreak with offshore winds that sting your eyes as you start pumping down a long, groomed, green line. The estuary deposits sand on an otherwise fairly flat sandbar, creating the lefts and rights that wall up for days without necessarily closing out. There are other peaks along Playa Naranjo's two to three-mile, white-sand stretch, but they're not as perfectly shaped as the ones found in the lee of the rock.

Ability Level

All Abilities

BegIntAdv

Beginner to advanced.

Local Vibe

Welcoming

WelcomingIntimidating

No locals per se, but some expat Tamarindo surfers have it wired.

Crowd Factor

Moderate

MellowHeavy

Yep -- it's not uncommon to see 30 people jockeying for the peak when it's pumping.

Spot Rating

Fun

PoorPerfect

Really fun when things line up.

Shoulder Burn

Medium

LightExhausting

Medium.

Water Quality

Clean

CleanDirty

Clean

Ideal Surf Conditions

Swell Direction

S, SW, W

Wind

E, NE

Surf Height

Shoulder-high to double overhead.

Tide

Medium high. Low tide walls up too much.