Pato's Surf School
Pato's Surf School
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About
When it comes to enjoying everything that Playa Samara has to offer, Pato's Surf School is your one stop shop for all things surfing, SUP boarding, kayaking, and more. With talented and experienced instructors and guides, your time with us will be memorable and enjoyable. Whether it's catching waves, enjoying a sunset kayak or SUP tour, or receiving a relaxing massage, we are excited to be a part of your Costa Rica experience. Not only are we a surf school, but a place full of positive energy. Come relax, play, meet new friends, or practice spanish!
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Pato's Surf School
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
192 reviews
Excellent
183
Very good
7
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
2
Knud
Kongens Lyngby, Denmark9 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
Myself and my 2 boys ages 11 and 8 have had the pleasure of surfing with Sonja. The lessons are app 1,5 hours and start with theory, then practice in the water and finally a quick wrap up at the end. Sonja is very good with the children even though the youngest doesn’t speak English. She uses a lot of articulation to help them understand. She’s also good at giving tips, when you explain her the problem you are facing, she can explain how to correct it. All in all a very good teacher.
Written January 31, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jordan K
2 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
My two children (8 & 11) had a great lesson, and I was able to get a nice intermediate lesson too as I have some experience surfing already. Being able to use the boards for 5 days included in the lesson makes it a really good deal. Very relaxed and laid back vibe (they were totally cool with me taking a board for a couple of days before my lesson without paying up front or anything). Samara has perfect waves for beginners, although more advanced surfers might want to visit nearby beaches for bigger waves and longer rides.
Written January 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hannah D
Sheffield, UK21 contributions
Dec 2022 • Couples
We had a semi private surf lesson for 2 people and our instructor was excellent - very attentive and helpful with advice. We both loved every second. The surf lesson includes 5 days free rental so it is excellent value - you can also use the rash vests for free and the body boards. The staff are super friendly and great at their jobs. After one lesson we felt confident enough to go out on our own and surf at samara and then on more difficult waves at Santa Teresa. 10/10 to Pato and his team - particularly Joe!
Written December 18, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Deseree W
2 contributions
Mar 2020 • Friends
We took a lesson from Dorian who was patient and friendly. All 4 of us got up thanks to his instruction! We then proceeded to go back every day for surfboards and boogie boards. Thanks to Pato’s we had plenty of cheap entertainment for the week and we saw Dorian all over town - and he was just as friendly to us as he was during the lesson.
Written March 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sally W
Boulder, CO4 contributions
Aug 2022
Our family of 3 had Paco as our instructor. He was fantastic! He got us all standing on our boards on our first try, and was incredibly patient throughout the lesson. We loved his genuine enthusiasm for the sport and his excitement at helping us succeed throughout our lesson. All of the people who work here are wonderful. For the next several days, we parked our stuff on the beach near them and had free use of surf boards and boogie boards anytime they were available. Highly recommend Pato's!
Written August 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Susanna d
Grand Cayman6 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
We were recommended Pato’s by our airbnb host and it was a great choice. Marcello was really good at teaching us the basics and giving us the confidence to try for ourselves after just one lesson. It’s such a bonus you can borrow boards for five days afterwards, including boogie boards too. As a family of complete beginners, we couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to surfing.
Written July 11, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
alisaww
Missoula, MT179 contributions
Dec 2021
Great beach to learn to surf! We stayed for three days and immediately could surf after great instruction and help from Marcello. All four of our family had success. The second day on the "real" boards was more challenging, but still caught some waves. The third day had limited swell, but the ability to use a board for five days with a lesson is a great benefit. We could easily have stayed at Samara longer - and if we return to Costa Rica, would likely do so. Pato and his wife Kate are really friendly - as were all the folks at the beach. Generally, a great place to learn to surf and highly recommended. I saw a lot of families with kids ranging from about 6 and up - they were all having a great time, as did we with teens. They also have boogie boards!
Written December 31, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Voyager726522
22 contributions
May 2023 • Family
Very friendly and easy going group to work with. Once scheduled for a class, a person can use the boogie boards for free. After class, they can use the surf boards for a day or two without having to ‘rent’ them. Waves seemed just right for learning!
Written May 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tom M
Montreal, Canada4 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
The staff is super friendly and competent. Also being able to use the boards for several days after the lesson is an awesome perk that we did not find in other schools (at least for this price).
The school is also a little further from the others, so less people on the waves during peak hours.
The school is also a little further from the others, so less people on the waves during peak hours.
Written August 6, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jen S
Alberta, Canada48 contributions
Apr 2022 • Family
Great surf school for families!
Our instructor, Elder, was engaging and thorough. Everyone had enough instruction, care and practice to now call themselves surfers. With the 2 hour lesson the 5 days to borrow boards there was plenty of time to practice without pressure. Relaxed atmosphere and friendly people!
We booked through Samara Info Center and it was perfect.
Our instructor, Elder, was engaging and thorough. Everyone had enough instruction, care and practice to now call themselves surfers. With the 2 hour lesson the 5 days to borrow boards there was plenty of time to practice without pressure. Relaxed atmosphere and friendly people!
We booked through Samara Info Center and it was perfect.
Written April 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
No questions have been asked about this experience