Corky Carroll's surf school is the original all inclusive surf school of the Nosara area. Family owned and operated starting in Huntington Beach California in 1996 than adventuring to Nosara, Costa Rica in 1998. We provide it all; airport transportation, comfortable hospitality, family style cuisine, experienced and professional surf instruction with daily video of your a.m. surf session along with constructive criticism feedback. Complimentary laundry, also beer and natural fruit included in the week's package.
Playa Guiones 300 meters west of Hotel The Gardens, Nosara 53211 Costa Rica
Corky Carroll's Surf School
110 reviews
Getting there
Good for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
We were 8 middle aged guys looking for a getaway from the day to day grind of life in the U.S. Most of us had zero or minimal experience with surfing. What an INCREDIBLE week Collin and his family gave us. As has been written in many reviews, coming to Corky Carrolls is like becoming part of a family. And a very chill, inviting family at that. The meals are amazingly fresh, delicious and healthy - in almost unlimited quantity. The bar fridge is always stocked with beers and fresh juices and you're made to feel welcome to help yourself at any time of the day. The surfing instruction was also beyond expectations - Collin's team of instructors could not be more friendly, helpful or knowledgeable. All seemed to have a genuine interest in making sure we made real progress during the week as well as making sure we were safe and enjoying the experience. If we ever wanted to change up the boards we were using, Collin and the team were quick to offer up advice and accommodate us. Apart from the scheduled morning lesson, a few instructors would come out and free surf with us each afternoon which was also super helpful. Having just arrived back in the U.S., I think most if us are already scheming on how quickly we can get back to Nosara to repeat the whole experience. There are plenty of other more sleek, upscale surf schools in Nosara but if you want to capture the true essence of the laid back surf vibe that makes you forget all your real life cares, you should stay with Collin and Yaya at Corkys!!
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Date of stay: November 2020
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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.
We spent a week at Corky's with our family of four and had an amazing time. First and foremost, the staff is great. It has a true family vibe, where you are welcomed and made part of the family. Everything from hanging out with the surf instructors and chatting over a couple cervezas, to playing with the kids who live there, to having the family dogs follow you to beach for your surf session and then follow your back home. I have to call out Oscar, Patrick, Doyls and Danny who really worked hard to show us a great time. When the waves were a bit too big at Playa Guiones, they arranged a trip to nearby Playa Garza, which was super cool. And when we wanted to check in on playoff hockey, they got that set up in the rancho for us. When we wanted to do an excursion, they set us up with a local guide, Andrey Gutierrez (Instagram - tierra_azul_sport_fishing), who took us on an amazing fishing trip. We caught mahi-mahi that the kitchen staff turned into killer ceviche and dinner. One of the absolute highlights of the trip was the food. The kitchen staff is amazing. We have some food allergies that can be tricky to accommodate, but they had no problem working with us. The food is simple, local, and delicious. It was really nice to never have to think about any meals while we were there.
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Date of stay: May 2021
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This was the best part of my Costa Rica trip. The camp at Corky Carol’s is UNREAL. Each room has several fans, large beds, and a private bathroom. Just steps away from the room is a nice and cold pool with a wonderful set of hammocks hanging around it. The dining area has fans as well as a sitting area. I came here with a class so it was just us at the school. The cooking was AMAZING and the surf instructors were absolutely incredible. The only downfall, is that there is no female surf instructors. However, I loved every instructor I had because they were personable and always in a great mood. The beach here is a short 5 minute walk away and it is stunning. I loved every minute of my time spent at this camp and would not trade the experience for anything.
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Traveled with friends
Room Tip:Be prepared to have sore muscles!
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.
I can't recommend Corky Carroll's Surf School enough. It's like Cheers. You feel at home as soon as you arrive. The daily 1:1 instruction is exceptional and high caliber, and then there's the daily video analysis, which is incredibly helpful. The food is DELICIOUS, (they should seriously consider a side business and offer cooking classes too), and the accommodation and grounds are lovely. Beginners to shredders keep returning to continually improve and learn. I legit had NO clue what I was getting into, it exceeded ALL my expectations.
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Date of stay: February 2021
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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.
Response from Collin Walker, Owner at Corky Carroll's Surf School
Responded May 3, 2021
Thank you very much for your review. All reviews are helpful, this one in particular motivates me everyday. I wish you a good day.
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It has been awhile since I have been back (life gets in the way) but it was great to see Corky Carroll's run so well and how they provided such a great trip. When they claim that you will be part of their family for a week - they are not kidding. From kids having fun, dogs hanging out with you at the beach, and perfect "home cooking" it felt more like visiting relatives (in a good way) than a stay at a hotel.
Loved everything about this trip and can't wait to bring my older son on my next visit.
Todd
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Date of stay: January 2020
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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.
Response from corkycarrollsurf, Owner at Corky Carroll's Surf School
Responded May 20, 2020
Thank you for the compliments, reviews like this go a long way for us!!! Looking forward to your next visit, especially if you are able to bring your older son. Thank you. Collin
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Just finished my second stay and I'm stoked to return soon. Corky Carroll's is like staying with the surfing family I never had. Great people, hospitality, instruction, location, surfboards, and food.
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Date of stay: December 2021
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Room Tip:There's only six rooms, two with A/C.
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.
I absolutely loved learning to surf at Corky Carroll's Surf School in Costa Rica. Below is a comprehensive review of my experience.
Instruction 411 - The quality of the instruction is fantastic. There are three instructors: Drew, Danny, and Tanallo. Instruction is 1-on-1 and each day you learn from a different instructor. Not to worry because there is 100% consistency between the instructors with regard to the information that is taught, which is fantastic for a complete novice like me. Each day there is a 2-hour morning session (which gets taped) and a 2-hour free surf session in the afternoon (not taped). When you leave, they provide you with a DVD that has clips of you, the other students, and the instructors surfing. This is a great learning tool.
How They Teach You to Surf - The instruction here is all about patience and natural progression. The first day I was taught how to handle the ocean conditions with my board. This entailed doing "up-and-overs" and "barrel rolls" with my board, as these maneuvers are crucial to being able to eventually get to where you need to be in order to catch waves. The second, third, and fourth days were spent in the whitewater, first experiencing lying down what it feels like when the water picks up and starts carrying the board, and then standing up and maintaining balance as the whitewater propels the board forward. After developing the ability to stand up and maintain balance in the whitewater, I was guided to the outside where the waves start forming to learn how to (i) position myself properly, (ii) time the paddle to catch the wave, and (iii) stand up with the correct foot positioning to be able to catch the wave. Everybody learns at a different pace, and the instructors are expert at gauging your progression and adjusting the lesson plan accordingly. Also, if you have prior surfing experience, they will take this into account so that you don’t get taught adding and subtracting when you’re ready to move onto calculus.
Camaraderie – The sense of camaraderie you develop with the instructors and your fellow students is very strong. This is facilitated by “video time”, where instructors and students gather together to view the thrills and spills of the morning session. When someone does something correctly, everyone praises and congratulates him or her. When someone does something incorrectly, the instructors provide constructive advice on how to remedy the mistakes being shown on the video. It’s an excellent opportunity to learn and to bond with fellow students and instructors.
Dining – Meals follow a schedule that is adhered to very closely. Breakfast is usually from 6:30am to 8:00am. Lunch is at 11:30am and follows the morning session. After video time, which is around noon, you have the afternoon off to relax. At 3:00pm, there is coffee time (my favorite time of the day). Following coffee time is afternoon free surf from 4:00pm to 6:00pm. At 6:30pm there is “bocas”, which is pre-dinner appetizers, followed by dinner at 7:00pm. Breakfast is your regular assortment of made-to-order eggs, waffles, toast, and fruit. Lunch and dinner featured rice, black beans, salad, chicken/beef/pork/fish served in enchiladas/tacos/burritos. The food was cooked fresh and was absolutely delicious. If you have dietary restrictions, the surf school staff will be more than willing to accommodate them. Also, everyone eats lunch and dinner together.
Lodging – The cabanas are minimalist. Each cabana has a bed, bedside tables, futon, shelves, a small fridge, a safe, two ceiling fans and a full bathroom. There are no televisions in the rooms, and honestly, when you are in this sub-tropical paradise, the last thing you want to do is watch television. Each day the room is kept while you are out surfing the morning session.
Other Stuff to Do – If there is something you want to do, whether it is fishing, zip-lining, horseback riding, getting a massage, etc., talk to Tanallo. He is the instructor, equipment manager, and local hookup extraordinaire. When he’s not out on the water teaching, he is usually in the board room repairing surf boards. Having lived there his whole life, he knows the area intimately and will not steer you wrong. I highly recommend taking an afternoon off to go zip-lining in Samara.
Final Thoughts – If I could do this trip over again, I would stay for two weeks instead of one. That is because I was just starting to get the hang of surfing, and one more week would have been invaluable toward helping me become more consistent at catching waves. However, I will never forget the moment when I caught my first wave. It was shoulder high, and as I rode down the face, the instructors who were all close by and some of the more experienced students started hooting and hollering. They were as stoked for me as I was for myself about that wave. I will truly miss surfing with them, and cannot wait to go back.
If you go, there is a good chance that you will have the most fun you have ever had.
Pura Vida.
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Date of stay: December 2012
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Trip type: Traveled solo
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.
Two of my friends and I just spent an awesome week at Corky Carroll's in Nosara Costa, Rica (April, 2015). The trip was fantastic in every way. The three of us are in our late 20's and before the trip had never been to Costa Rica or spent much time surfing. As soon as we arrived, we were picked up at the airport by the camp and brought to Nosara (about 2.5 hours from the airport). We were in the water surfing at 9am the next morning. The lessons throughout the week were top notch and taught by instructors who were patient and fun and pushed you just the right amount. Each morning we had a 1:1 lesson for about an hour. We generally continued to surf for another hour or two and then all went in for lunch. Speaking of lunch, the food throughout the week is phenomenal. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all taken care of by the camp's amazing local chefs who whip up fresh food using local seafood, produce and meat. There's also infinity free beers available throughout the week.
Anyway, back to surfing. Then, in the afternoon, after lunch, we watch film of the morning's session before getting back in the water for free surf, during which all the campers go back in the water accompanied by instructors for a group outing. Apart from surfing, I should also mention that the camp will set you up with adventures (i.e. fishing, ziplining, hiking, etc.) if that's your thing.
What really sets this place apart from other trips I've taken is the spirit of the place. The instructors, hosts, chefs and organizers are awesome in every way and unbelievably welcoming. By the end of the trip, I felt like I had made a bunch of great friends and I can't wait to head over to Corky Carroll's Huntington Beach location and continue taking the surfing world by storm.
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Date of stay: April 2015
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Trip type: Traveled with friends
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.
I am one of the "regulars" that goes to Corky's. I'm an avid surfer, having started only 5 years ago, and randomly I picked Corky's as the second surf camp ever I went to. I have since been back >10 times in those 5 years. I've been to a scattering of other surf camps in Costa Rica and Mexico in those 5 years (I'm usually a solo traveler) and had good sessions elsewhere, but for the most consistently fun experience Corky's rates significantly above all the other places. The experience there hasn't deviated much in those 5 years... here's what you can specifically expect:
First, the place is relatively small with 6 cabinas (rooms with high ceilings, private bathrooms, and a nice little porch area) around a pool area. There's a large common area/bar that people hang out in and socialize at all hours. There's wi-fi in the common area that doesn't extend to the cabinas. Plenty of space and privacy if you want it. If people are "partying", they're doing it in the common area, which is far enough away from the cabinas to let you sleep. They even do your laundry for you on Wednesday so you don't have to pack as many clothes!
Food and drink: It's "all-inclusive" in that all food, beer, water, and fruit juices are provided. No coca cola. The food is excellent, definitely a draw of the place, and the owner and cooks take a lot of pride in the quality. Lunch and dinner are buffet style and breakfast is a mix of continental with an onsite cook for custom dishes (think omelets, breakfast burrito's, etc). Dinner is preceded by bocas (appetizers) that are always great. The beer (usually Costa Rican Imperial and Pilsen) is in an open fridge that is perpetually stocked.
Experience: The team that works there is experienced, tight-knit, and focused on maintaining an air of friendly incorporation. Every trip I go, I get to know all the other people at the camp very well and have amassed a large set of friends over my many trips. It's unusually congenial and friendly... this is a point where Corky's separates itself. At the other camps I've been to, making a large cohesive group of "co-adventurers" is rare. This always happens at Corky's and is probably my favorite part. As a solo 40+ aged traveler (a little on the shy side in most situations), I've made great friendships with large families with kids, aggro teenagers, old dudes reliving their youth, and every other stereotype.
Surfing: The surfing is done at Playa Guiones, which is about 5 minute walk from the camp. Pllaya Guiones is on a protected coastal area, so there are no buildings/hotels on the beach (nice!). Playa Guiones has an excellent swell exposure, so the size is typically 1-2 feet larger than Surfline's prediction for Northern Costa Rica. It's a (very) long beach-break with a very diverse mix of beginners and advanced surfers. The inside is very beginner friendly and the outside has a very congenial atmosphere. The locals are very accepting of the tourist nature of the break. It can get reasonably crowded during high season (Spring Break) and starting around late April-May the surf gets larger (consistently overhead). I've never been skunked for waves... the exposure is too good. The camp has an hour lesson for each camper each morning... for beginners this is a true lesson and for more advanced surfers this is more like a session with a good surfer giving tips and providing blocks when needed (if you're good enough, you know what I'm talking about). The camp has a good selection of boards (mostly long and fun boards) they provide for all campers. I've been there enough (and consistently return) that I now leave a couple my personal boards there.
Typical Day: I LOVE surfing and am probably a little more "hard-core" than average. Basically, wake up (6-8 AM), grab a coffee (lots of coffee!) and some breakfast (I usually make a waffle, some toast, and fresh cut mango and melon). Then grab my board ad head to the beach. Lessons are 1 hour from (usually) 8 to 11. I'm in the water at 8 (or earlier) whether I have a lesson or not. Here's a key: They have a videographer who videotapes the break for all the campers during lesson time. So if you catch a wave during those ~3 hours, it's reasonably likely it's caught on video. I surf for ~3 hours (one hour being a "lesson") and head back to the camp. A lot of people/campers hang out on the beach during the lessons to egt out of the sun, rest, socialize. I catch a quick shower and get to the common area for buffet lunch ~11:30. Great lunch. Then the whole group watches the videos from the morning ( a lot of fun!). About 12:30-1, most people head off to relax (nap, read books, screw around on the internet, walk to main street for shopping and /or ice cream). At 3:30 they make Costa Rican coffee (lots of coffee!), and around 4 I head back to the beach for the evening session. One of the camp guides is out there helping people and providing guidance to those who need it. 2-3 hour session and I stumble back to camp, grab a beer, and take another quick shower. Then I hang out socializing (with beer) until boca's at 6:30 and dinner shortly thereafter. After dinner, a lot of people hang out, some go out (there's usually a bar within walking distance with live music), and some go to bed... whatever floats your boat.
At the end of the week I tip the individual instructors and help (net 10-20% of total trip cost), but this explicitly optional!
I have become very good friends with the owner, his family, and the employees there. Going back (for someone shy like me) is like being amongst family and friends.
It is truly an exceptional experience.
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Date of stay: November 2013
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Trip type: Traveled solo
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.
Response from ccsssurfschool, Manager at Corky Carroll's Surf School
Responded Jan 19, 2014
You could not have described our location and surf school experience any better. Reviews like this keeps us doing what we love to do; share our surfing with our guests (and eat well while doing it) Thank You!
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Have stayed here two or three times a year since 2008. Comfortable, clean, spacious rooms with ceiling fans & mini-fridge, bathroom with shower. Private patio. Lush garden surrounding swimming pool. Laundry on Wednesdays. Excellent meals provided by local cooks - breakfast made-to-order, family-style lunches and dinners. Surf beach is literally steps away from the property! Huge variety of surf equipment available. Excellent surf lessons from caring local and American surf instructors. Caters to all levels. My surfing has progressed noticeably since I started going there. Highly recommended.
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Date of stay: March 2011
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
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Trip type: Traveled solo
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.
There are more places to choose from in the Nosara area.
LOCATION
Costa RicaProvince of GuanacasteNosara
NUMBER OF ROOMS
6
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