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Sometimes surf spot names are purely functional -- 26th Ave. or 1st St. Jetty, for example, simply tell you where the spot is. Other times, they're hyped-up versions of what the wave is supposed to be like, or the name of someone who surfed there first or whatnot. It's rare that a surf spot name verges on -- dare we even say it -- poetry. "Salsa Brava" loosely translated means "angry sauce," and if that ain't a groovy little metaphor, nothing is.
Salsa has been called Costa Rica's heaviest and best wave, and believe it: Pound for pound, it's as intense as any coral reef double-up right tube in the world. At six-foot, picture a cross between baby Backdoor and Laniekea -- not as suicidal as the Box in West Oz or anything, but heavy enough to place your heart in your mouth, especially if you'd always thought of Costa Rica as a funboarder's paradise.
There are two general takeoff areas. First Peak is a very round bowl section that offers the occasional left tube as well as occasionally allowing you to backdoor Second Peak (yeah, you have to be going pretty fricken fast). First Peak's takeoff zone is tight and generally reserved for locals and expats, so if you insist on sitting there, show some respect (though even then you might not get any waves), 'cause these guys have it dialed. In fact, the locals at Salsa, especially the expats who moved here just to surf this heavy but fickle wave, are some of the more vocal in Costa Rica -- don't get in their way. This is a small town and a condensed peak and you will see them again; you can't be a dick in the water and expect to get waves. (Hell, they've been known to run repeat offenders out of town altogether.)
Second Peak is just north of First Peak and can shift around a little, allowing for a less condensed and frothing pack. You've still got to take off under the lip, though. In general, the waves aren't really face-y -- you're either in the tube or on the shoulder.
Puerto Viejo has a totally different vibe than any surfy town on the Pacific side as well -- you'll get stink-eye from transplants, ganja offers from Rastafarians, patchouli wiffs from eco-tourist refugees, and broken boards from late drops.
NEARBY SPOTS
A mile or so south of town is Playa Cocles, a consistent beachbreak, and a few miles south of that is Punta Uva, a semi-fickle right point. There are a few reefbreaks around the bustling and semi-seedy port town of Limon, 50 miles north.
-- Marcus Sanders
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Mid to high is safest, but it breaks on all.
SE
Head high to double overhead
W
8
Sharp coral reef
Intermediate to very advanced
Favorite mid-range pintail(s)
December-February
Park at the south end of town, in front of Stanford's.
Yes, as mentioned above
Yes, as mentioned above. Did we say stink-eye? R-E-S-P-E-C-T isn't just an Aretha Franklin song.
5
3
5
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There are a couple restaurants overlooking the wave that are recommended more for the view than for the food, especially if you like really loud reggae music -- one of 'em, Bambu, has a wall of 15-inch speakers for your listening pleasure. On the main drag in Puerto Viejo, Tamara has really good seafood, and around the corner, Caramba has decent pasta and pizza. There are a few sodas around the side streets for cheaper grub, and a supermarket on the main drag if you're going really low-budg.
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No shortage of groovy accommodations, mainly in the form of "native-style" cabinas complete with hammocks and earnest backpackers. If you don't arrive with a car, here are a few places that are walking distance to the wave: Salsa Brava Cabinas ($20-40/night) is simple and the closest spot to the surf; Hotel Puerto Viejo ($10-$30/night) is surfer-owned and a couple blocks away; Cabinas Casa Verde (ph: 750-0015; email: cabinascasaverde@hotmail.com; $20-$50/night) is close and has a gated parking lot, which is a definite plus. There are a bunch of other places in town, and more are popping up as you head south, so it's a matter of poking your nose around.
*The area code for all of Costa Rica is 506.
Or try
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If you're the eco-tourist type Puerto Viejo is straight out of a wet dream -- not just because it rains all the bloody time either. ATEC, a local grassroots environmental organization dedicated to promoting sustainable tourism in the region (not a tour agency), will turn you on to whatever native, organic, indigenous experience you'll ever want (ph: 750-0191; email: atecmail@sol.racsa.co.cr; www.greencoast.com/atec.html). There are a couple cyber-cafes around to check your email and Surfline's forecast, even, to decide whether or not it's worth dealing with the fairly consistent rain. (They don't call it a rainforest for nothing.)
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There are a few scattered ding-repair and board rental places that pop up, but Puerto Viejo doesn't have a full-on surf shop like many areas on the Pacific side. There's a guy named Kurt (ask around) who's rumored to have a bunch of new and used boards for sale, but that's about it. In other words: BYOB.
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