Surf: Avellanas is blessed with six named breaks along the 2km strand starting with Little Hawaii way up at the northern point that holds bigger SW swells and smaller crowds. El Estero is the rivermouth break which is always bigger and peaks up at a big rock. El Palo and the Right are classic beachbreak style sandbars anchored by reef, attracting a crowd to the skate-park walls and pits that draw in both SW and NW swells. The Left is right in front of the parking lot and zooms over some unfriendly lava, getting sketchy as the tide drops. Finally, there's an outside bommie peak for fearless experts. Environment: Lots of waves and choice of a few different spots attracts plenty of takers, but it's not for beginners and the locals can be a bit unfriendly. Surf: General: About 30 minutes south of Langosta is Playa Avellanas, a series of rocky reefbreaks, beachbreaks, and another rivermouth. Avellanas can get really good -- oftentimes better than Langosta. And since Avellanas and Langosta generally pick up more swell than Tamarindo, they're worth checking out when the latter is too small. Tides: Mid-high at beachbreaks; low at rivermouth. Size: Chest high to double overhead Wind: E Swell: S, SW, W Bottom: Sand, with a rock shelf at the south end of the beach. Paddling: Medium. Spot Rating: Fun. Access: One unguarded parking lot for 50 vehicles; extra parking back on the dirt road. Cabinas Las Olas has private wooden walkways leading to the beach through the mangroves. Crowds: Crowd Factor: Lots of peak options keeps things spread out. Local Vibe: A few locals, but more expats and tourists. Relatively mellow. Environment: Clean Hazards: Shallow rocks in places. Season: March-August