The surf shops of Santa Teresa and Mal Pais compared for buying a board, wax, leashes, fins and wetsuit tops in 2026: Kina, Denga, Somos, Nalu, DELMAR, La Oficina del Surf, Jaguar, El Mango and the rest, with brands, price bands and when to rent instead.
Kina Surf Shop, 300 metres north of the football field in Santa Teresa, is the best all-round surf shop in town: new Pyzel boards shipped from California, a used rack, wax, leashes, fins, rash guards and bikinis, open 9am to 5pm daily. Somos is the shop for hand-shaped boards, Nalu for Channel Islands and DHD, and Denga for the cheapest used board and a quick fix.
The short version
Santa Teresa has more surf shops per kilometre of road than anywhere else in Costa Rica, and they fall into three groups. The full shops with new boards from named shapers are Kina, Somos and Nalu; that is where you buy a board you will take home. The rental-and-repair shops that also sell used boards and accessories are Denga, DELMAR, La Oficina Del Surf, El Mango Surf, Jaguar Surf & Shop and Los Mopris; that is where you buy a leash at 7am when yours snaps. The rest are small stalls that sell wax, sunscreen and a few boards.
Buy a board here if you are staying a month or more or want a shaper you cannot get at home. Rent for anything under three weeks; the board rental and repair guide covers rental prices and the ding repairers, and this guide stays on the shops themselves.
Kina Surf Shop
Kina Surf Shop is at Villas Solar, 300 metres north of the public school and the football field on the Santa Teresa side, and it opens 9am to 5pm every day, per kinasurfcr.com. It carries new Pyzel surfboards shipped from California, a rental and used quiver of Rusty, Firewire and JS shortboards and epoxy longboards, and an accessories wall of wax, fins, leashes, sunscreen and hats, plus Rip Curl, Florence Marine X, Jetty, Jolyn, Dakine and Rainbow Sandals. Google has it at 4.8 from 35 reviews and Tripadvisor reviewers describe a big selection and staff who know the breaks.
Price band: the shop does not publish board prices, so expect new Pyzels at the $700 to $1,000 the brand charges in the US plus shipping, used boards from around $250, and wax, leashes and fins at import prices (a bar of wax about 3,000 colones, a leash $30 to $45). Who it suits: anyone buying a proper board to keep, and anyone who wants one shop for the board and the clothes. The caveat is that new stock arrives for high season, so the rack is thinnest in September and October.
Somos Surf Shop
Somos Surf Shop is 30 metres south of La Lora Amarilla, part of the House of Somos hotel and café, open 8am to 6pm. It is not a general surf shop. It is a store built around hand-shaped boards from visiting shapers who come to Santa Teresa on residencies, including Mike and Forrest Minchinton, Alex Knost, Kris Hall, Shea Somma and Olero, whose boards land in the shop's quiver, per houseofsomos.com. You can buy from the rack or hire from the demo quiver first. Brands are Captain Fin, True Ames, Futures, Yucca fins, Banks Journal, Deus Ex Machina, SYMPL and Crap Eyewear.
Price band: unpublished, but hand-shaped logs, fish and mid-lengths from these shapers sell for $900 to $1,500 and up elsewhere, and fins and accessories are at boutique prices; ask in the shop. Who it suits: longboarders and anyone who wants a board with a story. The caveat is that this is not where you buy a cheap thruster or a $5 bar of wax, and stock depends on which shaper was in residence last.
Nalu Surf School and Shop
Nalu Surf is in central Santa Teresa and is the exclusive Channel Islands and DHD dealer in town, stocking more than 50 new boards and a rental fleet of more than 100 (longboards, funboards, softtops, fish and high-performance shortboards), plus FCS, Creatures and Futures accessories, per nalusurfschool.com. You can order a custom CI shape or any model from the website with about a month's production time. Price band: unpublished; new CI and DHD shortboards list at $800 to $1,100 in the US, and expect shipping on top here. Who it suits: shortboarders who ride CI or DHD at home and want the same here. The caveat is that a custom order needs a month, so place it before you arrive.
Denga Surf Shop
Denga Surf Shop is on the north side of Santa Teresa and opens 8:30am to 6:30pm. It is a community fixture for surfers and skaters, with used boards to buy, a rental fleet, ding repair in the back, and the basics on the wall. Google has it at 3.8 from 75 reviews: the repair work gets praised, the counter service gets mixed marks. Price band: used boards from about $200, wax and leashes at the low end of town prices. Who it suits: buying a sound used board for a month and selling it back. The caveat is that the rack is what it is; do not expect a choice of sizes.
DELMAR Surf School and Surf Shop
DELMAR is on the Playa Carmen side and runs a surf school with a shop attached; it has the highest rating of the rental shops at 4.9 from more than 100 Google reviews, and the review theme is instructors who know the tides and boards that are well kept. It sells accessories and a few used boards alongside its lesson and rental business. Who it suits: beginners and intermediates who take a lesson here and want to buy the softtop or funboard they learned on. The caveat is that hours are not published, so message first.
La Oficina Del Surf
La Oficina Del Surf is Dennis's shop in Santa Teresa de Cobano, open 6am to 6pm, the earliest opening of any shop in town, and it carries 4.9 from more than 140 Google reviews. It is a surf school and rental shop first, with wax, leashes and a few boards for sale, and the answer when you need something at dawn. The caveat is that the owner is often on the beach teaching.
El Mango Surf, Jaguar and Los Mopris
El Mango Surf is a family business that has been in Santa Teresa for more than 20 years, run by Samuel, open 8am to 6pm Monday to Saturday; it does lessons, rentals and sells boards and accessories, and has 4.8 from 36 reviews. Jaguar Surf & Shop is opposite the football field, open 8am to 7pm, with rentals, used boards and accessories and a 4.5 rating. Surf shop and rental LOS MOPRIS is beside the Lost Boys hostel, open 8am to 6pm, tiny and useful.
The Mal Pais side of the cruce
Cactus Surf Shop is the long-hours option, 8am to 9pm, with a mixed 3.6 rating. Arisha Surf Shop on Calle las Piedras opens 9am to 6pm on weekdays, 11am to 4pm Saturday, closed Sunday. Ambar Surf Shop at the Mal Pais cruce, 8am to 6pm, is a souvenir shop with surf basics. Chill and Surf Shop has 4.1 from 18 reviews and no published hours. South Wave Surf Shop in Playa Carmen, 8am to 6pm, has a 2.5 rating over board condition, so inspect anything before you pay. SISSTR SURF CO is the women's surfwear brand's shop, 9am to 7pm, for bikinis and rash guards rather than boards; the boutiques and swimwear guide has the rest of the swimwear shops.
What to buy here and what to bring
Boards: buy here for a Pyzel, CI, DHD or hand-shaped board without airline oversize fees, or a used board you will sell back. Used boards trade at $200 to $400 and shops buy back at roughly half.
Wax: every shop sells it, at 2,500 to 3,500 colones a bar, in tropical (warm water) formula. Bring a bar or two if you are particular; the water is 28 to 30 degrees all year.
Leashes and fins: $30 to $45 for a leash, $60 to $120 for a set of FCS or Futures fins. Bring your own fins if you have them; bring a spare leash regardless.
Wetsuit tops: nobody needs neoprene here. A long-sleeve rash guard or a 1mm top for windy mornings is enough, at $40 to $80 from Kina, Somos and Nalu.
How to choose
| Shop | New boards | Used boards | Accessories | Hours | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kina | Pyzel | Yes, Rusty, Firewire, JS | Full wall, clothes | 9am to 5pm daily | One-stop buy |
| Somos | Hand-shaped residencies | Demo quiver | Fins, eyewear, apparel | 8am to 6pm | Longboards, mid-lengths |
| Nalu | Channel Islands, DHD | Some | FCS, Creatures, Futures | Check | Shortboarders |
| Denga | No | Yes, cheap | Basics, repair | 8:30am to 6:30pm | Budget board, quick fix |
| DELMAR | No | Few | Basics | Message | Beginners after a lesson |
| La Oficina | No | Few | Basics | 6am to 6pm | Dawn emergencies |
| El Mango, Jaguar, Los Mopris | No | Some | Basics | 8am to 6pm or 7pm | Neighbourhood stops |
Practical notes
Cards work at Kina, Somos and Nalu; the small shops prefer cash and some add a card surcharge. Prices are in dollars for boards and colones for wax.
Stock peaks in December. New boards land for high season and the racks are fullest from December to March; in September and October, now, you get the leftovers at a discount and a better chance of a used bargain from surfers leaving town.
Selling back: ask the shop whether it will buy the board back, and at what price, before you pay. For where to surf the board once you have it, start with the surf guide and the tide guide, and browse every shop and school in the /directory/surf hub.
FAQ
Where can I buy a surfboard in Santa Teresa?
Kina Surf Shop (new Pyzels and a used rack, 300 metres north of the football field), Somos Surf Shop (hand-shaped boards from visiting shapers, next to La Lora Amarilla) and Nalu Surf (Channel Islands and DHD). Denga, Jaguar and El Mango sell used boards.
How much does a new surfboard cost in Santa Teresa?
About $700 to $1,100 for a new Pyzel, Channel Islands or DHD shortboard in 2026, and $900 to $1,500 and up for a hand-shaped board at Somos. Used boards run $200 to $400. Expect prices 15% to 30% above the US because of shipping and import duty.
Should I buy or rent a board?
Rent for stays under three weeks; Kina charges $20 a day with a free day for every seven. Buy for a month or more, or if you want a board you cannot get at home. A used board bought at $300 and sold back at $150 costs less than a month of rental.
Do I need a wetsuit in Santa Teresa?
No. The water is 28 to 30 degrees all year. A long-sleeve rash guard for sun and a thin top for windy mornings is all anyone wears. The shops sell rash guards at $40 to $80.
