Cacho's offers surf lessons, board rentals and on-site gear adjustments like fin changes, with patient, knowledgeable instructors who give individualized tips and local surf knowledge. The shop also runs fishing and ocean trips from a comfortable boat; a few off-site tour referrals have been noted as pricier.

Coconut Harry's offers a solid range of foam, long and shortboards, carries established brands (a certified Rusty dealer) and rents boards flexibly by day or week with swaps available. Staff is friendly, English-speaking and helpful, providing lessons for all levels, video footage and hands-on help with board selection and sales.

Olo Alaia Surf & Brew stocks a solid selection of local and California surfboards, gear and clothing, and doubles as a coffee-and-beer hangout. They offer surf lessons with local instructors and provide friendly, knowledgeable service and spot advice to help visitors choose boards and conditions.

Corky Carroll’s offers a wide selection of soft-top and performance boards with fair-priced rentals and sales, and staff readily swap boards or handle dings as conditions change. They run lessons and coaching — including video analysis and family-friendly instructors — and provide attentive local surf knowledge plus convenient access to Playa Guiones.

They offer a wide selection of well-maintained boards with flexible rental options and easy same-day exchanges to match changing conditions. They also run lessons for all levels, and staff provide local-break knowledge, accommodating schedules and attentive, friendly service, including extra care when needed.

Nosara Tico Surf School provides well-maintained boards and rentals and runs tailored beginner-friendly lessons, including safety and surf theory, yoga warm-ups and optional photo packages. Instructors are knowledgeable about local conditions, patient and encouraging, and adapt coaching to varied ages and skill levels.

The surf school focuses on tailored lessons for all ages and levels, offering private and group sessions with detailed assessments and video analysis. Instructors are patient, knowledgeable and flexible, providing clear technical coaching and local wave knowledge, with an emphasis on instruction rather than rentals or repairs.

Surfing Nosara specializes in vacation rentals rather than surf gear or lessons and provides local recommendations, quick WhatsApp contact, and smooth check‑in/check‑out. They arrange repairs and rebooking when issues arise, though some clients note prolonged water outages, nearby construction noise, and occasional communication gaps.

The camp is valued more for personal local service and proximity to Playa Pelada than for a full surf shop; board fleets, formal rentals, repairs or lessons are not emphasized and are arranged informally through the owner or local contacts. The owner is reachable by WhatsApp, though the setting is rustic and some amenities need patience.

Ukulele Surf Nosara focuses on lessons for all ages and levels, offering patient, step‑by‑step instruction that builds confidence quickly. The team is responsive and flexible with bookings, handles payments smoothly, and uses local surf knowledge to tailor sessions to conditions.