Meet the surf instructors behind Outsider Surf Academy

Yes — every instructor at Outsider Surf Academy is ISA-certified and trained in first aid and water safety. But certification is the baseline. What makes the difference is that our instructors have spent years surfing and teaching on Tamarindo Beach specifically, so they know exactly where to put a nervous beginner to catch a wave safely on the first try.

Yes — all our instructors are bilingual and teach fluently in both English and Spanish. That matters more than people expect: when you're nervous in the ocean, you want clear instructions you actually understand, not a language barrier between you and the person keeping you safe.

One of our own named instructors — not an anonymous "guide" or a rotating stranger. You can see our team, with their names, photos and backgrounds, right here before you ever book. You'll know who's teaching you, and by the end of your first lesson, they'll know your name too.

Yes — we're a real, locally run surf school based on Tamarindo Beach in Guanacaste, with named instructors, real Google reviews from past students, and a verified location. If you've ever worried about booking from someone who's basically just a guy with boards on the beach, that's exactly what we're not.

Yes, and it's one of our biggest advantages. Our instructors surf Tamarindo every single day, so they read the local tides, winds and sandbars better than anyone passing through. A certificate teaches the fundamentals; years in this specific water teach you the things that actually get a beginner standing up.

Our team combines years of surfing Tamarindo with years of actually teaching it — which aren't the same skill. Being a great surfer doesn't make someone a great teacher; patience, clear communication and reading a student's nerves do. We hire and train for the teaching side just as hard as the surfing side.

The big, long-established schools are great at moving a lot of students every day. We deliberately do the opposite: small groups, named instructors who remember you, and direct WhatsApp contact with the team that actually teaches you. We're newer and smaller on purpose — so you get a personal experience instead of feeling like a number.

Absolutely — and we'd encourage it. If you book multiple lessons, having the same instructor means they already know your level, your goals and what you worked on last time, so you pick up right where you left off instead of starting over. Just ask us and we'll arrange it.

Yes — it's honestly what our team is best at. A big part of who we teach are nervous first-timers and kids, so our instructors are chosen for patience as much as skill. Kids learn in shallow, sandy-bottom water with an instructor within arm's reach, and nervous adults get someone who goes entirely at their pace.

Two easy ways: read our Google reviews, where past students mention our instructors by name, and check out the team above, where every instructor is listed with their photo, experience and certifications. We put our real people front and center precisely so you can decide you trust us before you ever get in the water.