Mindful Waves

If you're looking for the best surf instructor in Costa Rica, look no further than Dani! I’m a year late posting this, but that’s how unforgettable my experience was with her. As a total beginner who had only surfed a handful of times, I was nervous and unsure if I could ever really learn to surf—especially starting in my 30s. But Dani's patience, deep knowledge, and contagious passion for the sport completely changed that. She doesn't just teach you how to surf; she teaches you the why and the how, breaking it all down in a way that makes it approachable, fun, and inspiring. Dani gave me the confidence I didn’t know I had, and thanks to her, I actually got up on the board (!!!). She has this amazing way of making you feel supported while also pushing you to grow, and it’s honestly so motivating. Even though I still have a long way to go, Dani lit a spark in me to keep learning and embracing the challenge. Learning something new as an adult is intimidating, but with Dani, it felt like pure joy. I’ll never forget this experience, and I really hope I get to surf with her again someday. She’s hands-down the best instructor I’ve ever had. Don’t hesitate—book a session with her! Thank you, Dani—you’re a legend and I’m sorry this review is a whole year later! 🌊

My week of surf coaching with Dani was incredible. Her local knowledge, support in and out of the water, encouragement, and coaching were amazing. Her communication and scheduling from start to finish were excellent. I highly recommend spending time learning from Dani if you’re in the area and I can’t wait until the next time 💫✨💛

I had the best experience with Dani (and PJ) at Mindful Waves! They helped me build confidence, understand how to better read the waves, and adhere to proper etiquette. Dani was always calm, encouraging, and helped me get out of my comfort zone. I will definitely be coming back! I would recommend that others get multiple lessons so you can feel yourself progress over a couple of days - it was worth it!

Dani is such a special surf coach! She is a highly intuitive teacher, and from the moment we started our lessons, she understood exactly how to help me feel safe and prepared to be in the water. She emphasized safety and etiquette, as well as the importance of reading the waves—things I feel that a lot of surf coaches just gloss over. You can clearly see her love for the ocean, surfing, and creating a supportive community of women surfers. I learned a great deal from her, even in the span of three lessons, and I will definitely work with her the next time I'm in Nosara. I highly recommend booking her!

My introduction to surfing was with a man telling me I didn't need a long board, taking me to technical waves that crashed hard, and yelling at me for cutting off the line up...all when I had no idea what any of the above meant. The ocean scared me and I had to take a hard look at my desire to learn to surf. Then I met Dani and her team, and their guidance changed everything for me. They helped me navigate those old wounds around the sport, learn to read the ocean with confidence, navigate others in the lineup with respect, and helped gently guide my fears into a beautiful self-awareness that showed me how to be calm and playful in the waves. A quick Google review really can't express how surfing and the women of Mindful Waves saved my soul. The best compliment was having someone on the beach say "it really looks like you know what you're doing out there"...and that passes directly to my coaches Dani and PJ and Paz for being amazing teachers. If you're at all curious about surfing but it scares you...call these women. They are kind, gentle, confident, talented, and so wise in their guidance.

Dani is a fantastic surf and soul coach. I highly recommend her coaching services if you want to fully experience the Playa Guiones surf and more. Dani not only gave me the foundation and guidance to surf safely and confidently on my own, but also connected me with the local community to complete my experience in Nosara. Grateful for Dani’s coaching and welcoming spirit. 🙏🏄

I was lucky enough to be introduced to the awesome instructors at Mindful Waves. As a first-time surfer, Dani, Paz, and PJ were incredibly supportive and made sure I felt safe every step of the way. I walked away with more confidence in my surfing abilities, and it was truly empowering to be surrounded by such an encouraging group of women. The class was well-structured, with clear guidance and a focus on building skills at your own pace. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to improve, I highly recommend Mindful Waves—it was an incredible experience, and I can’t wait to do it again!

I learned so much from Dani in just a couple days. I’ve been surfing for about a year and had very little experience turning into waves, but after just a few lessons with Dani I was already starting to build this skill and to understand the relevant principles (how to identify lefts and rights, how to know when someone else has priority). I now feel like I know exactly what to work on to progress in my surfing journey and I feel more confident paddling into a line up on my own. It was inspiring to learn from a fellow female surfer who was not too long ago a learner herself. Thanks Dani!!