Playa Samara Hostel

Kiban’s Surf Hostel: Hang 10 in Playa Samara!

In Costa Rica by Sheena16 Comments

Kiban’s Surf Hostel is the new kid on the block but it’s already one of the most popular places to stay in Playa Samara, Costa Rica – find out what makes it’s a top choice for surfer’s & non-surfer’s alike!

Kiban’s Surf Hostel is run by young Kiban himself, a local born & bred in Playa Samara. He comes from a family who have been hosting travellers for years at their various properties in town, so it’s no surprise that Kiban is also a natural host.

Kiban is easygoing & personal, yet professional & helpful too. He knows the area as only a local can, so don’t be shy to hit him up for recommendations of cafés, bars & restaurants.

Fun & friendly, stylish & sociable… let us here at DIY Travel HQ show you around the one & only surf hostel in Playa Samara!

Kiban's Surf Hostel

Step inside Kiban’s Surf Hostel!

Contents

What’s a Surf Hostel?

Believe it or not, Kiban’s Surf Hostel is the 1st in Playa Samara. It’s dedicated to providing surfers of all levels with advice & information on surfing in the area. Day trips can be arranged as well as surf & body board rentals.

If you’re a newbie to the surf scene or have never tried it before, you’ve also come to the right place. There’s bound to be surfers around to chat too & Kiban himself can give you plenty of pointers.

Common Area Kiban's Surf Hostel

It’s easy to meet fellow surfers & travellers at Kiban’s Surf Hostel

Surfing lessons are available for $50.00 for 1 person or $40.00 each for 2 or more people.

However, surfing hostels are not just for surfers & Kiban’s Surf Hostel is no exception. It’s more about the relaxed atmosphere & carefree attitude so if you’re looking for something laidback & friendly, check out Kiban’s Surf Hostel – everyone is welcome!

Learn to Surf Playa Samara

The surf at Playa Samara is perfect for beginners

Kiban’s Surf Hostel Location

Kiban’s Surf Hostel is located on the Main Street, in the heart of Samara – it’s tucked away in a small shopping complex behind the popular Bar Arriba.

Upon checking-in, guests receive a wristband which entitles them to a 10% discount off all food & C$1000 / $2.00 beers at Arriba. You also receive a 10% off at the pizza restaurant, fast food joint, gym, clothing store & gift shop in the same complex.

Main street Playa Samara

You can find Kiban’s Surf Hostel in this complex on the main street of Playa Samara

Playa Samara is a tiny town, so there are many other restaurant, bars & shopping are all within walking distance, with many choices to suit all tastes.

But best of all, Kiban’s Surf Hostel is just 100m away from the beach – there’s no better spot to stay in Playa Samara, one of the most popular places to visit in Costa Rica!

Playa Samara beach

Playa Samara is known as one of the best beaches in Central America

Kiban’s Surf Hostel Dorms

Kiban’s Surf Hostel hosts 3 dorm rooms (6 beds each) & 1 private room, which all used to be vacation apartments. So each room is quite large & even comes with a sink, counter space & shelving.

In the dorms, the white bunk beds are brand new. There are single & double bunk beds, so friends or couples travelling together can share a bed & save money.

  • Single bunks are $20.00 for 1 person & double bunk beds are $30.00 for 2 people.

Each room has a large ensuite bathroom with a hot water electric shower.

All the linen is also clean & new, with sheets in red & blue mixed with pillowcases in yellow & green. It makes it such a fun place to stay!

Walls were painted yellow & red, with colourful patterned curtains. The rooms also have ceiling & floor fans, a large mirror & lockers – bring your own lock.

Air-conditioning is on from 9:00pm to 10:00am so you’ll stay cool & sleep well at night 🙂

Playa Samara hostel

The bright dorms & double bunk beds at Kiban’s Surf Hostel

Kiban’s Surf Hostel Kitchen

Kiban’s Surf Hostel has a large open kitchen, with everything you need to cook. As it’s a new hostel, all of the pots & pans, crockery & cutlery are also new which makes staying in & cooking a pleasure!

There’s also a microwave, fridge, gas stove tops & recycling bins.

A shared dining area makes it easy to strike up a conversation with fellow travellers & maybe even share a meal – there’s a Pali supermarket just around the corner.

Kitchen Kiban's Surf Hostel

The open kitchen & dining area at Kiban’s Surf Hostel

Other Features of Kiban’s Surf Hostel

  • Common area with sofas & chairs
  • High-speed wifi
  • TV
  • Bicycle hire
  • Event board for activities in the hostel & around Playa Samara
Things to do in Playa Samara

There’s something new to see & do everyday at Kiban’s Surf Hostel & Playa Samara

In a Nutshell

Address: Samara main street, 150m south from the bus stop

Prices: Single bunk $20.00, Double bunk $30.00, Private room $50.00

Contact (manager Kiban):

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Kiban’s Surf Hostel is the new kid on the block but it’s already one of the most popular places to stay in Playa Samara, Costa Rica – find out what makes it’s a top choice for surfer’s & non-surfer’s alike!

 

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*** The Final Word: Chill out in style & make new friends at Kiban’s Surf Hostel in Playa Samara! ***

Do you surf? Have you ever stayed in a surf hostel?

* We enjoyed a complimentary stay at Kiban’s Surf Hostel – thank you to Kiban for hosting us. We only recommend great value accommodation that we would choose to stay at regardless! As always, all opinions are our own.

Visited in January 2017

 

Comments

    1. It has been a shock to us coming from the rest of Central America. You can drink most tap water, the roads are okay even though the buses are still slow, & prices are considerably more. That being said, we are enjoying ourselves a lot. Nicoya Peninsula is a great place to be if you like sunshine as – surprise surprise – it rains in the rain forest.

    1. Kiban Hostel was a very social place where everyone either knew each other or quickly did.

  1. Ohh, I have always dreamed of taking a surf vacation, and this seems like the perfect spot to do it! 🙂

    1. Author

      Playa Samara has gentle waves for beginners & nearby beaches are better for more experienced surfers. It is up to you where you feel comfortable. Either way, Kiban’s Surf Hostel makes a great base for the area.

  2. Those are really big beds for a hostel dorm! I wish I had stayed in accommodations like this when I was sleeping in hostels around Europe. I’m not a surfer, but I love to watch surfers from the beach. I think I could have a lot of fun visiting Playa Samara.

    1. Author

      The next closest we have seen for dorm bed size was a double on the bottom & twin on the top. However, that hardly seems fair to the person with the smaller bed. This option at Kiban’s Hostel lets you save money if you have a friend or partner that you can buddy up with, which is great!

      The location is great also, with Playa Samara just steps away.

  3. The fact that it’s only 100 meters from the beach is just perfect! I also love that it’s so close to restaurants and has discounts available. Looks like a great spot to chill out!

    1. Author

      It definitely is. Kiban’s Hostel was only a few weeks old at the time of our visit & was already getting repeat customers! Sounds like a success to me.

      Everything is soooo close…the beach, restaurants & bars, supermarket.

  4. I’ve never stayed at a hostel but this one looks nice. Love how big the beds are. Just googled to see where this is in relation to where I live part-time in Boquete, Panama. 😉

  5. This hotsel looks really nice and I love the double bunk beds. Glad to hear the AC is on at night, as a for me a warm and humid night usually means not that great of sleep, which can ruin traveling if you are tired all day. What’s the noise level like?

    1. Author

      The AC at night does make a huge difference when you are so near the equator. During the day it doesn’t matter since you are out enjoying the beach!

      Despite beach towns being party places it was surprisingly quiet. The lights are turned off at 11 pm in the common area so people are encouraged to head out by then at the latest.

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