Mal Pais Beach
Where in Costa Rica can you find some of the best beaches and vacation ambiance in Central America? The village of Mal Pais and town of Santa Teresa are located on the Nicoya Peninsula, and they are destination hotspots for savvy visitors.
Here you can combine the pristine beauty of the Mal Pais area with the exciting nightlife, restaurants, shops and the surfer scene of booming Santa Teresa.
Known for being one of Costa Rica’s best surfing locations, the Santa Teresa beaches are attracting world class surfers. The Mal Pais area beaches also offer great surfing opportunities, but you can as well enjoy quiet stretches of undeveloped natural beauty and abundant wildlife.
Santa Teresa has the wider range of accommodation choices with new resorts, hotels and vacation rentals that are a reflection of the growing recognition and demand for travel to this area. The town is still largely oriented toward meeting the needs of surfers, or beginning surfers since there are skilled surf instructors that have visitors enjoying their first experience with the waves in no time. There are plenty of opportunities as well for combing the beaches, fishing, snorkeling and enjoying horseback rides to name just a few of the popular activities along the ocean besides surfing. And some of the resorts and hotels offer a range of other activities that include spa treatments, yoga practice, massage, fire dance and capoeira classes.
After a fun day in Santa Teresa many vacationers will gather on the beach to watch the sunsets over the Pacific. The nightclubs await those who love to dance, and beach bars host parties with reggae nights in tune with the tropical locale. The restaurants in the area provide a wide range of cuisine choices, and fresh seafood caught by local fisherman features prominently in delicious dishes.
Life is much quieter just down the road a few kilometers at the village of Mal Pais. This area is great to visit to experience the culture of Costa Rica and to enjoy the natural beauty of the Nicoya Peninsula. The Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve borders Mal Pais to the south and is a maritime sanctuary. A boat trip to this lovely area is a great opportunity to spot whales, dolphins and manta rays. The fishing is superb as well, and the views of the Mal Pais coast with its dramatic volcanic formations makes boating a popular activity. If the beaches at Santa Teresa and Mal Pais have one drawback, it may be their addictiveness which leads to return visits.
This is great information! I am planning our next trip to Costa Rica and we want to try new places and Mal Pais sounds so nice. It kindof sounds like what Tamarindo would be 8 years ago. Any recommendations on cute hotels in the area or is renting a house or villa more exciting!? Its just my hubby and me traveling. We had our wedding in Tamarindo but cant wait to come back and try out new places! Thanks for the info!