Mal Pais

Surf Guide

Tucked into the southwest tip of the rugged Nicoya Peninsula, Mal Pais (and neighboring Playa Carmen and Santa Teresa) is a popular haunt for both surfers and backpackers -- all for good reason: the place is fricken beautiful. Plus, the surf is pretty consistent and spread out enough to accommodate a whole army of funboarders, beginners and yoga retreaters, and still have a few peaks left over for the rippers. The beach begins just west of Frank's Place at the Mal Pais/Santa Teresa crossroads and continues north for a couple miles, with only the occasional cluster of rocks to break the monotony of golden sand. It's all similar -- shifty A-frames with long walls that connect into inside closeouts -- though it can get bigger and hollower as you head north, especially during a south swell. Mal Pais is easy, almost California-style beachbreak -- not as heavy as Hermosa, but fun as all hell. And if that's not the point, what is? There's lots of wildlife in and out of the water as well: monkeys, lizards, and armadillos will cross your path on the road, and there's bound to be at least one fish feeding-frenzy within 20 yards of you in the lineup. No, they're not scared, nor should you be. They're just friendly fish, not sharks -- keep an eye out for stingrays, though. NEARBY SPOTS South of Santa Teresa, toward Cabo Blanco Nature Preserve, there are a few quirky, bigger-wave reef breaks. Heading northward the road gets really bad, but if you've got a good car and a better map, there are certainly some semi-secrets waiting to be ridden. Click here to download Surfline's North Costa Rica Surf Guide pdf.