Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [267]
The legendary waves at Mal País have been attracting surfers since the 1970s, so it’s not surprising that many of them grew up and decided to stay. In the last several years, this once isolated corner of the peninsula has become something of the backpackers’ version of Nosara – surf session in the morning, yoga in the afternoon and cruising at night. This laid-back surfers’ paradise has even become a hideaway for A-list celebrities; supermodel Giselle Bündchen and US football star Tom Brady were married here in 2009.
Widespread development is rapidly carving up the beachfront but the town still retains its old fishing-village roots. The coastal dust road remains unpaved and there are few transportation links to the outside world.
If you’re an experienced surfer looking for a ‘scene,’ throw away your itinerary because you’re going to get stuck here. And even if you’re not a surfer, no worries, because there’s plenty to see and do in Mal País, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
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Orientation & Information
The road from Cóbano meets the beach road next to Frank’s Place, on the western side of the peninsula. To the left (south) lies Mal País and to the right (north) is Santa Teresa.
Next door to Frank’s Place, Banco de Costa Rica (9am-4pm Mon-Fri) has a 24-hour ATM. Directly across the street at the new Centro Comercial Playa El Carmen, you’ll find a branch of Banco Nacional (2640-0598; 1-7pm) that can change US dollars and has an ATM.
You can find internet access all over Mal País, but for a start, try Frank’s Place on the main intersection and Beach Break Surf Hotel (2640-0612; www.beachbreakcr.net; 7am-10pm) in Santa Teresa.
There are several grocery stores along the coast. The largest is Super La Hacienda (7am-8pm), located 100m north of Cuesta Arriba hostel.
A useful website for local info is www.malpais.net.
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Activities
Surfing is usually the be-all and end-all for most visitors to Mal País, but the beautiful beach stretches north and south for kilometers on end – many accommodations can arrange horseback-riding tours and fishing trips.
SURFING
The following beaches are listed from north to south. If you choose a lodge that has ‘surf camp’ in its name, chances are it’s right in front of a good break. At the very least, it can point you to the best nearby spots.
About 8km north of the intersection, Playa Manzanillo is a combination of sand and rock that’s best surfed when the tide is rising and there’s an offshore wind.
The most famous break in the Mal País area is at Playa Santa Teresa, and is characterized as being fast and powerful. This beach can be surfed virtually any time of day, though be cautious as there are scattered rocks.
Playa El Carmen, which is at the end of the road leading down from the main intersection, is a good beach break that can also be surfed anytime.
The Mal País area is saturated with surf shops, and competition has kept the prices low – this is a good place to pick up an inexpensive board, and you can probably get most of your money back if you sell it elsewhere. Most of the local shops also do rentals and repairs, and may let you in on some good surf spots. This is by no means an exhaustive list:
Alex Surf Shop (2640-0364) Rent or buy a board here, or take a lesson; 250m north of the intersection.
Corduroy to the Horizon (2640-0173; 8am-6pm) Shapers Andy and Aaron create custom epoxy boards and also do ding repairs. Find their shop 50m west of Frank’s Place.
Jobbie’s Surf Camp (www.surfjobbie.com) Not a shop per se, but kooky local Canuck Josh (aka ‘Jobbie’) is a brand in and of himself, and he gives surfing lessons.
Shit Hole (8887-9144) Yep, that’s really what it’s called, 200m north of the main intersection. It rents and sells boards as well as gives lessons – also, it claims to make crepes.
Tuanis (2640-0370) Has internet access,