Mal Pais, Costa Rica

Mal Pais is a tranquil little village with charming hotels loosely spread out along three kilometers of road.

Tagged road sign of Malpais /Santa Teresa

At the southern end Mal Pais borders the Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve while to the north it merges with Santa Teresa where you find shops, tourist facilities and a vibrant surfer scene.

Surf in Mal Pais

Although Mal Pais is famed as one of the top surf destinations in Costa Rica, the most popular surf spots are actually on the beaches of Santa Teresa.
See: -> Surf in Malpais and Santa Teresa

While in recent years Santa Teresa has seen a boom in development, Mal Pais has largely retained its quiet atmosphere with large areas of unspoiled nature.

Rock formations in Mal Pais

The coast of Mal Pais is in many places rocky, with some bizarre volcanic formations creating fascinating scenery.

On a beach walk flocks of pelicans will sometimes be your only company. Old growth forest spills down to the shore where rocky outcroppings alternate with sandy stretches, and beaches made up entirely of tiny shells.

Playa Las Suecas, Mal Pais

At the southern end of Mal Pais is the small fishermen port which is also the basis for tours by boat around the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula.

The maritime sanctuary of Cabo Blanco serves as a nursery for many aquatic species and from your boat you can watch dolphins, manta rays or whales. If you are into fishing, Malpais is a sure bet to reel in a good catch.

Although Mal Pais directly borders the Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve there is no entrance from this side of the peninsula (see below). There are however various options to explore the direct neighbourhood of Cabo Blanco. You can swoop through the jungle on a canopy tour, amble on horseback through the hills of Cabo Blanco, or hike along the coast: Playa Las Suecas lies on the border to the Nature Reserve. You get there by passing by the fishermen port, then follow the dirt road until you see a small path to your right which takes you to the beach. The large rocky pool of Playa Las Suecas is the best spot for snorkeling in Mal Pais.

The beach of Mal Pais

The village of Mal Pais is essentially devoid of shops and tourist services. Hotels and dining options however range from top notch to rustic though scenic beachfront with the surf bashing over jagged cliffs and views across the beach of Santa Teresa and far beyond until the hills of Guanacaste.

From Malpais to the Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve

From the village center of Mal Pais it's a scenic 8 km drive to Cabo Blanco on a small road over the hills and via the small village of Cabuya. The first 2 kms of way passes through a river valley with marvelous lush jungle covering steep slopes on both sides. Then the road goes steeply uphill into the rolling hills of the Cabo Blanco backlands. There are no houses all the way to Cabuya (7 km from Mal Pais) and you have to cross two rivers. In rainy season this is not always possible.
Before the road drops down to Cabuya you will have a panoramic view of the valley of Cabuya with the prominent Cemetery Island.

The Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve opens at 8 a.m. and the earlier you go the more you will see. A hike to the beach of Playa Cabo Blanco and return takes approx 4 hours. Open hours are 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Mondays and Tuesdays the Cabo Blanco Reserve is closed.