Mal Pais, Costa Rica
Mal Pais (or Malpais) is a tranquil little village with charming hotels loosely spread out along five kilometers of road.
Old tagged road sign of Malpais /Santa Teresa.
Nowadays replaced by hideous giant billboards
At the southern end Mal Pais borders the Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve while at Playa Carmen in 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 well-known as one of the top surf destinations in Costa Rica, the most popular
surf spots are actually on the neighbouring beaches of Santa Teresa and Playa Carmen.
See » Surf in Malpais and Santa Teresa
While in recent years Santa Teresa has seen a boom in development, Mal Pais has retained its quiet atmosphere with large patches of unspoiled nature.
Rock formations on the beach of 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 sailing over the ocean 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.
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 a boat you can watch dolphins,
manta rays or whales. See: Malpais Underwater
Hotels in Mal Pais will help you arrange a tour with a local fisherman.
Though Mal Pais directly borders the Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve there is no entrance to the park from this side (see below: From Mal Pais to the Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve).
Playa Las Suecas near the Cabo Blanco Reserve
To explore the direct neighbourhood of Cabo Blanco you can go on a canopy tour through the jungle, or make a tour on
horseback through the hills of Cabo Blanco.
Right on the edge of the national park is one of Mal Pais most scenic beaches: Playa Las Suecas, a small white-sand cove
behind a rocky outcrop. The rocky pool here is the best spot for snorkeling in Mal Pais.
To get to Playa Las Suecas follow the road behind the fishermen port. After 400 m there is a small trail down to beach.
Enjoying solitude on the beach of Mal Pais
Mal Pais is largely devoid of shops and touristic services but there are hotels and vacation rentals ranging from top notch to
rustic though scenic beachfront with the surf bashing over jagged cliffs.
See: Map of Mal Pais with Hotels
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 lush jungle covering steep slopes on both sides. After that
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.