Surf in Santa Teresa and Malpais
Surf in Malpais /Santa Teresa
The beaches of Malpais and Santa Teresa belong to the best surf spots in Costa Rica. There are a variety of world-class breaks offering ideal surf conditions throughout the year.
The main surf beach, Playa El Carmen, is on the border between Malpais and Santa Teresa. It has a good set of sand bars that offer some nice lefts and slightly longer rights. As with all beach breaks, the sand bars can change overnight. For latest information ask at the Malpais Surf Camp or at one of the surf shops in Santa Teresa.
The break of Playa Carmen is popular with long-boarders but you can always find a few hot short-boarders pulling tail slides, aerials and 360s.
Rip tides and beach breaks at Playa Carmen are less powerful than in other surf spots of the Costa Rican Pacific, making the surf suitable for beginners to learn on.
The waves tend to get heavier, faster and steeper as you head north towards Playa Santa Teresa. Here it is easier to find your own uncrowded peak but you should be careful for submerged rocks in the sea.
Overview of Surf Spots:
Malpais, Punta Barrigona
Surf in Malpais:
El Carmen: A long right and a shorter left, surfing over sand. It is the best break for beginners learning to surf.
The other surf spots in Malpais are more challenging and not suited for beginners:
Punta Barrigona: A reef break with a long lefthander which wraps round the point turning into a great hot dog wave as it moves through the inside. Needs a lot of swell to work properly.
Los Suecos: Another lefthander reef break with a fast take off followed by a long workable wall. Gets hollow with size and offshore winds but does also need a good swell to work.
Surf Map of Malpais and Santa Teresa:
Surf in Santa Teresa and further north:
Santa Teresa: Usually bigger and more hollow than Playa Carmen. The surf is better on low tide when waves tend to be faster.
Playa Hermosa: Beach break, lefts and rights. A long sandy beach, rather uncrowded. Another new thrill here is kite surfing.
Manzanillo: The reef is offshore at the north end of the beach. Very fickle wave which needs a lot of swell to work.