Just south of the busy surf town of Santa Teresa on the Nicoya Peninsula sits Mal Pais — a name that literally means "bad country" and couldn't be less accurate. It's a dramatic stretch of Pacific coast mixing sand with rocky shorelines, tide pools, beach trees and fishermen hauling in the day's catch, and it has somehow held onto a quiet, unspoiled feel even after landing on the international surf map.
This is not the place to learn to surf. The ocean floor here is littered with rocks and reefs, the breaks are prone to strong currents, and when a decent swell rolls in, the two headline spots are strictly for experienced riders. Sunset Reef delivers a fast, barrelling takeoff that can open into a long, rideable wall. Mar Azul breaks over reef with multiple peaks. Both are left-handers that can be spectacular when swell, tide and wind line up. Between them, the long, exposed beach offers several other breaks to explore.
Getting there is half the adventure. The easiest option is a Sansa flight from San José or Liberia to Tambor, followed by a 45-minute taxi or shuttle ride. Prefer wheels and water? Drive to Puntarenas, catch the ferry across the Gulf of Nicoya to Paquera, then drive about 90 minutes. Budget travellers can take the once-daily public bus from San José's Coca-Cola station, departing at 6 a.m. and arriving around 2 p.m.
For those wanting coaching, Blue Surf Sanctuary and Mal Pais Surf Camp and Resort come highly recommended by surfers of all levels. And after a session, do what everyone does: head to Mary's Restaurant and Farm, a local institution serving whatever the fishermen deliver plus produce from her organic garden — the fish tacos are the stuff of legend.
Mal Pais suits travellers who want serious waves without the crowds and development of better-known Costa Rican surf towns, and who are happy to trade convenience for atmosphere. Go soon; the quiet is unlikely to last forever.
