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The booming surf paradise of Mal Pais / Santa Teresa is the place to see or be seen this summer. Check out everything you need to build your vacation of a lifetime here!
Mal Pais and Santa Teresa lie on the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, which juts far into the Pacific Ocean on Costa Rica's Northern Pacific coast. A few nautical miles out away from the shore, the ocean bottom drops to over one thousand meters deep.
Fish that dwell in the open ocean are often close to the shore, providing a spectacular environment for diving, fishing, snorkeling, and scenic boating, with visibility during the dry season of depths up to 100 feet.
Depending on the time of year, visiting Mal Pais / Santa Teresa area may bring you encounters with a wide array of sharks, tuna, manta rays, dolphins, jacks, barracuda, turtles, and even migrating whales traveling past the Malpais bay.
The convergence of major marine currents coupled with the tropical climate and plankton blooms during the heavy rains supports a nutrient rich environment that is a lifeline in the migration routes of many species. Large schools of brilliant and majestic fish, soft coral systems, and mollusks abound in the rich maritime environment close to shore.
Mal Pais is a tranquil and modest seaside village with moderate and casual hotels spread out along three kilometers of road. While in recent years Santa Teresa has seen a boom in development, Malpais has retained a quiet and tranquil atmosphere with large areas undeveloped and unspoiled.
Mal Pais along the coast is rocky in most places, with fascinating volcanic formations gracing unique natural scenery. Old growth jungle stretches right into the shore, where one may find a wide range of shore quality, from short sandy stretches, to rocky outcroppings, or beaches composed entirely of tiny crumbling seashells. Mal Pais is an ideal place to experience solitude within striking, unspoiled shore life.
The village of Mal Pais is nearly devoid of shops and tourist services, although hotels and dining options cover a wide range from local rustic to high budget restaurants with tremendous views into the hills of Guanacaste.
At the southern tip of Mal Pais is a small fishing port, which serves as a base for boat tours around the tip of the peninsula. Fishermen will be guaranteed a good catch on nearly any day, and sightseers will not be disappointed if they visit the waters of the maritime sanctuary of Cabo Blanco.
Horizon Hotel Costa Rica Santa Teresa 
Manala Hotel
Hotel Playa Carmen
