Destination content © Christopher P. Baker, used from Moon Handbooks Costa Rica, 5th edition.
Maps © Avalon Publishing Group, Inc.
MALPAÍS
The shoreline immediately north of Cabo Blanco is a lively surfers’ paradise with some of the most splendid surfing beaches in the country. A road that leads west 10 km from Cóbano hits the shore at the hamlet of Carmen, known in the surfing realm as Malpaís. The tiny fishing hamlet of Malpaís is actually three km south of Carmen, but no matter; this dirt road dead-ends at the hamlet and turns inland briefly, ending at the northern entrance gate to Cabo Blanco Absolute Wildlife Reserve (entry to the park is not allowed here). A rocky track that begins 800 meters north of the dead-end links Cabuya with Malpaís.
North from Carmen, the dirt road parallels Playa Carmen and Playa Santa Teresa, a seemingly endless beach with coral-colored sand, pumping surf, and dramatic rocky islets offshore. The community of Santa Teresa straggles along the road but is centered on a soccer field. The road continues to Manzanillo, where the going gets tougher.
The past few years have seen a phenomenal tourist development, propelling Santa Teresa from offbeat obscurity to popularity, aided in 2002 when the finest resort in the country opened here.
The following website is a good resource: www.malpais.net.
Entertainment and Events
Malpaís Surf Camp has a lively bar that shows surf videos and has open mike and live music on Wednesday and Saturdays; there’s ping-pong, table soccer, a pool table, and a mechanical bull.
La Lora is the in-vogue bar in Santa Teresa; it has a pool table and dancing.
Sports and Recreation
Canopy del Pacífico (tel. 506/640-0071, silmon@racsa.co.cr, www.malpais.net/canopy.htm) offers tours by zipline between the treetops.
Pacific Divers (tel. 506/640-0187, www.pacificdivers-costarica.com) offers scuba trips ($45, one tank; $75 two tank).
Malpaís Surf Camp offers surf instruction ($30 for 90 minutes) with a “stand up” guarantee. Santa Teresa Surf Camp (tel. 506/640-0106) rents boards and offers surf lessons.
Information and Services
You can buy gasoline at a pulpería 0.5 km north of the soccer field. There are public telephones outside Frank’s Place, and at Pulpería El Mango facing the soccer field.
A 24-hour ambulance (tel. 506/642-0630 or 506/380-4125) serves Cóbano and the area.
Info Service (tel. 506/640-0229) has Internet service 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Mon.–Sat.
The Santa Teresa Surf Camp doubles as a Spanish-language school.
Getting There
Montezuma Expeditions (tel. 506/440-8078, fax 506/440-8006, info@montezumaexpeditions.com) has a daily minibus shuttle from San José ($35).
There’s daily bus service between Cóbano and Malpaís.
Cabinas Marazul has a taxi service ($25 to Montezuma, $40 to Tambor, $45 to Paquera), plus a boat for rent.
Taíno Gas (tel. 506/640-0009), in Santa Teresa, is open 7 a.m.–6 p.m.
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