Welcome to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world: Malpais and Santa Teresa, known for their rugged jungle beauty, unforgettable sunsets, and especially the epic surf in Santa Teresa. The area has also become known as a hot spot for amazing cuisine in Costa Rica, since many amazing chefs have moved here from different parts of the world.
When you arrive in Santa Teresa and Malpais, you’ll instantly become aware that you’ve found an amazing and unique place, very different from most other villages in Costa Rica. The Malpais area has been compared with Hawaiin beach towns decades ago, but with monkeys in its forests, or with a warm-water version of Santa Cruz, California.
Despite its popularity, the Malpais area still has beautiful beaches that you can often find almost deserted, many beautiful waterfall hikes, and secret surf spots where you can have a great wave to yourself.
Santa Teresa is known primarily as a great location for incredible surfing. This remote beach town was unheard of only 10-15 years ago, but now is a favorite destination for surfers from around the world. Costa Rica and Santa Teresa’s surf is consistent year-round, as the area faces the open Pacific Ocean, with warm waters that are comfortable throughout the seasons. The Malpais/Santa Teresa area has many surf schools, surf instructors, and surf shops.
There are many tourists from Europe and South America… not just the U.S. and Canada, and many have stayed in the area, opening up a variety of hotels and restaurants. The food in Santa Teresa is beyond belief for such a small place. Many five-star chefs have set up their own restaurants in Santa Teresa, and they consistently produce incredible food.
Santa Teresa has also become very popular as a surf destination from within Costa Rica itself, and many Costa Ricans visit the area on weekends and holidays. The name Malpais translates directly as “bad country” but in fact is better translated as “badlands” because the area’s rivers dry up during the rainy season, making it inhospitable to cattle and farmers. But now, there are many wells drilled in the area, providing water to the citizens of Santa Teresa.
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica has many luxury villas and other rental houses available to tourists. Most popular are the beachfront rental homes, that range from $350-$2000 per night. The high end vacation rentals are consistently booked despite the prices, especially since Forbes Magazine rated the Malpais/Santa Teresa beaches among the top 10 most beautiful in the entire world.
Many have found that renting a vacation home is superior to the experience provided by a hotel. A rental villa usually has more space, more privacy, and is a much more unique and adventurous experience. The typical tourist to this part of Costa Rica usually craves this type of lodging, and as a result there are no hotel chains set up in the area.
Hotels of all price categories are popular in the area, from backpacker hostels for $10/night to luxury beachfront hotels that are up to $1000/night. Despite its remove location, there are plenty of tourists in all price categories in Santa Teresa. It’s idyllic scenery makes it especially popular for couples going on their honeymoon, and many are now having a santa teresa wedding on the beach. Many hotels and rental houses are catering to these types of specialty travellers.
Learn more about Santa Teresa, Costa Rica. Stop by Geoffrey McCabe’s site where you can find out all about having your Wedding in Santa Teresa and other information about this beautiful Costa Rica beach town.
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