Mal Pais

Surf Guide

Tucked into the southwest tip of the rugged Nicoya Peninsula, Mal Pais (and neighboring Playa Carmen and Santa Teresa) is a popular haunt, as the surf is pretty consistent and spread out enough to accommodate a whole army of waveriders. It's all similar -- shifty A-frames with long walls that connect into inside closeouts -- though it can get bigger and hollower as you head north, especially during a S swell. Mal Pais is easy, almost California-style beachbreak -- not as heavy as Hermosa, but very fun. South of Santa Teresa, toward Cabo Blanco Nature Preserve, there are a few quirky, bigger-wave reefbreaks. Heading northward, there are some semi-secret spots waiting to be ridden.