An Overview of Surfing in the Malpais/Santa Teresa Area

Malpais and Santa Teresa are two beach towns on the pacific coast of Costa Rica, located just a few hours
flight from the U.S. Costa Rica has become a world-famous destination for surfers because of its great
surf all year, its warm water, and affordable prices. The Malpais area has dozens of great point breaks
and beach breaks that are within walking distance from the town’s many hotels, hostels, rental villas,
and bungalows. Although still just a small town, Mal Pais has several five-star restaurants mixed in
with local Costa Rican restaurants, making it a favorite destination to everyone from backbackers to
wealthy tourists and celebrities who love surfing.

Malpais Surfing Schools

There are several surf schools and surf camps in the Santa Teresa, Malpais, and Montezuma areas. They
range from $600-$2000 per week, depending on the accommodations and what’s included. Some of them are in
beachfront locations, with surfing right in front of the hotel. Others require a short walk, and others
include trips in a surf van to various areas around the southern Nicoya Peninsula. Surfing and Yoga is
also a very popular combination, especially for women, and the two naturally complement each other.

Surf Hotels

For more experienced surfers, there are several beach-front hotels with surfing directly in front, and
typically these hotels will have many surfers of all ages staying in them. They will be able to
recommend to you a local surf instructor for classes, and they will rent you a board. There are many
surf shops, dozens of them in fact, where you can rent a board during your stay (typically $20/day).
Great beach-front hotels with surfing directly in front include Casa Azul on Playa Carmen, Pranamar on
Playa Hermosa, and Casa Cecilia on Santa Teresa. More many travelers, there’s no substitute for a beach
front hotel, but there are also very beautiful places that are either a short walk to the beach, or up
on a nearby hilltop with ocean views.