Welcome to paradise – the beautiful beach towns of Santa Teresa and Malpais. These surfing destinations are known for their amazing jungles, wild animals, beautiful sunsets, and great restaurants in a remote beach setting. Whether you’re looking for inexpensive backpacker hotels within walking distance of the beach, or ultra-luxury boutique hotels, Santa Teresa and Malpais have them both.

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.

Even though Malpais and Santa Teresa are so popular, there are many beautiful beaches nearby that you can have almost to yourself. There are beautiful secret waterfalls, and point breaks for surfing that often have no one on them.

It almost goes without saying that Santa Teresa is primarily a destination for surfers. This once-remote beach village was unheard of ten years ago, but now is a favorite with surfers. The waves are consistent, and the water is warm, clean and beautiful year round. It’s not surprise then that Santa Teresa has many surf shops, surf camps, and surf schools.

Many tourists come from European countries as well as Canada and the United States. Hundreds have fallen in love with the Malpais area and have immigrated, opening rental houses, hotels, and restaurants. The food in Santa Teresa and Malpais is among the best in Costa rica, with many five star restaurants at very affordable prices.

The Santa Teresa area has also become known as a great surf destination among Costa Ricans as well. Many of the young people in San Jose drive to the various beach towns to surf on weekends, and many families head to the beaches during vacations. Malpais itself means “bad country” or “badlands” because of the lack of water during the dry season. The climate is similar to southern California, with hardly any rain at all from December through April, making it very popular among travelers during those months.

Santa Teresa, Costa Rica offers a variety of luxurious villas and vacation rental homes. The most consistently popular are the beachfront homes, which always fulfill the tropical beach fantasies of their rental clients. These range from $350 to $2000 per night, although there are a few cheaper options. Even the highest price vacation rental houses are frequently booked, and many celebrities and movie stars have been seen here escaping the cameras of the paparazzi. This may be because Forbes Mazazine voted the beaches of Santa Teresa to be among the top ten most beautiful in the world.

Renting a vacation home in Santa Teresa has become increasing popular. Many tourists enjoy the independence of having their own rental villa instead of a hotel room, for the privacy and extra space, often at no additional cost. Plus it creates a very unique vacation experience.

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.