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.