Costa Rica Guide
The Central Pacific and southern Nicoya
Mal País
Less than a decade ago, the long grey-sand surf beaches fronting the virtually seamless towns of MAL PAÍS ("Bad Land") and SANTA TERESA, 12km southwest of Cóbano and also accessible via a steep and bumpy road from Cabuya, began luring an increasing number of travellers. First came the surfers, then the hippies, and not long after, curious yuppies, celebrities and families started trickling in. A building boom over the past five years has transformed this formerly sleepy stretch of Pacific coast into a trendy beach resort, and foreigners now outnumber Tico residents. But as long as the main road remains appalling, the area seems certain to retain its laid-back charm; and in the rainy season at least, you can still walk along jungle-flanked surf beaches for hours and see few other humans.