Costa Rica’s famous Malpais is considered to be a surfer’s paradise, offering beach living at its best. The beaches of Malpais and Santa Teresa are interconnected by miles of beautiful white sand. The waves here are strong in both areas, making it ideal for surf and sea sport. The surfing here has become legendary, and the beaches were rated “One of the 10 most beautiful beaches in the world” by Forbes Magazine. Santa Teresa was the #1 pick on Trip Advisor for tourist destinations in ALL of Central and South America!
Although people generally refer to the entire area of Malpais, Santa Teresa, and Playa Hermosa as “Malpais”, for purposes of looking for real estate, we consider the Malpais area to be just the properties south of the main crossroads where the road comes down from Cobano. So be sure to check out our Santa Teresa and Playa Hermosa sections too, since they’re right next door to the north of the crossroads and have great beaches and property listings.
Both villages of Malpais and Santa Teresa have grown rapidly in the past four years. This is noted by the many private homes and cabina projects which testify to the increasing commercial interest in the area. Good restaurants and bars have made their mark and there’s a new commercial center at the crossroads of Malpais and Santa Teresa. The area now has its own gas station, two banks (BNCR and BCR) and most importantly, an authentic Belgian/French bakery with fresh croissants, chocolate eclairs, and bagels.
If it’s Costa Rica beachfront real estate that you’re looking for, there are many properties available in that have a concession, so you can get a building permit.
More info about Malpais can be found here:
Malpaisbeach.com – Travel and Tourism portal for the town
MalpaisSurfing.com – Surfing information for Malpais and Santa Teresa
Malpais Articles – More details about the Malpais area and its beaches