Santa Teresa, Costa Rica – One of the world’s most amazing beach travel destinations
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Welcome to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world: Malpais and Santa Teresa, known for their rugged jungle beauty, unforgettable sunsets, and especially the epic surf in Santa Teresa. The area has also become known as a hot spot for amazing cuisine in Costa Rica, since many amazing chefs have moved here from different parts of the world.
From the moment you arrive in the Malpais / Santa Teresa area, you’ll know that you’ve discovered a very special place, quite unlike other towns in Costa Rica. The area has been compared with Maui 50 years ago, or Santa Cruz, California, but with monkeys and warm water.
Despite its popularity, the Malpais area still has beautiful beaches that you can often find almost deserted, many beautiful waterfall hikes, and secret surf spots where you can have a great wave to yourself.
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.
There are many tourists from Europe and South America… not just the U.S. and Canada, and many have stayed in the area, opening up a variety of hotels and restaurants. The food in Santa Teresa is beyond belief for such a small place. Many five-star chefs have set up their own restaurants in Santa Teresa, and they consistently produce incredible food.
Santa Teresa has also become very popular as a surf destination from within Costa Rica itself, and many Costa Ricans visit the area on weekends and holidays. The name Malpais translates directly as “bad country” but in fact is better translated as “badlands” because the area’s rivers dry up during the rainy season, making it inhospitable to cattle and farmers. But now, there are many wells drilled in the area, providing water to the citizens of Santa Teresa.
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica has many luxury villas and other rental houses available to tourists. Most popular are the beachfront rental homes, that range from $350-$2000 per night. The high end vacation rentals are consistently booked despite the prices, especially since Forbes Magazine rated the Malpais/Santa Teresa beaches among the top 10 most beautiful in the entire world.
Renting a villa for vacation, as opposed to staying in a hotel, has become very popular, and is growing. Many travellers have discovered that they can have more space and privacy for less money, and they enjoy the unique nature of each home. There are a variety of architectural styles among the rental houses in the Santa Teresa and Malpais villages, something to suit the taste of everyone.
The hotels of the area are unique and mostly mom-and-pop type of places. The beachfront hotels are the most popular, ranging from $100-$1000 per night for a room, and the rooms of all price categories are frequently booked. The gorgeous setting of Santa Teresa makes it very popular with honeymooners, and for people having weddings, and many of the rental houses and hotels cater to such clientelle.
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.

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