Travel Blog Costa Rica

The small town of Mal Pais is located on the west coast of the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula and is part of Costa Rica’s Province of Puntarenas. The way to drive to Mal Pais is to take the highway from the Central Valley to the port of Puntarenas, where a ferry leaves for Paquera on the Nicoya Peninsula. Who doesn’t want to waste too much time on traveling, can take a domestic flight from Juan Santamaria International Airport in Alajuela or Pavas’ Tobias Bolanos Airport in San Jose to Tambor. From there it’s a short drive rounding the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula through Montezuma and by the Cabo Blanco National Park. The rocky beaches, with stretches of sand measure more than 6 kilometers in length and are considered to belong to the best of the country. Not only because they are bordered by green, tropical vegetation along the entire coast line, but also because its tranquility. Although Mal Pais has some pretty decent waves that will satisfy both the beginner as the more experienced surfer, most surfers prefer to try their luck a few miles south of Mal Pais on Playa Santa Teresa. That contributes to the very laid back atmosphere of Mal Pais, where you can enjoy paradise as it was meant to be enjoyed. Lots of migratory birds travel through the isthmus and pass or rest in the area of Mal Pais, so for birdwatchers it offers good opportunities. There are plenty of accommodations to be found in Mal Pais, for every kind of budget. There are several nice bars and restaurants, where fresh seafood forms the main part of the menus. As in many places on the pacific coast of Costa Rica there are plenty of activities that can be booked, from hiking, mountain biking, canopy tours to water activities as sport fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling and kayaking. Nightlife is pleasant, offering quiet and more bubbling locals. But from either there is nothing better than to watch the sunset in Mal Pais with a tropical cocktail in your hand.

As far south as you can go on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, in the Province of Puntarenas in the small village of Pavones one of the world’s best surfing beaches can be found. It’s a more than 400 kilometer drive from San Jose in the Central Valley and the only way to reach Pavones is through the city of Golfito. When you don’t want to waste too much time on travel and rather spend it on surfing, you can also take a plane to the airports of Golfito or closer to the Panamanian border of Coto 47. From there you have to continue your travel by taxi. Playa Pavones has awesome, world-class waves for the more experienced surfer. Especially from April till November the swells from the south create a magnificent left that become can ridden for more than three minutes and is considered the second longest left break in the world. No wonder that this special place in Costa Rica attracts surfers from all over the world. No wonder that Pavones is the place where Allan C. Weisbecker, surfer, writer and scenarist lived, worked and developed his ‘down south perspective until he was forced to leave Costa Rica, because of legal consequences of the book he wrote about his rugged adventures in the region. Pavones is very small community, there are many cabinas, but when the swell hits the coast and the waves are on their best, the small town is swarmed with surfers and it can be hard to find a cheap place to stay. A dirt road leading south and eventually you ends up on the sandy beach of Punta Banco where you can enjoy a less crowded beach environment. Pavones is merely a surfer’s town, there is none or little do for the non-surfer, although a stroll along the rocky coast leads to isolated, beautiful beaches and reefs that provide a quiet get-away from the dynamic surfer scene close to the village. The only more up-class accommodation is provided by the Tiskita Lodge, situated in a private, more than 800 acres biological reserve. The lodge has its own landing strip to receive small chartered airplanes that fly in from Golfito. The lodge has performed a leading roll in sustainable tourism development in the region and is the perfect destination for bird watchers, since more than 275 species of birds can be found around Pavones. The Pacific Ocean is perfect for sport fishing tours, diving and snorkeling and provides the local cuisine with an everlasting abundance of fresh seafood.

Dominical is a small town on the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. The somewhat isolated position of Dominical has preserved the town so far from major development and for people who want to enjoy a laid back holiday it’s a perfect destination in the Province of Puntarenas, Dominical is certainly worth visiting. There are two ways to reach Dominical by road. The first is driving some 30 kilometers south from Quepos, past the National Park of Manuel Antonio. The other route is driving south from San Jose through the Central Valley to San Isidro del General. From there its only a short drive towards the coast to find Dominical. Leaving the Central Valley you have to cross the Cerro Chirripo, which offers magnificent views of Costa Rica’s highest mountain range. The drive from San Jose to Dominical can take up to six hours. Unfortunately it’s not possible to fly directly to Dominical. The closest domestic airports are Quepos and Palmar Sur where you can fly in from Costa Rica’s Juan Santamaria International Airport in Alajuela or Tobias Bolanos Airport in San Jose. That means that ground transportation is needed for the last stretch to Dominical. Dominical has more than four kilometers of beach and since the waves can build up over three meters it is a major attraction for surfers from all over the world. Since the climate of Dominical is excellent almost all year round, many of them pass the night on the lovely beach. The beach is lined with exuberant tropical vegetation and offers good opportunities for bird watching. The sea in front of Dominical is kind of rough and offers better conditions for surfing than for swimming. But there are many other ways to enjoy the ocean. Local tour operators organize boat tours for scuba diving and snorkeling, canopy tours, or you can rent a kayak to challenge the waves. Other favorite activities are horseback riding, night tours in the jungle and excursions to the close by Nauyaca waterfalls. The charm of Dominical is that the small village with a population of no more 700 people is embedded in the surrounding vegetation and can hardly been seen from the sea. South of Dominical lies the town of Uvita, located in one of the world’s most beautiful marine parks; Marina Ballena National Park. Named after the Humpback whales that migrate to the warm water of this part of Costa Rica to mate and give birth to their offspring. From Dominical tours are offered to visit the park and spot the whales in their natural habitat. As expected, being a preferred surfers destination, plenty low-budget lodges, bars and local restaurants can be found in Dominical. But also for the more luxurious traveler there are some distinct options. Excellent fresh seafood options are found on the menus of the local sodas and more sophisticated restaurants. Dominical is a perfect stop for travelers on their way to the Osa Peninsula in the south, who want to get away from the more crowded area’s of Jaco and Quepos.