We could go on forever about the area attractions but
instead we decided to focus on the things that matter the most.
If you need any other information, please feel free to contact
us directly.
Surfing
You can be sure that we're going to tell you about the
world class surfing in Santa Teresa / Mal Pais, what did you
expect? There's a great short board beach break just at the
bottom of the hill and
all kinds of beach breaks in the near
vicinity. Longboarders, funboarders, shortboarders, beginners
and globetrotting pros will all find something exceptional here
with miles upon miles of un-crowded beaches. For the most part
the waves are hollow and peaky and are relatively consistent all
around.
Adventuring out a little further out, you'll find reef breaks
and offshore gems for seasoned pros. Ask around very nicely and
maybe some of the locals will take you out to some secret spots
as well.
There are at least half a dozen surf shops around with rentals
under ten bucks a day so don't sweat it if you don't feel like
lugging your quiver out here.
For beginners, the beach break right in front of the beach pizza
place is a great place to start. On the other hand if you're an
expert, watch the weather and you might find yourself in some
pretty sweet swells that the region is known for.
If you don't surf at all, consider spending a few hours on the
sand watching the locals and visiting hotshots spin some aerial
360s. It's a stunning sight framed by an absolutely unreal
beach, very much worth the while.
Don't just take our word for it, do your research and you'll see
what a gem we've got here.
You can't throw a mango around here without hitting some kind of
critter. Although we advise against flinging mangos, we do
suggest that you take some time to spot the
howler monkeys,
whiteface monkeys, parrots, toucans, iguanas, armadillos,
anteaters and rainbow colored birds that frequent the area.
Every day you'll spot something new and unusual. If you're
really lucky, you'll see whales swim by - most likely from your
royal perch up on the hillside.
Bars and Restaurants
There are lots of great little resto-bars around with all kinds
of international cuisine. You'll find many blends of
Argentinean,
French, Italian, Israeli and other multicultural cuisine on top
of the local Tico fare. If burgers and pizzas turn you on, no
worries - you'll find plenty to keep you happy.
While there are a few bars around, we'd recommend sunset drinks
and dinner at the Hotel Buenos Aires and night-time antics at
the biggest club in town, the 'Day and Night'. Although Kate
Moss hangs out there from time to time, don't worry about a
velvet rope - it's on the beach so shoes and shirts are optional
and you can bring your dog to the bar.
The best espresso in town can be found in the little pastry
shop/cafe in the little strip mall in the heart of town.
Luckily, there are no Starbucks here yet.
As many places are seasonal, check with us when you come down
and we'll hook you up.
ATV Rentals
You can rent an ATV from between $25-$50/day. These are great
for zipping around the area but be very careful because the
roads can be a little exciting and some people tend to drive a
little loco on vacation. Bring some goggles and a bandana for
dust if you're thinking about quad excursions.
ATV Guided Tours
There are a few tour operators who will take you on guided tours
of the area. You can be certain that there are an incredible
number of places to check out that are quad accessible.
Canopy Tours
A canopy tour is basically a steel cable that you zip down from
a mountainside. Scooting down a mountain a few hundred feet off
the ground can be a lot of fun if you're not afraid of heights
like some of us ;)
Fishing
We can't even start telling you about the fishing here. On the
southern tip of the peninsula a few kilometers south is a great
wildlife preserve (Cabo Blanco) where fishing is prohibited.
Luckily this provides a rich breeding ground for them to grow
and prosper. Deep sea excursions as well as spear fishing can be
arranged locally.
Mobile Phones
You may have to arrange with your carrier to have your phone
working in Costa Rica but most tri-band and quad-band phones
work here. Roaming rates tend to be very expensive so consider
buying calling cards in Costa Rica and using the local
telephones or renting a phone at the airport. Usually you can
set this up with your car rental agency. As for your blackberry,
we're not exactly sure yet but right now it seems like you might
as well
leave it at home.
Internet
There are a few Internet cafes around with terrible slow
connections and unreliable Internet. High speed and High speed
wireless (WiMax) are well established in Costa Rica's capital
city but haven't yet made it to the area. This is probably a
good thing because that powerpoint presentation can wait until
you get back home. No problems checking emails at the cafes but
grab a coffee and a magazine while you wait. Some restaurants
claim to offer free Wifi but don't count on it.
Celebrities
You might know some of the people that hang out in the area from
time to time and there's a good chance that you'll see some of
them around the local bars, restaurants and shops. Some of them
like supermodel Gisele Bundchen have houses close by. In fact
you'll be pleased to know that the same architect that designed
our place also designed and built Gisele's.
Here's a sampling of regular visitors and residents:
Kate Moss
Mel Gibson
Harrison Ford
Vince Vaughn
Gwyneth Paltrow
Leonardo DiCaprio
Woody Harrelson
Bruce Willis
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Depeche Mode
Jack Johnson
Safety and Security
We'll provide you with a guard and gated entrance but we can't
protect you at all times so you have to be careful out here like
you would anywhere else. There are doctors and medical
facilities and a pharmacy in town. An air ambulance service is
available in
the extremely unlikely event of an emergency. The vast majority of people
have a very safe and happy holiday but please be careful in the ocean,
while driving and make sure that you are careful around
complete strangers as you would in any country. Safety first.
Other Details
Cash; They take US dollars or Costa Rican Colones everywhere
here. As for cash and cash machines, they have just opened
a bank with an ATM in the local mini-mall but if you want to be
safe, bring cash so you won't have to go through the painful
process of driving to the bank in neighboring Cobano and waiting
in line.
Water; The well water is safe here but bottled water is easily
available.
Food and Supplies; There are a couple of grocery stores nearby
as well as a pharmacy and several surf shops.
Driving; Rent an all wheel drive SUV, you will likely need it
because the roads have not yet been paved and some of the hills
are very steep.
Language; Most of the local establishments have staff that speak
English but most local workers speak only Spanish. No worries
though, it's easy enough to communicate.
