- Mal País beachIt can look gentle and still dump on the sand. Watch a full set before you swim. The south end is rockier than the busier beach to the north.
- Santa Teresa surfNorth on the dirt road, that beach break is where lessons happen, and it gets bumpy. Head out early. The outside is for people who already surf.
- Cabo Blanco ReserveThe reserve past the village at the tip is often closed one weekday. Ask before you drive. Take the morning trails, and stay on the marked path.
- Playa CarmenThe busy crossroad is the same open Pacific, with more people and the same shore break. Read a set before you go in. It is not a sheltered cove.
- Montezuma waterfallsOver the hills, then a walk to a cold lower pool. Both ways fit before lunch if you start early. The rock is slick, and the road back is slow.
- Mal País sunsetThe south sand faces west. Go before it becomes a line of people standing in the last light. Bring a lamp. The dirt road back has no lamps.
- Tide poolsRock shelves at the south end hold pools only at low tide. High water covers the shelf. Sturdy shoes help. A pool is not a lane through the surf.
- Howler monkey trailsWalk the forest edge before breakfast if you want to hear them. They call from the canopy, then go quiet in the heat. Midday is empty trees.
- Fishing boatsPangas leave the beach early. Ask the evening before, and you can watch the launch without going out. Nobody posts a schedule on a dock.
- Snorkeling covesRocky corners work on a calm morning, not on a day when the beach is already messy. If swell is in, leave the mask. This is not the surf peak.
For breaks and seasons, see best surf spots in Costa Rica.
