Surf spot

Mal Pais- Santa Teresa

Forecast conditions and map view for Mal Pais- Santa Teresa in Costa Rica, Guanacaste. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: Costa Rica, Guanacaste
Coordinates: 9.6268, -85.1521

Metric
Metric	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00
Wave height (m)	1	1.3	1	1	1	0.9	0.9	0.9	1	0.8	0.9	1.1	1.1	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8
Wave direction	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	WSW	SW	SW	SW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	S	S	SSW	SSW	SSW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW
Wave period (s)	11.1	10.3	11	11	12.2	12.1	12	11.5	11	11.4	11	8.6	8.6	6.9	6.8	6.8	6.9	7	7	7	7	7.1	7.1	7.1	7	7.2	7.2	7.2	7.2	7.1	7.1	7	7	6.9	6.9	6.8	6.8	6.8	6.8	6.7	7.8	11.6	11.4	11.3	11.1	11	10.9	10.8	10.8	11.8	11.8	11.6	11.4	11.3	11.2	11.1
Wave energy (kJ)	256	337	232	232	284	259	244	196	232	183	214	171	164	70	71	71	74	75	72	70	70	68	68	68	70	76	79	83	83	82	85	87	87	84	84	83	81	81	77	73	90	197	203	196	191	187	186	174	171	208	195	190	185	173	169	158
Wind speed (km/h)	7.9	6.9	5.4	4	14.1	11.9	7.9	6.9	5.4	5.6	5.6	2.3	13.7	12.8	8.1	8.7	6.3	6.5	4.6	4.3	12.8	9.5	5.6	10	10.5	8.1	5.7	5.7	12.7	12.4	5.3	7.2	5.9	4.7	3.7	5.2	12.4	12.2	3.2	5.4	4.4	6.5	4.1	3.3	7.6	9.3	4.8	2.9	4.5	10.6	8.6	8	5.6	6.1	5.2	4.3
Wind direction	ESECross-on	NOffshore	NECross-off	SSWGlassy	SSWCross-on	SOnshore	SOnshore	SEOnshore	ENECross	NECross-off	NECross-off	SSEGlassy	SSWCross-on	SCross-on	SSWCross-on	NOffshore	NNECross-off	NECross	NEGlassy	EGlassy	SCross-on	SSWCross-on	SWCross-on	ENECross	ENECross	NNECross-off	NECross-off	ESECross-on	SOnshore	SSWCross-on	WSWCross	NNECross-off	NECross-off	NGlassy	NGlassy	SEOnshore	SOnshore	SSWCross-on	SGlassy	NWCross-off	EGlassy	NECross	NEGlassy	NEGlassy	SOnshore	SSWCross-on	WSWGlassy	WNWGlassy	NNWGlassy	NWCross-off	NOffshore	ESECross-on	ESECross-on	SEOnshore	ESECross-on	ESEGlassy

Mal País / Santa Teresa, Costa Rica is a famous surf zone on the Nicoya Peninsula, known for its relaxed vibe, warm water, and consistent Pacific swells. Quick note: it’s in Puntarenas Province on the Nicoya Peninsula, not Guanacaste.

Surf overview

Wave type: Mostly beach breaks with some reef/rock influences in nearby sections
Consistency: Fairly consistent year-round, with best size and shape during the rainy season (May–November)
Best swell direction: Often works well with south and southwest swells
Wind: Offshore winds are most common in the mornings, which often makes dawn patrol the best session

What it’s like

Mal País: Generally a little more rugged and less crowded than Santa Teresa
Santa Teresa: More developed, popular, and surf-oriented, with several accessible breaks
The area offers fun, playful waves on smaller days and can handle bigger, more powerful surf when swells fill in

Skill level

Good for intermediate surfers, but there are options for beginners on smaller, softer days
When the swell gets up, conditions can become more challenging with stronger currents and heavier waves

Conditions

Water temperature: Warm year-round, usually boardshorts or a bikini/rash guard
Hazards: Strong rips, shallow sections in some spots, rocks/reef at certain breaks, and crowded lineups at the more popular beaches

Vibe

Laid-back, tropical, and very surf-centric
Lots of surf camps, rentals, yoga retreats, cafés, and beachside lodging
Popular with international travelers and digital nomads