Mal País & Santa Teresa
If you can't afford a flight to Spain, just sit down 'Beneath the Tree.' Basque chef Julio's menu changes daily, but he whips up an extraordinary escalivada (eggplant and pepper dish), and the pulpo a la gallega (octopus), topped with crunchy sea salt, is so damned good it ought to be illegal. Add a half-bottle of Spanish wine, and you're set.
There's also a convenient four-room guesthouse attached (d incl breakfast US$40-50). Just 200m north of the T-intersection, in Playa El Carmen.
5.64 MILES
A 40-minute river hike leads to a waterfall with a delicious swimming hole. Further along, a second set of falls offers a good 12m leap into deep water…
1.21 MILES
Playa Santa Teresa is a long, stunning beach that's famous for its fast and powerful beach break. The waves are pretty consistent and can be surfed at…
Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Curú
18.4 MILES
Situated at the eastern end of the peninsula, this tiny 84-hectare wildlife refuge holds a great variety of landscapes, including dry tropical forest,…
9.34 MILES
Here's your chance to see a waterfall crashing down a cliff, straight onto the rocks and into the ocean. El Chorro Waterfall is the pièce de résistance of…
23.42 MILES
A local NGO that is dedicated to the conservation of Costa Rica's two species of macaw: the great green macaw and the scarlet macaw. The group…
8.39 MILES
About 6km north of town, Playa Grande is the best surf beach in the area. It's a 3km-plus stretch of waves and sand, which never gets too crowded as it…
6.14 MILES
The best beach close to town is just to the north, where the sand is powdery and sheltered from big swells. This is your glorious sun-soaked crash pad…
2.17 MILES
Somewhere north of town, Playa Santa Teresa ends and Playa Hermosa starts. This gorgeous beach deserves its hermosa (beautiful) moniker and then some. It…
0.15 MILES
Playa El Carmen, downhill from the main T-intersection coming into town, is a good beach break that can be surfed anytime. The beach is wide and sandy and…
1.21 MILES
Playa Santa Teresa is a long, stunning beach that's famous for its fast and powerful beach break. The waves are pretty consistent and can be surfed at…
2.17 MILES
Somewhere north of town, Playa Santa Teresa ends and Playa Hermosa starts. This gorgeous beach deserves its hermosa (beautiful) moniker and then some. It…
3.62 MILES
About 8km north of the Playa El Carmen intersection (past Playa Hermosa), Playa Manzanillo is a combination of sand and rock that’s best surfed when the…
5. Reserva Natural Absoluta Cabo Blanco
5.36 MILES
Costa Rica’s oldest protected wilderness area covers 12 sq km at the tip of the Península de Nicoya. The unique park is covered by evergreen forests,…
5.43 MILES
About 1.5km south of town, alongside the waterfall trail, you can tour this lush mariposario (butterfly garden) and nursery where the mysterious…
5.64 MILES
A 40-minute river hike leads to a waterfall with a delicious swimming hole. Further along, a second set of falls offers a good 12m leap into deep water…
5.95 MILES
This pretty little beach is the centerpiece of Montezuma, as fishers, ferries and tourists come and go. Unfortunately, it's not really recommended for…