The area's working fishing pier, where the day's catch comes in each afternoon.
Playa Mal Pais fronts the fishing village of the same name at the southern end of the strip, with a working fishing pier where boats land their daily catch. The shoreline is rockier than Santa Teresa to the north, and the village keeps a quieter, more local feel with fewer hotels. Tide pools form along the rocks at the beach's southern edge near Playa Mar Azul.
Follow the coastal road south from El Cruce for about 2 km into Mal Pais village; the pier and beach are on the main road.
Mal País
Ananda Dive N' Flow is a scuba diving and freediving center located a few minutes from Santa Teresa, near the entrance to Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve. The multicultural team teaches SSI and PADI scuba certifications alongside AIDA freediving courses, and runs snorkeling day trips to Isla Tortuga. Dive sites benefit from marine life that spills over from the neighboring protected reserve.
Mal País
Local family-run ATV, UTV, motorcycle, and bicycle rental business serving Santa Teresa and Mal Pais, with more than 17 years of experience. Staff give driving instruction, route maps, and hotel drop-off and pickup of vehicles.
Mal País
Costa Rican Tropical Tours runs inshore and offshore sport fishing charters out of Mal País, targeting roosterfish, mahi mahi, tuna, wahoo, sailfish, and marlin. The same crew also runs a late afternoon sunset boat cruise along the Mal País and Santa Teresa coastline that passes Cabuya Island. Trips are booked directly through WhatsApp.