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Costa Rica is the ultimate un-vacation if you forego the touristy resorts and take the path less traveled. We ventured to Mal País—Spanish translation “bad country”—at the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula.
Read MoreIf you forego the touristy resorts and take the path less traveled. We ventured to Mal País—or “bad country” in Spanish—at the very tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. Our mode of travel was a collective shuttle from Liberia to our little cabana at Vista de Olas on the beach of Santa Teresa, which took the better part of a day but proved to be an adventure all in itself with several interesting stops and changes of shuttles along the way.
Vista de Olas
Our lodging accommodations were at Vista de Olas an adult-only resort located on a hill just outside St. Teresa. Vista de Olas (view of the waves) is the very definition of “off the beaten path”—it takes a little extra effort to get there, but once you do it is well worth it. Yes, it is a little more difficult to get to—the more seasoned local taxi cab drivers sometimes shake their heads and pass you off to a newbie, but isn't that part of the adventure? Yes, the driveway is really, really steep and a 4-wheel drive vehicle is mandatory to make it all the way to the top—we had a few drivers stop ¾ of the way there and leave us to negotiate the rest of the journey. Yes, the dry season in Costa Rica is really dry—it’s extremely dusty no doubt about it. Thick clouds of dust drift over the dirt paths that constitute "roads” in Mal País, but from our experience Vista de Olas is a destination that is an adventure well worth taking.
Leave your resort-wear at home
Pack your sturdy outdoor, hiking clothes—leave your beach resort sandals and eveningwear at home. Forget the high heals. Instead pack your Tevas and sports gear. Include a bandana or two (worn bank-robber bandit style) for your ATV rides and walks to town to keep the dust at bay. If you enjoy exploring you will have the time of your life.
Down-to-earth and way laid back
If you appreciate an intimate setting you will love this place. Roger Zaugg, the owner of Vista de Olas, and his family are very relaxed hosts who will go out of their way to make your stay a memorable one. Roger has paid close attention to the details and is a gracious host. We felt like guests at their home instead of like tourists. My husband and I have traveled to many locations in Mexico, but were wowed by the view and loved the non-resorty intimacy. The infinity pool bar and accommodating dining palapa overlooked the rugged coastline. The individual villas were every bit as charming as they look on the website, and the views were even more breathtaking.
The Living Social Deal
My husband confided that this was the first time he didn’t feel like we were on “vacation,” but were actually experiencing what it was like to live as a local. We bought the Living Social deal and were pleased with every one of the extras—from the ATV ride to the waterfall and butterfly gardens to the BBQ dinner to the canopy tour of the rainforest. We were also pleasantly surprised to find that the breakfast included in the package was not just the usual toast, juice and coffee, but an ever-changing fresh fruit plate and a different main course offering every day from omelets to pancakes to French toast to traditional Tico rice and beans with either fried or scrambled eggs.
Our cabana was the most secluded—and came complete with sensational views, an open-air bath and shower, complimentary hummingbird teeth and lizard brushing companions, and your very own howler monkey alarm clocks. If you appreciate an intimate setting you will love this place. The first morning a hummingbird was fluttering next to my shoulder as I brushed my teeth in our outdoor bathroom. Howler monkeys can be heard at dusk and at dawn. Lots of small lizards, colorful birds, and gorgeous flowers are everywhere on the grounds.
Globe Trekker Experience
Roger’s sons and surf champs, Swen and Mikey, escorted us on the Living Social package ATV tour and were charming blonde, tan teenage tour guides as we had the time of our lives riding through the Costa Rican backcountry. It was truly my Globe Trekker experience. There were knee-deep streams to ford and encounters with cows and chickens running alongside us as we headed toward Montezuma. We buzzed along dusty dirt paths and stopped to hike through the rain forest to tour a butterfly garden and swim and dive into a 3-tiered waterfall.
Postcard Beaches
The beaches are postcard-photo worthy—wear your hiking sandals as these are not the fine sand beaches of Florida or the Mayan Riviera—there are beautiful stretches of pristine beaches but also rough moon-like surfaces made of lava-formed rocks and sharp coral when you venture away from St. Theresa. We snorkeled, rented boogie boards to tackle the sometimes-formidable waves, and walked many solitary miles of driftwood-strewn, rocky, picturesque shores. Make sure to go past the fishing village to the small, secluded beach for some great views and the opportunity to watch the locals get their daily catch.
Manzanillo
Hire a cab to Manzanillo for a day. It’s inexpensive and there’s plenty of unspoiled beach to explore with a lone lobsterman or a pair of banana harvesters along the way—be ware that the wide flat expansive of sand quickly narrows and all but disappears once the tide comes in. Catch dinner with the locals at Atardecer Dorado the main restaurant on the beach where you can eat your fill of fresh caught langostinos and camerones a la plancha (off the grill).
Hasta Luego
There are many more beautiful places to see and explore! Muchas gracias por su hospitalidad, Roger, Heidi, Swen, Mikey, Svetlana, Rosa, Eva, Dustin, Luis, y Carlos –Hasta luego! Vista de Olas is the place to be in Mal País. Especially to catch the gorgeous sunsets from Vista de Olas, the lovely hidden oasis overlooking the ocean below.
