One of my favorite beaches in Costa Rica is Mal Pais on the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. The beach is off-the-beaten path because of its remoteness which means you can walk for miles without seeing a soul. The sand is sooooo soft, it’s as if you were walking on flour. Half of the fun is getting to the beach though….

I am always coming from San Jose so I take a 1.5 hour bus ride to the quirky town of Puntarenas. From there I rush down to the dock to board the huge ferry that crosses the Gulfo de Nicoya. I like to hang out on the upper level to get some sun and down a few Imperiales before docking at Paquera. Once on the peninsula I haggle with the taxi drivers to take me to Mal Pais. There is nothing like cruising around Costa Rica in the back of a truck (most of the taxis in that area are trucks and I love to sit in the back to feel the tropical breeze on my face) knowing that the best beach in the country is waiting for you just 45 min. away.

It is a great beach and half the fun is just getting there!

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Filed under: Travel on July 3rd, 2007