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Malpais

Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica
🪨Rocks🌀Strong rips

Malpais and its more famous neighbor Santa Teresa occupy the sun-baked southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, offering a constellation of breaks that range from mellow beach break walls to punchy reef points. The main right-hand point at the southern end provides the region's most defined wave, reeling along rocky outcrops with occasional barrel sections. The area's remote location—accessible by rough roads or ferry—has cultivated a distinct bohemian surf culture. Development has arrived, but the consistent waves and spectacular sunsets continue to draw surfers seeking the quintessential Costa Rican surf village experience.

10-Day Forecast
Today
21
76
Good
1.4m
@15s
8km/h
Mon
22
59
Fair
1.2m
@14s
6km/h
Tue
23
71
Good
1.3m
@15s
8km/h
Wed
24
71
Good
1.5m
@16s
7km/h
Thu
25
74
Good
1.5m
@16s
8km/h
Fri
26
71
Good
1.4m
@13s
6km/h
Sat
27
67
Good
1.3m
@15s
6km/h
Sun
28
64
Fair
1.2m
@15s
7km/h
Mon
29
68
Good
1.1m
@15s
8km/h
Tue
30
57
Fair
0.9m
@15s
9km/h

Today's Conditions

Find Flights
Swell
1.4m
SW(219°)
Score: 15/25
Period
15s
Long period groundswell
Score: 25/25
Wind
8km/h
SSE(149°)
Score: 18/25
Weather
26°C
0.3mm84%
Secondary Swell
0.1mESE
Forecast Confidence
100%
Sources: open-meteo-marine, open-meteo-weather
Best Session
morning
AM: 5 km/h ENE|PM: 9 km/h SE
Lighter winds early (5 km/h)
Tide at 8am (1.4m)

Location & Conditions

Loading map...
0°45°90°135°180°225°270°315°NESW
Swell
Wind
View in OpenStreetMap
Showing forecast for today

Tide Times

2:16 am
Low tide - -1.30m
8:42 am
High tide - 1.39m
2:54 pm
Low tide - -1.10m
9:05 pm
High tide - 1.11m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

76
Good
Components
Swell Direction13/25
Swell Size15/25
Swell Period25/25
Wind18/25
Raw Score71/100
Adjustments
🌊 Tide+5
Adjusted Score76/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score76
🌊 Optimal tide window
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Spot Details

Swell Requirements

Optimal direction
SSW (200°)
Direction range
180° - 230°
Size range
0.6m - 2.5m
Ideal size
1.9m
Height multiplier
0.97×
Ideal period
14s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction
ENE (70°)
Offshore range
30° - 110°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide
mid
Optimal range
0.4m - 1.5m

Water temp

28°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Difficulty

5/10

Crowd level

5/10

Access: Drive or ferry from mainland.

Best Season

Peak: Apr-Oct

Secondary: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar

Year-round. Rainy season best.

Getting There

Airport
SJO
Drive time
180 min
Data quality
community

Strike Log

Community Discussion