Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Activities
Surfing is the be-all and end-all for most visitors to Mal País, but the beautiful beach
stretches north and south for kilometers on end, and many accommodations can arrange
horseback-riding tours and fishing trips. Or you could find the fishing harbor in Mal País
and arrange your own fishing tour. It does help to speak some Spanish, however.
Surfing
The following beaches are listed from north to south.
About 8km north of the Playa el Carmen intersection, Playa Manzanillo is a combina-
tion of sand and rock that's best surfed when the tide is rising and there's an offshore wind.
The most famous break in the area is at Playa Santa Teresa , and it's fast and power-
ful. This beach can be surfed at virtually any time of day, though be cautious as there are
scattered rocks. To get here take the lane just north of La Lora Amarilla from the main
road. The beach down the alley from Casa Zen is our favorite. White and powdery, it's
great for swimming and surfing as the small cove is protected by rock reefs on both sides.
Playa el Carmen , downhill from the main intersection, is a good beach break that can
also be surfed anytime. The beach is wide and sandy and curls into successive coves, so it
makes good beachcombing and swimming terrain too.
The entire area is saturated with surf shops, and competition has kept prices low. This is
a good place to pick up an inexpensive board, and you can probably get most of your
money back if you sell it elsewhere. Most of the local shops also do rentals and repairs,
and may clue you into secret surf spots.
Al Chile Surf Shop SURFING
( 2640-0959; www.alchilesurfshop.com ; board rental per day US$10, lessons per person US$40-45)
'Al Chile' is a slang phrase that means something like 'For real!' As in 'In one lesson you'll
be riding the white water - al chile !' The charming husband-wife team here guarantees it.
If you don't want a lesson, they will still rent you a top-notch board. And if you're bringing
your own board, check out the custom surfboard art by local surfer-artist William Borges.
Nalu Surf School SURFING
(
2649-9391, 2640-0714; board rental per day US$10-20, lessons per person US$40)
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