Mal Pais and Santa Teresa are the same place but different ends of the beach. Mal Pais is the fishing part ans Santa Teresa is the surfers beach. The beach goes on for miles with rolling waves. I’m staying ar Casa del Mar which has a really good vibe, cheap dorm rooms and amazing restaurant with lots of surfers hanging out at the bar.Off for a swim!
I decided to go on a walk to the local waterfalls, 20 minutes they said! I walked to the start and there was a sign saying:
Dear Tourist,
Do not walk to the waterfall in the winter season due to flash floods. In dry season always wear trainers and ensure you never go alone. Do not take valuables to the waterfall.
Well, it is winter season. I was wearing flipflops. I was alone. I had valuables. So I thiught maybe I shouldnt go! But then a couple (Costa Rican lady and American man) came along and said I could go with them!
We came to a small waterfall and we weren’t very impressed but then a local came along and told us the big o es are further upstream. It was too slippery for flipflops so we went barefoot. We scrambled and balances our way to the first waterfall where we stopped for a chat and a drink. Alejandra and Issac had just got married yesterday. Then a German girl Hannah joined us too. We found big blue crayfish in a pool next to the waterfall.
Then someone came down from a steep mountainside and told us that was the way to the top waterfalls. We decided to try it barefoot. It was slippery, muddy with sheer drops and ropes to help climb. It was dangerous but it was worth it! At the top were two more waterfalls. We went swimming being careful not to be washed down the edge of the cliff! O the way back we were lucky enough to see a whole group of howler monkeys including a baby! Amazing!
The next day I went on a long walk with Michael an American traveller to Playa Grande. We tried to get over the rocks at first which was hard until we found out there was a path! There was noone on playa grande and with an unspolt jungle backdrop, it was stunning. Tje sun was hot and burning so we had a swm and headed back.
Caroline's Adventures Around the World 