Bajo El Arbol

Mal País & Santa Teresa


If you can't afford a flight to Spain, just sit down 'Beneath the Tree.' Basque chef Julio's menu changes daily, but he whips up an extraordinary escalivada (eggplant and pepper dish), and the pulpo a la gallega (octopus), topped with crunchy sea salt, is so damned good it ought to be illegal. Add a half-bottle of Spanish wine, and you're set.

There's also a convenient four-room guesthouse attached (d incl breakfast US$40-50). Just 200m north of the T-intersection, in Playa El Carmen.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Mal País & Santa Teresa attractions

1. Playa El Carmen

0.15 MILES

Playa El Carmen, downhill from the main T-intersection coming into town, is a good beach break that can be surfed anytime. The beach is wide and sandy and…

2. Playa Santa Teresa

1.21 MILES

Playa Santa Teresa is a long, stunning beach that's famous for its fast and powerful beach break. The waves are pretty consistent and can be surfed at…

3. Playa Hermosa

2.17 MILES

Somewhere north of town, Playa Santa Teresa ends and Playa Hermosa starts. This gorgeous beach deserves its hermosa (beautiful) moniker and then some. It…

4. Playa Manzanillo

3.62 MILES

About 8km north of the Playa El Carmen intersection (past Playa Hermosa), Playa Manzanillo is a combination of sand and rock that’s best surfed when the…

5. Reserva Natural Absoluta Cabo Blanco

5.36 MILES

Costa Rica’s oldest protected wilderness area covers 12 sq km at the tip of the Península de Nicoya. The unique park is covered by evergreen forests,…

6. Montezuma Gardens

5.43 MILES

About 1.5km south of town, alongside the waterfall trail, you can tour this lush mariposario (butterfly garden) and nursery where the mysterious…

7. Montezuma Waterfalls

5.64 MILES

A 40-minute river hike leads to a waterfall with a delicious swimming hole. Further along, a second set of falls offers a good 12m leap into deep water…

8. Montezuma Bay

5.95 MILES

This pretty little beach is the centerpiece of Montezuma, as fishers, ferries and tourists come and go. Unfortunately, it's not really recommended for…