A tough four wheel drive vehicle is necessary to access Matapalo. To get there, you must cross muddy trenches and steep embankments. The lack of passable roads and development lends to the large diversity of wildlife that exists on the Osa Peninsula.
Matapalo Surf Guide
Buy supplies in Jimenez because there are no stores or anything really around. There are a few spendy hotel compounds but no budget hostels. Pull your car right up to the beach and camp directly in front of the break.
We set up camp at night and struggled to maintain a fire with wet wood. Thankfully, we managed to cook the baked beans. Greeted by a full moon and lightning storms, the land seemed to be teeming with energy. Daylight showed a jungle wall at the Beaches edge full of giant rooted old growth and the animals. Trees are littered with big red macaws and raucous gangs of white faced, red haired, and Howler Monkeys. Ring tailed Pizotes (Spanish name) roam the massive rock formations. The fer-de-lance snakes reach up to 8 feet long, are very aggressive, and deadly poisonous so be careful around the rocks!
A right rocky reef, the wave is often mushy and inconsistent. The max ride is about 50 yards. Because the tip of the Osa is difficult to find and navigate, the reef is full of dangerous rocks, and the waves don't offer much speed, it's surprising how crowded the lineup gets. Boats come across the Pan Dulce from Pavones full of Brazilians and Hawaiians. There is a more southern reef break called Pan Dulce the rarely gets more than waist high.
We didn't want the Matapalo journey to end and stayed an extra night despite running low on supplies. We climbed palm trees to get coconuts for the rum and sipped our drinks Oceanside with fellow campers. Hungry and ragged, we broke down and spent 2 days of travel money on a 3 course meal at Encanta la Vida. Afer roughing it, sipping fancy drinks poolside felt out of place.
We set up camp at night and struggled to maintain a fire with wet wood. Thankfully, we managed to cook the baked beans. Greeted by a full moon and lightning storms, the land seemed to be teeming with energy. Daylight showed a jungle wall at the Beaches edge full of giant rooted old growth and the animals. Trees are littered with big red macaws and raucous gangs of white faced, red haired, and Howler Monkeys. Ring tailed Pizotes (Spanish name) roam the massive rock formations. The fer-de-lance snakes reach up to 8 feet long, are very aggressive, and deadly poisonous so be careful around the rocks!
A right rocky reef, the wave is often mushy and inconsistent. The max ride is about 50 yards. Because the tip of the Osa is difficult to find and navigate, the reef is full of dangerous rocks, and the waves don't offer much speed, it's surprising how crowded the lineup gets. Boats come across the Pan Dulce from Pavones full of Brazilians and Hawaiians. There is a more southern reef break called Pan Dulce the rarely gets more than waist high.
We didn't want the Matapalo journey to end and stayed an extra night despite running low on supplies. We climbed palm trees to get coconuts for the rum and sipped our drinks Oceanside with fellow campers. Hungry and ragged, we broke down and spent 2 days of travel money on a 3 course meal at Encanta la Vida. Afer roughing it, sipping fancy drinks poolside felt out of place.
What and Where is Matapalo?
Matapalo is a Costa Rica Travel Destination located in the Central Pacific region of Costa Rica. (see all Costa Rica Regions)
