Santa Teresa · Mal País
The end of the peninsula, and the water nobody crowds
Family-run fishing charters off Santa Teresa and Mal País, where the Pacific meets the Gulf of Nicoya. Marlin, sailfish, tuna, dorado and roosterfish.
Family-owned
Owned and run by the Castrillo family
Bilingual crew
English and Spanish aboard
Gear included
Rods, reels, bait and tackle
Answers any hour
Listed open 24 hours on Google
Four ways to spend the day
Half a day, a whole day, or all the way to Isla Tortuga
Every trip is private and built around your group. Rods, reels, bait and terminal tackle are aboard before you are, and the captain and crew work in both languages.
What swims here
Where the Pacific meets the Gulf of Nicoya
That meeting is why this stretch holds so much: nutrient-rich water from the gulf running into open Pacific. Billfish offshore, roosterfish and cubera snapper in along the rocks.
- Blue marlin
- Sailfish
- Yellowfin tuna
- Dorado / mahi mahi
- Roosterfish
- Cubera snapper
- Grouper
- Wahoo
What is running depends on the month and on the water. Ask Douglas what has been biting before you pick your dates.
Blue marlinOffshore, the long day
SailfishOffshore, the long day
Yellowfin tunaThe one that fills the cooler
Dorado / mahi mahiFast, bright, and the best eating
RoosterfishInshore, released
Cubera snapperDown in the rocks
GrouperDown in the rocks
WahooFastest thing out there
Santa Teresa and Mal País
Two beaches at the end of the road
Santa Teresa and Mal País sit at the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, and getting here is half the story: a ferry across the Gulf of Nicoya, then a road that turns to dirt before it gets to the water.
That is what keeps the fishing grounds off this coast as quiet as they are. It is also why there is no marina: the boat goes in and out over the sand, and the day starts with your feet wet.
The rest of the peninsula is worth the trip on its own — surf, empty beaches, and sunsets that people plan holidays around. But you came here for the water, and the water is right there.
Before you write
The things people ask first
And where the honest answer is “ask Douglas”, that is what it says. Nothing here is made up to fill a gap.
How much does a charter cost?
The business does not publish rates, and we are not going to invent one here. Send Douglas a WhatsApp with your dates, how many of you there are and which trip you want, and he quotes you directly.
Where do we meet the boat?
On the beach at Mal País or Santa Teresa — there is no marina at this end of the peninsula. Douglas gives you the exact spot and time when you book, because it depends on the tide and on the day.
What can we catch?
Offshore: blue marlin, sailfish, yellowfin tuna, dorado and wahoo. Inshore, along the rocks: roosterfish, cubera snapper and grouper. What is actually running depends on the month, so ask before you pick dates.
Do I need to bring fishing gear?
No. Rods, reels, bait and terminal tackle are included and already aboard. Bring sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and something with sleeves.
Is the crew bilingual?
Yes — the captain and crew work in English and Spanish. It is one of the services the business lists.
Can you help with transport and where to stay?
Yes. Transport and accommodation arrangements are one of the services offered — getting to this end of the Nicoya Peninsula is the hard part of the trip, and Douglas can sort it.
Can we bring kids?
The trips are built around who is on the boat, and families are one of the groups the business caters to. Tell Douglas the ages when you write and he will tell you which trip fits.
What happens if the weather is bad?
The captain makes the call the morning of. If the sea is not right the trip gets moved. Write to Douglas to agree on what happens in that case before you pay anything.
Let's pick a date
Message Douglas and tell him when you are here
Tell him your dates, how many of you there are and what you want out of the day. He will tell you what is running and what it costs.