Surfing Mal Pais Costa Rica

Mal Pais is the name that for many people includes Mal Pais, Santa Teresa and Playa Carmen. Actually these are three different neighboring beaches, but connected through one long coastal road that basically makes them one area. Surfing is the main activity in the entire area.
The following text was extracted from www.nicoyapeninsula.com and describes surfing and differences perfectly well.
Surf in Mal Pais:

El Carmen:
A long right and a shorter left, surfing over sand. It is the best break for beginners learning to surf.The other surf spots in Malpais are more challenging and not suited for beginners:

Punta Barrigona:
A reef break with a long lefthand which wraps around the point turning into a great hot dog wave as it moves through the inside. This area needs a lot of swell to work properly. Watch out for the rocks.

Sunset Reef:
Another lefthand reef break with a fast take off followed by a long workable wall. Gets hollow with size and offshore winds and also needs a good swell to work. Recommended for advanced surfers only as the break over the shallow reef can be quite dangerous.

 
Malpais, Punta Barrigona
Surf in Santa Teresa and further north:

Santa Teresa:
Usually bigger and more hollow than Playa Carmen, Playa Santa Teresa presents a variety of beach breaks, point breaks and high swells for the more experienced surfers. The surf is better at low tide when waves tend to be faster.

Playa Hermosa:
Beach break, lefts and rights. A long sandy beach, less crowded. Also popular with kite surfers.

Manzanillo:
The reef is offshore at the north end of the beach. Very fickle wave which needs a lot of swell to work.