Santa Teresa, Costa Rica’s excellent surf, wild beaches and lively yoga scene has turned this rural coastal village into a thriving beach town and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Costa Rica.
If you’re planning a trip to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, this guide will help you plan your visit.
How to Get to Santa Teresa
There are many ways to get to Santa Teresa but there are some very important things to know as this beach town sits at the tip of the remote Nicoya Peninsula.
4×4 Required
First and foremost, if you are renting a car, you should rent a 4wd or 4×4 for Santa Teresa. Although a part of town is now paved, the majority of roads in Santa Teresa are still not paved. The roads are bumpy and have huge potholes, especially in rainy season. Additionally, the small roads stemming from the main street up to the mountains are unpaved so make sure to check with your hotel if you need a 4×4 or if a 4wd is OK.
I’ll talk about Santa Teresa roads more below. Renting a car? Don’t forget to check our exclusive Costa Rica car rental discount and extra benefits for Mytanfeet readers!
How to get to Santa Teresa from San Jose/SJO Airport
The most popular way to get to Santa Teresa from San Jose is by way of the Puntarenas ferry through the Gulf of Nicoya.
Driving and Ferry
If you are renting a car and landing at San Jose International Airport, you’ll drive to Puntarenas to catch the ferry to Paquera. This drive is around 2 hours and is on a highway the whole time.
Once in Puntarenas, board the ferry to cross the Gulf of Nicoya and it’ll take you to Paquera on the Nicoya Peninsula. The ferry with the boarding and unboarding takes about 1.5 hours. From Paquera, Santa Teresa is about a 1 hour drive. The road is paved for part of it and then becomes unpaved once you get closer to Santa Teresa.
To plan your ferry ride, check our Puntarenas Paquera ferry guide to find out everything you need to know about purchasing tickets, schedules, etc.
The driving and ferry travel time from San Jose International Airport to Santa Teresa is around 5 hours. However, if you are purchasing ferry tickets in person as opposed to online (more on how to buy tickets in our ferry guide above), then we do recommend to arrive as early as possible during high tourism months of December through April.
Driving the Whole Way
You could also drive from San Jose to Santa Teresa the whole way. Instead of going to Puntarenas and taking the ferry, you will take Route 1, Route 18 and Route 21. The driving time from San Jose Airport to Santa Teresa is around 6 hours.
Bus
There is a direct bus from San Jose to Santa Teresa every day at 630 AM and 30 PM leaving San Jose at Ave 7, Calle 10 Terminal 7-10. This bus costs around 8000 colones one way per adult and is a 6 hour ride. It goes by the way of the ferry and includes the ferry ticket. This bus also stops at Paquera, Tambor, Cobano and Montezuma, ending in Santa Teresa.
Shuttle
You can take shared and private shuttles to Santa Teresa from San Jose. A shared shuttle from San Jose costs around $65 USD per adult with Interbus.
A private shuttle from Liberia to Santa Teresa costs around $260 USD one way for up to 8 people. Need a private shuttle? Contact us to book your private transportation to Santa Teresa.
Flying
The closest airport to Santa Teresa is Tambor. You can take a domestic flight from San Jose to Tambor (30 minutes) and then from Tambor, it is a 40 minute drive to Santa Teresa. Check Sansa or Green Airways for domestic flights.
Location and Directions
Santa Teresa Costa Rica map
Santa Teresa is on the west coast of the Nicoya Peninsula in the Puntarenas province.
How to get to Santa Teresa from Guanacaste (Liberia)
Unfortunately there is no road that connects all the way down the Guanacaste coast to the Nicoya Peninsula. You will have to go around the Nicoya Peninsula on Route 21.
Driving
The best route from Northern Guanacaste is to go to Santa Cruz, Nicoya and then around the Nicoya Peninsula. Make sure to stay on Route 21, which is the paved road around the coast.
Driving tip: Sometimes Waze or Google Maps will take you through some “shortcuts’ which are the horrible roads through the peninsula that require river crossings and are basically cow roads. Do NOT take these shortcuts. Always stay on the main road.
Bus
There is no direct bus from Guanacaste to Santa Teresa. One bus route would be Liberia – Puntarenas – Paquera – Cobano – Santa Teresa. Make sure to leave early enough to be able to catch all the buses.
Instead of the bus which as you can see is a bit complicated from Guanacaste, it will be easier to book a shuttle. One company is Tropical Shuttles that offers shuttles from Guanacaste like Tamarindo to Santa Teresa for ~$52 USD per person. A private shuttle is around $280 USD one way for up to 8 people.
How to Get Around Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
As the area from Mal Pais to Playa Hermosa stretches over 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) on a mostly unpaved road, the main mode of transportation in Santa Teresa is car or ATV. You can rent an ATV for around $70 USD a day or $50 USD a day per week. You can also rent bikes or motorcycles.
There are a lot of taxis in Santa Teresa and we recommend to taxi if you’re out after sunset. For car rentals, there is an Alamo and Budget office in town.
Unfortunately our car rental partner Adobe Rent a Car, does not have an office in Santa Teresa. If you wish to have your car delivered to Santa Teresa, there is a hefty extra fee ($230 USD) for this service. Therefore we recommend to rent a car in San Jose or Liberia when you land if you want to rent with Adobe Rent a Car or rent a car with Budget/Alamo when you are in Santa Teresa.
The road is paved for a short section in Santa Teresa but just a short part. The rest of the roads are unpaved.
Santa Teresa Town
Although this coastal village may be far away from any sort of booming metropolis, Santa Teresa offers the amenities and services of one. The only things to note are the always busy ATM located in Playa Carmen and the missing gas station. To fill up your tank, you’ll need to make the 30 minute trek to Cobano where the closest gas station is.
Just driving through the streets of Santa Teresa gives you a good idea of what this trendy beach town is all about. ATV’s blazing up and down the road, colorful surf boards outside every door and groups of young, tan, bright eyed travelers looking for the next exciting chapter of their life.
We personally like to stay outside of downtown Santa Teresa where it’s a bit quieter. Learn about the beaches and surrounding neighborhoods below.
Beaches and Neighborhoods
Mal Pais
Mal Pais is a small fishing village, about 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) from Santa Teresa. Tourists enjoy staying in Mal Pais instead of Santa Teresa because it’s much quieter with less people. If you stay in Mal Pais, you will need to go to Carmen or Santa Teresa for supermarkets, the bank and restaurants.
You can read our Mal Pais Costa Rica guide here to learn more. We stayed in Mal Pais twice and really enjoyed being outside the hustle and bustle.
Playa Carmen
Carmen is the small community right in between Mal Pais and Santa Teresa. It’s the only place that has banks and ATMs. Carmen has a large number of restaurants, hotels, supermarkets and hostels. Most people like to stay in Carmen because it is convenient, where most of the ruckus is and you can walk to everything.
Playa Santa Teresa
This is the main beach of the town that everyone goes to, Playa Santa Teresa. You’ll see surf lessons going on, people walking, relaxing and hanging out at the vast tan sand beach and dogs running around. The most northern part of the beach where a large rock formation is called Playa Cocal.
Playa Hermosa and Playa Cocal Grande
Playa Hermosa is at the northern end of Santa Teresa and is one of the better beaches for surf lessons. Known as the “Beverly Hills” of Santa Teresa, this is where celebrities like Tom Brady and Giselle Bundchen have built their luxury ocean view mansions.
There are a few restaurants and small hotels in Hermosa but not as much as Santa Teresa and Carmen.
Playa Cocal Grande is right next to Hermosa so most tourists refer to both beaches as Playa Hermosa. We stayed here for 3 nights and really enjoyed staying here too. It’s just a tad far from the center of town so you definitely need a vehicle to get around.
Playa Manzanillo
This beach is about 8 kilometers (5 miles) north of Santa Teresa. It’s a popular spot for ATV tours to stop at. It’s not technically a part of Santa Teresa but it’s a nice empty beach.
Santa Teresa Weather
Santa Teresa experiences typical tropical weather with a rainy and dry season. Rainy is approximately end of April to end of November and dry is beginning of December through April. The rainiest months are usually October and November and driest months are February – April. Average day time temperatures in dry season hover around the mid 90s F (35 C) and rainy season is mid 80s F (29 C).
This area during dry season is incredibly dusty.
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica Hotels
Santa Teresa has a wide variety of lodging options and you can find hostels, cabinas, villas, vacation rentals, standard hotels and yoga/surf camps. Luxury vacation homes are of no shortage in Santa Teresa.
Below are some hotel recommendations (prices in USD).
Hotel Santa Teresa: We stayed here for our first visit to Santa Teresa and really enjoyed it. It’s right in Carmen, walking distance to the town and beach. Small pool but comfortable rooms. Rooms are around $100
Casa Chameleon Mal Pais: Upscale adult only hotel with villas in Mal Pais. Each villa has an ocean view and their own private plunge pool. Romantic hotel, perfect for couples. Villas start at $595.
Hotel Nantipa- A Tico Beach Experience: A beautiful luxury beachfront hotel in Santa Teresa, spacious rooms and private pools. Get a bungalow for more privacy.
Selina Santa Teresa: This hostel chain is centrally located in Santa Teresa. It has a dorm and private rooms. Dorms start at $25 a bed, private rooms start at $150.
Florblanca Resort: Luxury resort with 1 and 2 bedroom ocean view villas, yoga classes, gardens, outdoor showers and a spa. Great place for couples too. Villas start at $400. In Santa Teresa.
Banana Beach Bungalows: Has 7 bungalows and casitas, pool, restaurant with a good nightlife and live music. In Santa Teresa on the beach. Rooms start at $150.
Hotel Vista Las Olas: They have bungalows and villas, each with a stunning ocean view and outdoor bathrooms. Rooms start at $150.
Lua Villas: Cute boutique hotel with apartments and villas on Playa Hermosa. A five minute walk to the Playa Cocal Grande Surf spot. Stayed here 3 nights and really liked it. Starts at $75.
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica Restaurants
Santa Teresa has a handful of delicious restaurants. Here are some of our favorite places to eat in Santa Teresa. It is also very easy to eat vegan/vegetarian/pescetarian/gluten free in Santa Teresa.
- Zula: An Israeli restaurant with hummus, falafel and wraps.
- Ranchos Itauna: They have a wide variety of food from curry to Brazailian but the reason to go is for their barbecue on Thursdays.
- Las Piedras Parrilla: Really good Argentian barbecue grill.
- Habaneros: Mexican restaurant on the beach, they have good drinks.
- Burger Rancho: Great burgers!
- The Bakery: Awesome pastries and standard bakery goods. Good place for breakfast.
- Zwart Art Cafe: Another good place for breakfast with lots of vegan options.
- Banana Beach: Right on the beach, good place for drinks at sunset.
- Somos Cafe: Cute cafe for breakfast, lunch and brunch. They have sandwiches, acai bowls and other pastries.
- Red’s Cafe: Great place for breakfast and lunch in Playa Hermosa.
- Drift Bar: One of the best places for vegetarian/vegan food. Their vegan burger and vegan BLT are super good. Also has excellent smoothies and a bakery.
- Eat Street: Fun outdoor style food court with burgers, bowls and sandwiches.
- Katana: Asian fusion, super good. Make a reservation in high season.
- Vermu: Great breakfast tacos, bowls and smoothies.
- Soda Pura Vida: The more popular local Costa Rican restaurant for typical food (can be a bit slow at times)
- Nami: Excellent sushi place
- El Facon Grill & Bar: Nice spot if you’re in the mood for meat, burgers, etc. Make a reservation.
- Cafca Cafe: Nice place for coffee and smoothies
Santa Teresa Services (Laundry, Supermarkets, Shopping Etc.)
Most restaurants in Santa Teresa offer delivery. The delivery fee isn’t cheap though, we paid 5000 CRC for Burger Rancho delivery to Playa Hermosa (to be fair it was pouring rain).
There are laundry services in town such as Laundry Express, Elys Laundry and Santa Teresa Laundry.
There are convenience stores, small grocery stores and standard supermarkets throughout Santa Teresa such as Super Ronny #1, Super Ronny #2, Super Muralla, Mini Super Frank’s Place, Mini Market Italian Store, Super Costa, Super La Hacienda and Super Hermosa.
Want to shop for some new swimwear? You’re in the right spot. There are a bunch of cute stores like El Paseito, Santa Swimwear, Alaia, Roots Town and Kina Surf Shop. Dutzy Supply Co has some nice skate and surf wear.
Things to do in Santa Teresa
Besides being a beach bum, there are a lot of fun things to do in and around Santa Teresa.
Surfing
Take a surf lesson or join a surf camp if you’re a newbie or beginner. Group lessons are around $90 USD per person. You can rent boards for about $20 USD a day.
There are surf schools and surf shops everywhere in Santa Teresa so just pop into any one of them to schedule your lesson.
Cabo Blanco Reserve Hike
This reserve is at the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula and has two nice hiking trails for visitors to see the forest and spot some wildlife.
Fishing
Since Mal Pais is famous for fishing, you can go on an off or in shore fishing trip to catch rooster fish, sail fish, tuna, grouper, jacks, snappers and more.
Yoga
Take a yoga class at one of the many hotels or studios that offer classes. They have everything from beginner to expert level yoga classes and even have acro yoga, couples yoga and private classes.
Tortuga Island
Take a day trip to cruise through the Gulf of Nicoya and spend a day at the picturesque Tortuga Island. If you don’t have time in Santa Teresa, you can also do this as a day trip from San Jose.
Explore Beaches
Whether you explore by horseback ride, ATV or foot, there are miles of pristine coastline to discover in Santa Teresa. One of our favorite beaches in Costa Rica is Playa Cuevas in Mal Pais that is a must. Another is Playa Mar Azul and Playa Ventanitas.
Montezuma Day Trip
Head over to Montezuma, a small Bohemian coastal town on the other end of the Nicoya Penisula 30 minutes away. Walk along the beach, hike to the incredible Montezuma Waterfall and watch the baby sea turtles release.
Santa Teresa Nightlife
For nightlife, there are a few places to have a good time when the sun goes down. Beach bonfire parties were common before COVID and there are some places with live music and a good happy hour. We recommend going to Hotel Vista Las Olas or Banana Beach Restaurant for sunset happy hour cocktails first. Then check the schedules (there are always flyers on trees at the beach or people handing out flyers) for what’s going on that night.
Rancho Itauna has a weekly beach party on Tuesdays with a fireshow, bonfire and DJ’s. Banana Beach has live music on Saturdays and fireshows and if you’re there end of February to beginning of March, you can go to Cobano (the nearby local town) to visit the fiestas civias (local parties).
Things to Know About Visiting Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
- The town is not very brightly lit and the unpaved road is not the nicest to walk on in the dark. Take a taxi if going out at night.
- Credit cards are more readily accepted now in Santa Teresa. Before, it was cash only but all the restaurants we went to took credit card. It is still necessary to carry cash with you though (Costa Rican currency or USD).
- The closest gas station is in Cobano (30 minutes drive).
- Internet is not that bad in Santa Teresa. With the influx of digital nomads, many places offer 10-50 mbps Internet and even fiber optic. There are also co-working spaces in town. Make sure to ask your accommodation to send you a screenshot of their Internet speed (up and down) in case you require a stable connection for Zoom calls and your job. Something to note that Internet may go in and out occasionally – that’s just how it is in Costa Rica.
- Santa Teresa is growing rapidly. Be prepared to run into construction.
- Looking for a long term rental in Santa Teresa? Start with Peace Lofts, Yoko Village (also has co-working spaces) and Apart ZulaInn.
Sprinkles says
Thanks so much for this wonderful guide! At the end of May I will be travelling from Monteverde to Santa Theresa. Do you recommend the ferry route or driving around on highway 18 to highway 21?
Any recommended stops along the way if you are driving the whole way? We will have the whole day to kill and love spur-of-the-moment sightseeing! Thanks so much 🙂
Sammi says
Hi, you can check our ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera guide here – the ferry is fun and a nice way to kill some of the driving but you can perfectly drive around the peninsula too
Sprinkles says
Thanks so much for the reply 🙂
Adam says
Thanks so much for your information. We are returning to Santa Teresa after being away for five years. This time we will spend two months here.
A couple questions you may be able to answer:
-Do the supermarkets accept VISA?
-Do most restaurants still accept cash only?
-Any place you would recommend to buy a used beginner surf board?
Thanks!
Adam
Sammi says
Hi Adam, Santa Teresa is still a cash town with just one ATM (not much has changed in five years). You can check any of the surf shops in town for used surf boards (long and short), they always have some for sale or will know where to get them. You can also check the Sanat Teresa, Mal Pais Garage Facebook page and ask around in there.
David says
Thanks for the write up!
I’m traveling in CR and working remote while I wait out this COVID issue. Do you know how reliable power and wifi are in Santa Teresa?
Sammi says
Unfortunately no, I would see if you can join some FB groups for Santa Teresa and ask the people there since they’ll know
Chris says
Hey Sammi,
What is the crowd like at the end of November? Also, are there suitable waves for a beginner this time of year?
Sammi says
End of November is generally not too crowded since we are just ending our rainy season. I am not sure about the waves, but you can check tide charts or ask surf schools in the area. Since the coastline is so long, there are lots of spots for beginners in Santa Teresa.
Jerrah says
Thanks for the great post! My husband and I are spending two weeks in Costa Rica this summer and visiting Santa Teresa. We planning on driving from Monteverde in a rental car early august and dropping it off in Santa Teresa. I was wondering if the roads will be ok this time of year? I was also wondering if we should keep the car throughout our time there or if taxis are easy to get in the area. We are staying in an airbnb so we can’t have the hotel call one for us.
Thank you!
Sammi says
I would keep the car in Santa Teresa, it will be way more convenient especially if you are staying at an Airbnb. Taxis are there but not as much especially if you don’t have a front desk or reception to call one.
Cathy Marco says
Sammi, Thanks for all you help with our 1-1/2 months in Costa Rica. After taking a two week tour of five areas of Costa Rica, we found our rental house in Playa Hermosa for the month of February was perfect (being right near the beautiful beach). Playa Hermosa is away from a lot of the traffic and people in Santa Teresa but it is very active with surfers. The downside of Playa Hermosa is that there is no cellphone coverage. So we are forced to go into Santa Teresa should we need to make a call. WiFi is good but there’s usually one day a week that the WiFi goes out for a number of hours in this entire area. The number of dogs (very friendly) freely roaming the streets without a care in the world is quite obvious in Costa Rica and, especially, in this area. The number of fantastic restaurants is unbelievable and you will not have a shortage of places to join a yoga group. We had a 4WD vehicle and explore all over which made our adventure wonderful. Thanks again.
Sammi says
Hi Cathy, thank you for your feedback it was really interesting! I remember there being no cell phone coverage in Hermosa last time we were there. I’m glad you guys had a great time!
Sammi says
You could stop by Tambor or Paquera, I really like Playa Pochote. You can also check our destinations map here
Nina says
Hi! We will be heading to Santa Teresa starting in Samara. Do you have a recommendation for a nice break on the road? We are driving with two kids so it would be nice to stay somewhere for an hour or two before getting back in the car. Thanks
Sammi says
Hi Nina! Since you have to drive around the peninsula, Montezuma is a nice stop. Here’s our guide to Montezuma: Montezuma, Costa Rica
Nina says
Thanks for the fast reply but we will do Montezuma as a daytrip once we are in Santa Teresa. Is there something worth stopping on the eastcost of the peninsula?
Penny says
We have a group of 11 to 16 ppl traveling together for 10 days late Nov. I’ve been reading your blog and others about road conditions and am now a bit concerned about our route! We will travel by car (several of them) San Jose to La Fortuna to Nosara to Santa Teresa to the ferry and back to san jose. It’s ambitious, I know, and we are all pretty adventurous and wanting to take the coastal route from Nosara to Santa Teresa. Is this completely unreasonable? What if we bring tow ropes? just really hoping to hold this itinerary. Thanks in advance!
Sammi says
In late Nov, I would take the paved route from Nosara to Santa Teresa. November is at the end of our rainy season so rivers are big and no car rental insurance will cover river damage. When my brother came in August, the rivers were too full to cross so we had to turn all the way around and go on the paved road. November will be even worse because it’s after our rainiest months of September and October so I recommend going through the Nicoya Peninsula on the paved roads.
Solo Travelor says
I am heading to Tamarindo for 4 night end of April and 3 nights in Santa Teresa. I’ll be taking a Sansa flight to and from Tamarindo. I am a solo female traveler and was wondering if you have any tips for me. I want to make sure I am safe and if you have any recommendations on places to stay that are safe and what to avoid when being there.
Thank you so much!
PS – I’m in my mid thirties and it’s my first trip alone. I want to relax and also meet some people.
Cheers!
Penny
Sammi says
Hi Penny, I would choose to stay in a hotel/hostel that’s either in Carmen or Santa Teresa, that is where most people are and all of the restaurants, shops, banks and everything are in those two towns. If you go out at night, always walk with someone or take a taxi but note that it can be hard to find taxis late at night. The road is also not very nice to walk on (unpaved and super dusty with not very brightly lit lamps and no sidewalks) so be very cautious if walking at night. Don’t go on the beach early morning or night by yourself either. There are a lot of bars and beachfront restaurants that have events like bonfires, shows and live music going on so ask around to see what’s going on that night. Have fun!
Penny says
Thanks Sammi, which hotels/hostels would you recommend? I would like my own private bathroom also.
Cheers!
Sammi says
Hi Penny, there’s a section in the guide for hotel/hostel recommendations 🙂 Selina is the most popular one now.
Penny says
Thank you! I’ll check it out 🙂
Sammi says
You’re welcome!