Santa Teresa

Highlights

Surfing

Unlike the more developed surfing beaches like Jaco and Playa Hermosa, Santa Teresa is a paradise for the solo surfer with some experience. Santa Teresa has fantastic swells all year long, making it one of the best beaches in Costa Rica for surfing. The semi-isolated town of Santa Teresa also lets you get aways from the city-feel and the quiet beach is less crowded than many other beaches in the country, allowing for the ultimate surfing vacation. As one of the best surfing areas in Costa Rica, novices and pros alike will be able to find suitable waves either in Santa Teresa or one of the many beaches nearby. You can also find many surf schools in Santa Teresa if you are looking to improve your skills.

Yoga

If you’re looking for the ultimate yoga vacation, look no further than Santa Teresa. The laid-back culture of the area is perfect for yogis and the smaller amount of tourists guarantees a relaxed vacation. With an abundance of yoga studios, you can find classes for all levels and types of yoga. Some examples include private classes, acro yoga, kid’s yoga, and couple’s yoga. Enjoy the ultimate yoga practice with an unbeatable scenery.

Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve

Cabo Blanco is one the oldest nature reserves in Costa Rica. With more that 150 species of trees, you’ll find an abundance of wildlife including, monkeys, anteaters and several species of birds. There are two trails open for hiking from Wednesday-Sunday, 8am-4pm. The Sueco Trail is 4.2 km and take approximately 4 hours. The hike is considered moderate. A shorter trail called the Danes Trail is also available and it is 1.5 km. You can find rangers at the entrance of the park who are happy to answer all of your questions about the park.

Montezuma Waterfalls

Only about 40 minutes away from Santa Teresa, the Montezuma Waterfalls make for a fantastic day trip away from the beach. You can arrive by car or ATV, but you will want to make sure to wear water-resistant shoes because you’ll wade through the river and climb over rocks. Once you arrive you can swim or picnic next to the cascading falls. Make sure to bring sunscreen, water and your camera!

Tips

Surfers visit April-November: Although it is considered the rainy season, you’ll find the best waves for surfing from April to November.

Be prepared for dust: During the dry season (February-April) Santa Teresa gets very dusty. We recommend bringing a bandana, scarf or surgical mask to cover your face when traveling between beaches.

Rent transportation: For the quickest and best transportation around the area, rent ATVs, bikes or motorcycles.

Visit Tortuga Island: Go hiking or snorkeling on the famous Tortuga Island! You can also take a canopy tour.

Getting There

Closest International Airport: Juan Santamaria (SJO)

Getting to Santa Teresa can be tricky, but we are here to make it easy for you! Take a private or public shuttle, rent a car or fly with Tumbor Air. If you are thinking of renting a car, it is good to realize that you will be faced with a dirt road rather than a paved one and if you travel in rainy season, you should remember that most car rental agencies don’t include water damage in their insurance package. You can also take a ferry from Puntarenas and travel with the bus from there.

Where to Stay

Santa Teresa offers a variety of places to stay, depending on what you are looking for. If you’re interested in doing yoga, we suggest the Pranamar Villas Yoga Retreat. For a gorgeous, luxury (and romantic) vacation, you can’t go wrong at the Florblanca Resort, or the Latitude 10 Resort.

Dining

Santa Teresa has a large population of foreigners, which means you can find unique cuisine from all over the world in some unique and diverse restaurants. For great Mexican food on the beach, try Habaneros. Maybe you want to try Israeli food? We suggest Zula. For vegan options you can try the Zwart Art Cafe.