Santa Teresa

ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle) Adventures

Explore backcountry roads and scenic rivers on an ATV excursion.  These vehicles can take drivers to places even the sturdiest SUV cannot, redefining the word ‘joyride.’ Be sure to stick to the main streets and back roads, as it is illegal to take ATVs on the beach. Half and full-day tours are available.

Bird and Wildlife Watching

Wildlife is plentiful in the jungles and shorelines of Curu Wildlife Refuge and Cabo Blanco Reserve. The best time for wildlife watching is early in the morning, between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., and in the afternoon between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.

At Curu, raccoon, coatimundi, whitetail deer, armadillo, collared peccary, puma, skunk, and kinkajou are plentiful. Playful capuchin, spider, and howler monkeys are frequently spotted lingering in the trees. Giant toads, boa constrictors, lizards, crocodiles and nesting sea turtles can also be found on the property. Birdwatchers will delight in the wide variety of avian species found in the refuge: parakeets, scarlet macaws, woodpeckers, osprey, common black hawks, brown pelicans, and herons are commonly sighted.

Nearby Cabo Blanco is also a wildlife lover’s paradise. The park’s verdant trails are packed with flora and fauna including: howler and white-faced monkeys, coati, agouti, deer, jaguarundis, white-lipped peccaries, Baird’s tapir, and raccoons. It is also home to over 39 species of bats. Many types of bird have also been sighted, such as crested guan, frigate birds, gulls, pelicans, and ospreys.

Canopy Tour 

Brave souls can zoom through Mal Pais’ stunning rainforest canopy, taking in views of the Pacific Ocean and endless tropical jungle.  The canopy tour is on a 65-acre farm, at the Mal Pais entrance to the Cabo Blanco Absolute Reserve. Their highest cable is 246 feet off the ground, where it is possible to see monkeys bounding about in the trees. The tour includes nine platforms, eight cables adding up to one mile in length, and a final riveting 1371-foot flight through the forest. 

Day Spas

Let go of all worries and indulge in one of Santa Teresa’s world-class day spas. On the menu are varieties of massage techniques, facial treatments, and alternative healing therapies such as acupuncture. Highly trained and experienced acupuncturists offer quality treatments at affordable rates. Relax and listen to the ocean crash against the sand as your stress melts away.

Horseback Riding

Horseback riding along Playa El Carmen is one of the most enjoyable activities in the area. Trot down the beach during a legendary Santa Teresa sunset, which seems painted on the sky in vibrant shades of pink, purple, orange, and yellow. Tours last one to two hours, and include a guided trek through several of the area's beaches.

Kite Surfing

Kite surfing is rapidly becoming a popular adrenaline sport, and gusty Hermosa Beach is the perfect place to test the waters.  Experience the thrilling sensation of wind-powered flight while launching from waves. Trainers certified by the International Kite Organization (IKO) can be hired to get beginners off the ground, or to help amateurs reach the next level.

Scuba Diving and Snorkeling

Turtle Island, locally known as Isla Tortuga, offers some of the most phenomenal snorkeling and scuba diving in Costa Rica, and this day trip should not be missed. PADI certified instructors offer multi-day courses to aspiring divers, with a day-long “discovery session” for beginners. Snorkelers can explore the colorful sea life in the tame, sparkling waters surrounding the island. Angelfish, puffer fish, corals, blue spotted jacks, eels, octopi, lobsters, oysters, and needlefish are commonly spotted in the clear shallows. The best place to snorkel in Mal Pais is at the Las Suecas tidepool near Cabo Blanco Absolute Reserve. Snorkeling equipment can be rented inexpensively in town. 

Yoga

Relax the body and the mind with Santa Teresa’s enlightening yoga classes. Many studios offer jaw-dropping views of the Pacific Ocean. Classes run $10 for a one and a half hour session, but prices drop if bought in packages of five or more.

Sport Fishing

Inshore and offshore fishing excursions are offered on comfortable 26 to 35 ft. boats. Guests are in the hands of experienced captains who know the best spots for big game fish. Common catches include yellow and black-fin tuna, red snapper, grouper, striped and black marlin, snook, and mahi mahi. Anglers have the option of sampling the freshest sushi in town, or saving their prize for later. Read more about Sport Fishing in Costa Rica.

Surfing

Both seasoned and novice surfers from near and far come to enjoy the consistent left and right breaks that Santa Teresa and Mal Pais deliver. A variety of talented surf schools offer private and group lessons, all taught by skilled surfers. Multi-day surf camps include meals, transportation, daily classes, and upscale lodging.  Camps run for as few or as many days as desired. The area features a variety of waves for surfers of all levels:

Mal Pais

Mal Pais is a five-mile stretch of beach with a handful of prime surfing spots, most of which are rock breaks. These can be dangerous for those who don’t know the area well. Seasoned veterans often prefer Mal Pais to the other beaches because of its exciting edge and isolation.

El Carmen

El Carmen’s consistent left and right beach breaks are perfect for both long and short boards. This beach tends to be crowded, with lots of people competing for the best waves. It is a great place to learn by observation, or to ask professionals for helpful advice.

Santa Teresa

Santa Teresa is slightly less crowded than El Carmen, also with left and right beach breaks. Waves here tend to hold their shape well at low tide. “Suck Rock,” or Roca Mar, is a dangerous rock break at the north point of the beach where helmet-wearing surfers skim along the waves.

Hermosa

This beautiful beach, located 20 minutes outside of Santa Teresa’s center by car, certainly lives up to its name. Consistent left and right beach breaks, combined with relatively few surfers competing for waves, make this beach the ideal pick for those with wheels. Often windy, Hermosa is also a prime kite surfing spot.

Manzanillo

Manzanillo is the most isolated of all the area’s beaches. Surfing here is a gamble. Great waves are a rarity, and found only when swells are particularly strong.

Cell Phones

Cell phone reception is unpredictable around Mal Pais and Santa Teresa, but signals seem to be stronger at lower elevations. Up in the hills, reception is poor, but it is almost always possible to find pockets of service.

Public Phones

Pay phones are located in Santa Teresa near the soccer field, next to El Carmen Commercial Center opposite the liquor store, in Brunella’s Plaza, and beside the Super La Hacienda. Most are operated by phone card, not coins; purchase a phone card in any pharmacy or grocery store in Costa Rica.

Internet

There are numerous Internet cafes in Santa Teresa, along with many restaurants that provide wireless service to their customers. One of the more comfortable Internet cafes is located next to Kina’s Surf Shop, adjacent to Pizza Tomate. They charge about $2 per hour and offer six desktop computers. Wireless Internet is available for those with laptops, free of charge for restaurant patrons. They are open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Post Office

There is a small mailbox in front of Internet Pizza Tomate that accepts postcards and letters. For larger pieces of mail, ask your hotel manager if they are able to send and receive packages. Otherwise, they must be handled at the post office in Cobano.

Banks

Banco Nacional has a 24-hour ATM machine and bank in the El Carmen Commercial Center. Banco de Costa Rica also has a bank and 24-hour ATM machine across the street, on the corner. Remember that a  passport is required for all transactions within the bank and copies are not accepted for security reasons.

Gas Stations

A full-service gas station is located about a mile and a half up the road toward Cobano. 

Medical Facilities

Amigas Pharmacy is located in the El Carmen Commercial Center, along with Paradise Medical Services (Tel. 2640-1010). There is another clinic on the road to Cobano, and an ambulance service with EMS 2000 (Tel. 2665-3775). For all major emergencies in Costa Rica, dial 911. 

Mal Pais and Santa Teresa feature a wide variety of mid-range to upscale accommodations. While few offer wireless Internet, most include basic comforts like hot water and air conditioning, and some provide guests with discounted surfboard rental rates. Intriguing animals such as armadillos, white-faced monkeys, and iguanas stroll the grounds of many hotels, reminding visitors of the area’s abundance of wildlife.

Mal Pais takes the farm-to-table concept seriously, restaurants change their menus to accommodate what is coming out of the hamlet's organic farm from locally grown pork, chicken to eggs, vegetables, herbs and fruits. Fish is usually sourced from fishermen at the pier and beef comes from local grass-fed cattle. So that dish you love one day might be gone the next, but there will always be the best of the season and you are not going to leave empty bellied.

Santa Teresa brings its healthy fares – imported from all the foreigners who inhabit the hamlet now - to everyone into clean eating and water-guzzling solutions. Vegetarians and health conscious can have their pic of organic, non-GMO, and gluten-free meals and goodies. Thirst fans swoon at the variety and quality of the local plant-based and cambucha smoothies. Of course, there are also places for the lure of fatty food and booze.

Air:

Domestic airlines Sansa and Nature Air both make the half hour flight from San Jose to Tambor. Mal Pais and Santa Teresa are an hour-long drive from Tambor.

Bus:

Buses depart daily from the Coca Cola Station in San Jose at 6:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. for the 5.5-hour journey to Mal Pais/Santa Teresa. Buses cross the scenic Gulf of Nicoya via ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera. The cost is $12.50 and includes the ferry fee. (Transportes Rodriguez Tel: 2642-0219)

From all along Santa Teresa’s main road, buses depart daily for San Jose at 6:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. The cost is $12.50 and includes the ferry fee.

Car:

From San Jose, take the Caldera Highway west to Puntarenas. From there, take the ferry across the Gulf of Nicoya to the town of Paquera. The ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera runs at 5, 9 and 11 a.m. and 1, 3, and 5 and 9 p.m.; the current rate is $1.50 for an adult passenger, $1 for children, $4 for a motorcycle and $12.50 for a car. Call ahead to check for schedule changes. (Ferry: Naviera Tambor tel. 2661-2084) From Paquera, drive about 20 miles to Cobano, where you’ll follow signs for seven miles to Mal Pais and Santa Teresa.

Coming from the Guanacaste region, the Puntarenas route is also recommended. The journey via the mainland to Naranjo and then down to Paquera looks shorter on the map, but in reality, it is not. The road conditions from Naranjo to Paquera are poor, so taking the Puntarenas ferry remains your best bet.

From Samara and the coastal towns of Guanacaste, it is sometimes possible in the driest part of the dry season (December through April) to take the seaside road leading south through Samara, Carillo, Punta Islita, Coyote, and finally Santa Teresa.

The Bongo River often blocks the path just before Santa Teresa, so be sure to ask directions. Because driving through rivers is mandatory, this route can be hazardous and is not recommended. This journey is especially risky in a rental car, which can incur large fines for traversing rivers. 

ATV:

An ATV is the fastest and most reliable way to get around the area’s challenging, unpaved roads. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes, as pebbles and rocks can be a problem. Four-wheelers can be rented by the hour, day or week.

Bicycle:

Bicycles are convenient and inexpensive means of transport. A lock and key should be included in the price. Duane’s bicycle shop, on the right hand side after the second bridge north toward Manzanillo, is the best place to rent.

On Foot:

Getting around on foot is fine if staying in the Santa Teresa area, especially near the El Carmen Commercial Center. If not, walking long distances on these dusty streets is challenging in the heat of the day.

Taxi:

Taxis often congregate in front of Banco de Costa Rica, across the street from El Carmen Commercial Center. Fares are affordable, especially if sharing. 

Example taxi fares:

Santa Teresa to Montezuma: $30

Santa Teresa to Cobano: $20

Santa Teresa to Paquera: $60

Santa Teresa to Cabuya: $45

Public Bus:

Public buses in Mal Pais/Santa Teresa are fairly reliable. Schedules are subject to change, so be sure to ask around before making final plans.

Santa Teresa to Cobano: one hour; $1.60; 7:00 a.m.; 11:30 a.m.; 3:30 p.m.

Cobano to Santa Teresa: one hour; $1.60; 10:30 a.m.; 2:30 p.m.

From Cobano, it is possible to travel to Montezuma, Cabuya, and Paquera.

Cobano to Montezuma: 75¢; 5:00 a.m.; 7:30 a.m.; 9:45 a.m.; 11:45 a.m.; 1:15 p.m.; 3:15 p.m.; 5:45 p.m.

Montezuma to Cobano: 75¢; 5:30 a.m.; 8:00 a.m.; 10:00 a.m.; 12:15 a.m.; 2:00 p.m.; 4:00 p.m.

Montezuma to Cabuya: 60¢; 8:00 a.m.; 10:00 a.m.; 2:00 p.m.; 4:00 p.m.; 6:00 p.m.

Cabuya to Montezuma: 60¢; 7:15 a.m.; 9:15 a.m.; 1:15 p.m.; 4:15 p.m.

Cobano to Paquera: $2.50; 3:45 a.m.; 5:45 a.m.; 8:30 a.m.; 10:30 a.m.; 12:15 p.m.; 2:30 p.m; 4:30 p.m.

Paquera to Cobano: $2.50; 6:15 a.m.; 8:30 a.m.; 10:30 a.m.; 12:00 p.m.; 2:00 p.m.; 4:30 p.m.; 6:30 p.m. 

Beaches (From south to north):

Playa Mal Pais

Mal Pais, or “Bad Country,” is an enormous beach that stretches for five miles, paralleling the bumpy road toward Cabo Blanco Absolute Reserve. While one might think the name might be derogatory, for hardcore surfers it is anything but. Sea rocks make these waters an intimidating learning place for the novice, but Mal Pais’ consistent waves create a handful of great spots for experienced surfers. Hotels are far apart with a private and remote feel, attracting wildlife and creating a wonderful hideaway for solitary sunbathers.

Playa El Carmen 

El Carmen is a welcoming stretch of unspoiled shore with lots of beach combing potential. The sand seems to be extra-white here, so pack lots of sun block. Sand bars create long right breaks and somewhat shorter lefts, attracting beginner surfers and long boarders who dot the horizon, dancing along the surface of the sea. El Carmen is by far the most popular beach in the area, perfect for those wishing to socialize or to browse jewelry from local vendors.

Playa Santa Teresa

Santa Teresa is another celebrated surf beach, famous for its year-round breaks. About a mile long, the beach has a few rocky patches that may intimidate new surfers. Because of consistent swells, Santa Teresa is a great location to surf no matter what the tide.

Novices should steer clear of Roca Mar, or Suck Rock, the large rock point at the north end of the beach. Because of Roca Mar’s strong waves and dangerous rocks, locals are known to wear helmets while surfing there. At the south end of Playa Santa Teresa, a small pool filled with fish is formed at low tide. This is a wonderful area for young children to play, or for especially timid swimmers.

Playa Hermosa

About three miles south of Manzanillo sits Playa Hermosa, or Beautiful Beach. The shore is roughly two miles long, and deserted in comparison to the ever-popular El Carmen Beach. Just a 20-minute drive from the center of town, Hermosa’s palm-fringed shore stretches for two miles. Here, the water is clearer and the sands less crowded, allowing visitors to luxuriate in the beauty and privacy of Hermosa. Strong left and right breaks and fewer people competing for waves make Hermosa a favorable surfing spot. Winds reign supreme here, making it a fantastic kite surfing point.

Playa Manzanillo

The nine-mile jaunt from Mal Pais/Santa Teresa to Playa Manzanillo takes a half hour by car. Rich hues of green and blue water sweep this remote cove, giving the area an almost surreal vibe. Along the way, visitors will pass through multiple hills offering picturesque vistas of the “M” shaped shoreline.

From this vantage point, the waves seem to crash onto the coast in slow motion. Few beach-lovers make this journey, and those that do are thoroughly rewarded with Manzanillo’s exceptional beauty and tranquility. Surfing is possible, but only when swells are particularly strong.

Nearby Beaches:

Playa Cabuya

With golden sands stretching for three miles, Cabuya Beach is the epitome of laid back. Not yet popular among tourists, it is what Mal Pais was 15 years ago: pristine, quiet, and not yet buzzing with people. Calm seas and few rocks make it a wonderful swimming beach.

If you time the tides correctly, a walk out to Cemetery Island in Cabuya is unforgettable. Dating back to pre-Columbian times, the island is the burial site for native Indians. A half-mile long sandbar leads out to this tranquil hideaway, which is nearly always deserted. Visiting such a novelty as a Central American island graveyard is undoubtedly worth the trip, and the excursion only takes about 30 minutes there and back.

Playa Montezuma

There is always something fun happening at Montezuma Beach. Two sections of shoreline totaling a mile in length are separated by lively beachside restaurants and shops. Swimmers delight in the warm, tranquil waters lapping in the bay. Montezuma’s sand is pleasantly grainy and thick, and visitors will find a variety of colors and textures walking up and down the beach. The beach is a great place to mingle with the town’s local hippie crowd as well as travelers from the world over. Come at sunset to enjoy a cocktail as the vibrant sun sets before your eyes. 

Nature Reserves and Wildlife Refuges:

Cabo Blanco Absolute Reserve

A wildlife lover’s paradise, the back entrance to Cabo Blanco Absolute Reserve is located just five miles from the Mal Pais/Santa Teresa intersection. The reserve is packed with verdant trails, and home to white-faced and howler monkeys, agouti, coatimundis, anteaters, white-lipped peccaries, Baird’s tapir, raccoons, and various birds, including the bare-throated tiger heron. Over 39 species of bats also inhabit the reserve. One short trail and one incredibly long path to the beach will be sure to challenge even experienced hikers. 

Curu Wildlife Refuge

Curu, one of Costa Rica’s most amazing wildlife refuges, is situated just 15 minutes west of the Paquera ferry and about one hour and 15 minutes east of the Mal Pais/Santa Teresa intersection. The park features 17 peaceful trails crossing a variety of ecosystems, including mangrove swamps and tropical wet and dry forest. Horseback riding, snorkeling, river and ATV tours are among the many exciting activities offered.