If you only do one hike in Costa Rica, do this one. Cabo Blanco is the country's first protected area — created in 1963 — and it's a forty-minute drive south of Santa Teresa. Two hours of dense forest, the chance of seeing capuchin monkeys, and a remote beach at the end where almost nobody goes.
The trail is called Sendero Sueco — the Swedish trail — named after a Swedish-Danish couple who fought to protect this land in the 1960s when the rest of Nicoya Peninsula was being deforested for cattle. Their stubbornness is the reason there's still primary forest here. You feel it on the trail.
What to expect on the trail
The Sendero Sueco is about 4.5 km one way (so 9 km round trip), with a moderate elevation change. It takes most people 2 to 3 hours each way at a relaxed pace. The path is well-marked but uneven — roots, rocks, the occasional muddy section depending on the season.
The first 30 minutes climb gently through dry forest. Around the half-hour mark you enter denser primary jungle and the temperature drops a few degrees. You'll hear howler monkeys before you see them. If you're lucky, capuchins will trail you for a stretch — they're curious and don't really mind humans.
Wildlife you might see
Cabo Blanco is wildly biodiverse for its size. On a good morning hike, you might see:
- Howler monkeys — you'll definitely hear them. Their low growl carries for kilometres.
- White-faced capuchins — small, expressive, often in groups.
- Coatis — long-tailed, raccoon-cousins. They forage in groups of ten or fifteen.
- Trogons, motmots, toucans — bring binoculars if you're a birder.
- White-tailed deer — quiet, occasional.
- If you're really lucky: ocelot or boa constrictor. We've each seen one once in five years.
The beach at the end
You arrive at Playa Cabo Blanco. Wide, untouched, often empty save for a handful of hikers who made the same trek. The water is calm — this is the protected side of the peninsula, no surf — and the rocks at the southern end form natural pools at low tide where you can swim with small fish.
Bring a sandwich. There's no kiosk, no shade beyond the tree line, no signal. Plan to spend at least an hour here. Most people eat, swim, lie in the sand, and start the walk back around 1 PM.
The trail is a small pilgrimage. You leave the noise of Santa Teresa, you walk for an hour in dense green, you arrive at a beach where there's no one. You feel small in the right way.
Practical — what to bring, when to go
- Start time: the park opens at 8 AM. Be there at 8:15. Heat builds fast.
- Entrance fee: around $12 USD per person. Cash only at the gate.
- What to wear: light hiking shoes (not flip-flops), light long-sleeve shirt to protect from mosquitos, hat, sunscreen.
- What to bring: at least 2L of water per person, sandwich, fruit, swim shorts and a small towel, bug spray (DEET 30%+).
- Avoid: Mondays (closed), and the rainiest weeks of October when trails are very muddy.
- Closed: the park is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Check current schedule before going.
Getting there from Santa Teresa
The reserve entrance is about 30 minutes south by car or ATV. The road is fine — paved most of the way, then a short dirt section. There's a small parking area at the gate. If you don't drive, we can arrange a private transfer for our guests — staying at Casa Noa, Les Roches, or Nouli — with the option of a guide who'll point out the wildlife you'd otherwise miss.
Allow a half day total: leave Santa Teresa at 7:30 AM, back by 3 PM, with time for lunch in Cabuya on the way back if you want.
One more thing
Cabo Blanco is the closest thing to "before Santa Teresa was Santa Teresa" that you'll experience here. There are no surf shops, no smoothie bars, no Insta opportunities. Just trees, monkeys, and silence. We mention it in every welcome briefing because most guests think they came for the beach and leave saying the hike was the moment they remember most.
