A first-timer's guide to Santa Teresa — from someone who's been here long enough to remember when there were three restaurants and the road was a track. What to know before you arrive, what to do on day one, and how to slow into the rhythm of this place.
People come to Santa Teresa for different reasons — surfing, yoga, a friend's wedding, a winter break, a quiet creative escape. Most of them stay longer than they planned. There's something about the slowness here, the absence of phone signal in stretches of road, the fact that the same dog hangs out at the same café every day. The place has a pace, and it takes about 48 hours to find it.
Before you leave home
Flights: the closest international airports are San José (SJO) and Liberia (LIR). From SJO it's a 4-5 hour drive plus a ferry crossing — long but scenic. From Liberia it's about 4 hours of driving, no ferry. Most of our guests fly into SJO and either rent a 4×4 or book a private transfer (we organize both).
What to pack: less than you think. Two swimsuits, a few light cotton outfits, one warmer layer for breezy evenings, sunscreen (the strong kind), a hat. You won't need shoes other than flip-flops and one pair of sneakers for hikes. If you're surfing, bring booties for the rocks at low tide. Forget makeup. Forget heels. Forget hairdryer.
Cash: bring some US dollars. Almost everywhere accepts cards now, but a few small sodas (local restaurants), the Friday market, and ATV rentals still prefer cash. ATMs in town can run dry on weekends.
Getting around
The town runs along a single long road that follows the coast. North to south it's about 6 km from Mal Pais down to the Cabuya turn. A car is useful but not essential. Most of our guests rent an ATV (four-wheeler) for the week — about $40-60/day, runs on petrol, drops you anywhere on the beach without worrying about parking. Plus it's just fun.
Otherwise, you can walk to most things from any of our villas, or take a quick taxi (Uber doesn't work here, but local drivers are reliable and we share their numbers with our guests).
Your first 48 hours — the gentle landing
Day one: don't plan anything ambitious. Get to your villa — Casa Noa, Les Roches, or Nouli — take the welcome briefing, walk to the beach, swim, have lunch at Banana Beach or order in. Watch the sunset from the sand at 5:50 PM. Sleep early — you'll wake up at 5 AM the first three days regardless.
Day two: morning surf lesson if you're new to it, or a yoga class at Pranamar, Casa Zen, or Horizon. Slow lunch. Afternoon walk along the beach to the next cove. Sunset cocktail at Rocamar. By dinner, you've already adjusted to the rhythm.
Weather and seasons
Two seasons. Dry from December to April — sunny every day, golden light, slightly cooler nights. Green from May to November — rainy in short bursts mostly in the late afternoon, lush forest, fewer tourists, the surf gets bigger. Both seasons are good. Locals often say September and October are their favourite months — the place empties out, the colour saturates.
Things people get wrong
- "Costa Rica is cheap." Not really. Restaurants are mid-range European prices. Groceries are expensive (everything is imported). Surf rentals and tours run $30-100/day.
- "You need a 4×4." For Santa Teresa town, no — a small SUV is fine. For the trip in/out, especially if there's been rain, yes 4×4 helps.
- "It's safe." Yes, but lock your villa, don't leave valuables in your car overnight, and don't bring expensive jewellery to the beach. Petty theft is the main concern. Violent crime is essentially zero in town.
- "Phone signal is fine." It's spotty. Get a local Kolbi SIM at the airport for $10 — instant calls and 4G everywhere in town.
Things to do beyond the beach
If you've had three days of pure beach and want to mix it up: hike Cabo Blanco nature reserve (see our other article), kayak in Tortuga Island for a day-trip, take a horseback riding session along the beach at sunset (we book it), spend an afternoon at Montezuma waterfalls 45 min away, do a sunset boat trip with a local fisherman.
And if you're staying a week or more: book a private chef night at your villa. We have three we trust, from a Roman who does pasta-from-scratch to a Costa Rican who runs a Nikkei tasting menu in your kitchen. It's the most photographed dinner of every guest's stay.
The thing nobody warns you about
You'll want to come back. We have guests who first came for a week in 2018 and now own a villa here. We have couples who came for their honeymoon and named their child Cabuya. The town slows you down in a way that most of life refuses to. By day five, you'll be standing in the kitchen at 7 PM, feet sandy, holding a mango, asking your partner if you really need to go back.
If you're staying with us, that's part of the deal. We'll be there to welcome you back next time too.
