A surf and wellness town on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, reached by a long unpaved coast road. Santa Teresa and neighboring Playa Carmen and Mal País string together surf breaks, yoga retreats, beachfront villas, and an international food scene, with a remote end-of-the-road feel.
Santa Teresa runs along a long dirt coast road at the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, stringing together Mal País, Playa Carmen, and Santa Teresa proper. The draw is consistent beach-break surf, a dense cluster of yoga studios and wellness retreats, and a food scene that runs from sodas to wood-fired international kitchens. The end-of-the-road access keeps the crowd self-selecting: people come on purpose, not by accident.
Days here follow the swell and the heat: dawn surf, a midday break out of the sun, then a sunset session before dinner. Lodging ranges from surf hostels to beachfront villas, most of it walkable or a short quad ride from the water. Reliable internet and a steady remote-worker crowd make longer stays workable, though you trade some convenience, banking and a hospital among it, for the setting.
From San José it is about 5 to 6 hours, including the Puntarenas to Paquera car ferry, so check the sailing schedule and arrive early on busy weekends. The last stretch of coast road is unpaved, dusty in the dry season and rutted in the green season, and a 4x4 earns its keep. Once you arrive, most people get around on a quad or ATV, which handles the sand and gravel and makes the strung-out layout easy to cover.
The dry season runs roughly December through April: more reliable sun, firmer roads, and the biggest crowds around the holidays and Easter. The green season from May to November brings afternoon rain, fewer people, lower prices, and often cleaner morning surf. September and October are the wettest and quietest.
A map and checklist of every beach along this coast. Beach guide.
Boutique hotels, jungle lodges, hostels, and private villas, verified and current. See all 8.
Featured
Santa Teresa
Collection of boutique jungle villas on a hillside in Playa Santa Teresa, ranging from a one-bedroom suite to a four-bedroom villa, most with private or infinity pools. The property offers an in-house private chef, wellness packages, and a concierge that books transport and activities.
Santa Teresa
Beachfront hotel and restaurant on Playa Santa Teresa with ocean-view rooms and an on-site dining and bar operation. The property sits directly on the sand with sunset views over the Pacific.
Santa Teresa
Cala Luxury Vacation Homes rents a set of beachfront and hillside villas and bungalows in Santa Teresa, ranging from the two bedroom Casa Lu to the eight bedroom Villa Del Mar. Every stay includes a personal concierge and on site housekeeper, with a private chef available on request, and the company has a helicopter landing pad for guests arriving by charter. Reviews describe attentive owners and staff who arrange tours to Tortuga Island, surf lessons, and horseback riding.
Fine dining, beach bars, local sodas, and cafes worth your time. See all 10.
Santa Teresa
Beachfront restaurant and bar at Banana Beach Hotel, serving food and cocktails directly on the sand at Playa Santa Teresa. A common spot for sunset drinks and ocean-view meals.
Santa Teresa
Coffee shop in north Santa Teresa serving specialty coffee, smoothies, and an artisanal breakfast and lunch menu of sandwiches, salads, and baked goods. Open daily from 7:30am to 4pm. Popular with both tourists and the local remote-work crowd.
Santa Teresa
Asian fusion restaurant open since 2014, run by executive chef Alex Nikolsky, serving ramen, sushi rolls, curries, and satay built around locally caught fish and pastured chicken. Signature dishes include bubu shrimp, Tori Paitan ramen, and aged tuna sashimi. Open nightly for dinner, located 600 meters north of the main Santa Teresa crossroads.
Park guides, catamarans, sportfishing, ziplines, rafting, and more. See all 17.
Santa Teresa
Ario Tours runs horseback rides out of Hacienda Ario, a working cattle ranch just north of Santa Teresa on the Nicoya Peninsula. Bilingual guides and local sabaneros lead riders along a private beach, river valleys, and grassland with routes suited to each group's experience level. Daily tours depart at 8:00 am and 2:30 pm, with a separate cattle round up experience for more advanced riders.
Mal País
Local family-run ATV, UTV, motorcycle, and bicycle rental business serving Santa Teresa and Mal Pais, with more than 17 years of experience. Staff give driving instruction, route maps, and hotel drop-off and pickup of vehicles.
Playa Carmen
Local surf school teaching private and small-group lessons, with a maximum of three students per instructor, at Playa Carmen and Santa Teresa. Lessons run about 1.5 hours and are booked directly through the website or WhatsApp.
Transport, property management, concierge, chefs, spas, and practical help. See all 34.
Santa Teresa
Gym and community fitness center in Santa Teresa offering functional training, group classes, and open gym access with weights and machines. The space also includes a sauna, ice baths, and a cafe, and runs membership plans and day passes booked through its app.
Mal País
Alamo Rent A Car runs a branch in downtown Mal Pais, near the Playa del Carmen Hotel Franks Place, renting economy cars through full size SUVs and vans for travelers arriving via the Puntarenas to Paquera ferry. The office is open daily from 8am to 5pm and offers accident, theft and third party liability protection packages at the counter.
Santa Teresa
Hair and beauty salon in Plaza Royal, Santa Teresa, offering cuts and styling, gel nails, lash extensions, waxing, and brow lamination. The salon also books mobile appointments at hotels and vacation rentals for guests who prefer in-villa service.
Yoga studios, spas, and wellness in Santa Teresa.
Santa Teresa
Horizon Hotel & Yoga Center runs daily drop in yoga classes on an ocean view deck perched over the beach in Santa Teresa. Professional instructors teach vinyasa and fusion flow at all levels, with single class, multi class pass, and private session options, plus prenatal classes on request. The studio has operated since 2005 as part of the Horizon hotel property.
Santa Teresa
Massage and bodywork studio in Santa Teresa operating since 2016, offering deep tissue, relaxing, Mayan abdominal, Lomi Lomi, Reiki, and somatic sessions. Treatments are available at the studio or as home visits.
Santa Teresa
Open-air spa at Hotel Nantipa set within the jungle, using locally sourced eco-friendly products for signature treatments and wellness experiences. Open to hotel guests and visitors by appointment.
Santa Teresa
All-inclusive surf and yoga retreat operating in the Santa Teresa area since 2004, with women's and coed weeks at a beachfront property in Playa Hermosa. Programs combine daily surf coaching, oceanfront yoga, meals, and massage.
Santa Teresa
Thai massage and bodywork practice focused on surfers and athletes, with stretching, deep tissue, and joint mobilization. Offers studio and on-location sessions plus workshops, with bookings by WhatsApp or email.
Santa Teresa
Holistic spa in Santa Teresa offering bespoke facials, full-body massage, and natural sugaring hair removal. The focus is on restorative, natural-product treatments.
Banks, ATMs, and medical help in Santa Teresa, checked against live sources.
There is no full bank branch in Santa Teresa or Mal País; the area runs on a few ATMs. This Banco Nacional machine reportedly dispenses colones only, and machines here can empty on weekends and holidays.
Local reports say the BCR and BAC machines can dispense US dollars as well as colones, unlike the Banco Nacional ATM. Withdrawal caps and fees apply, and machines can be empty at busy times.
Private urgent care and ambulance service covering Santa Teresa, Mal País, Playa Carmen, and beyond; handles emergency consultations, stitches, and wound care. Same number on WhatsApp.
Private clinic with general consultations, urgent care, lab tests, imaging, and ambulance transfers; walk-ins accepted, English and Spanish spoken. Contact via WhatsApp on the clinic site.
Nearest public CCSS clinic, used for appointments and primary care. Serious cases go to Hospital de Nicoya, roughly a 2-hour drive; critical cases are airlifted to San José.
Pharmacy at the Playa Carmen commercial center, near the crossroads where the Cóbano road meets the coast road.
In an emergency, dial 911. See the full emergency numbers page.