Santa Teresa 3-day itinerary

Catch your first waves at Playa Santa Teresa as the sun rises over the jungle-covered hills behind you and the Pacific stretches to the horizon ahead. The beach break produces consistent swell year-round — hollow and powerful at low tide, more forgiving at high. Rent a board from one of the dozens of shops along the main road or book a lesson if you are learning. The warm water, sand bottom, and mellow crowd make this one of the world's best places to surf.

Refuel at one of Santa Teresa's health-focused cafés — açaí bowls, fresh juice, and plant-based lunches are the local speciality. The surf-yoga lifestyle is genuine here, not performative. Drop into an afternoon yoga class at one of the beachfront studios, or simply find a hammock and a book. The pace of life in Santa Teresa is deliberately slow — fighting it is pointless and missing the point.

Walk to the beach for sunset — the sky above the Pacific puts on a show every single evening, and the silhouettes of surfers catching their last rides make it photogenic beyond belief. After dark, the beach bars and restaurants along the main dirt road light up. Santa Teresa's nightlife is barefoot and unpretentious — live music, DJ sets, fire dancers, and cold beer under the palms.

Rent an ATV or motorbike and ride 30 minutes south to Montezuma — a small bohemian beach town at the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. From the edge of town, hike 20 minutes along a river trail through tropical forest to the Montezuma Waterfall — a spectacular triple cascade that plunges 24m into a deep swimming hole. The water is fresh, cool, and surrounded by jungle. It is one of the most beautiful swimming spots in Costa Rica.

Return north and explore Mal País — Santa Teresa's more rugged, less developed neighbour. At low tide, the rocky shoreline reveals tide pools teeming with sea creatures: starfish, anemones, crabs, and small fish trapped in the volcanic rock formations. If the swell is right, experienced surfers can try the Mal País reef break — faster and hollower than the Santa Teresa beach break.

Eat dinner at one of the beachfront restaurants where your table is literally in the sand. Fresh ceviche, grilled fish of the day, and tamarind margaritas are the specialities. The sound of the waves provides the soundtrack while candles flicker in the sea breeze.

Drive south to Reserva Natural Absoluta Cabo Blanco — Costa Rica's first-ever protected area, established in 1963. The 4.8km Sueco Trail leads through primary tropical forest to a pristine white sand beach at the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. The forest is home to howler and capuchin monkeys, white-tailed deer, agoutis, and over 150 bird species. The beach at the end is wild, undeveloped, and spectacular — you may have it entirely to yourself.

Join an afternoon horseback ride along the beaches and through the forest trails behind Santa Teresa. The horses wade through the shallow surf as the Pacific sparkles to the west, and the trails wind through tropical forest and farmland with mountain views. Multiple operators offer sunset rides that time the beach section for golden hour.

Catch one last Santa Teresa sunset from the beach. The sky here is wider and more dramatic than almost anywhere in Costa Rica. Have a farewell dinner at your favourite beachfront spot and toast to the surf, the sunsets, and the slow pace of life that makes this stretch of coast so addictive. Many travellers come for 3 days and stay for 3 weeks.