White sand beach, 2-3ft a-frames out front, monkeys in the trees overhead, girls on the beach, Cerveza in hand… Paradise. If that image has you drooling, there’s a slice of Costa Rican paradise that has all of the above in abundance. Let’s explore everything you need to know for surfing Santa Teresa…
Where Is Santa Teresa?
Santa Teresa is located on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast on the Nicoya Peninsula, in the country’s northeast. The town is located on the west coast to the southern end of the peninsular.
How To Get To Santa Teresa?
From Overseas
If you’re looking to get to Santa Teresa from overseas, you’ll need to fly to Costa Ricas’ main international airport, San Jose. You’ll find direct flights from North America, Latin America, and Europe. Check out the best flights here.
Best Way To Get To Santa Teresa From Elsewhere in Costa Rica
From San Jose or from elsewhere in Costa Rica, you have several options to get to Santa Teresa. The quickest but most expensive is the short domestic flight to Montezuma. A tiny airport 30 mins south of Santa Teresa.
You can also hire a car in San Jose and drive to Santa Teresa. It takes 5 hours roughly to get from San Jose to Santa Teresa. But be warned, hire cars in Costa Rica are crazy expensive.
If you’re budget conscious, the best way to get to Santa Teresa is via shuttle bus. Shuttles are super common throughout the country and are the cheapest and easiest way to get around. While not as cheap as the famous chicken buses, you can go between major towns for around $50. There are numerous shuttle companies, all varying in prices and comfort.
Tip – The time displayed on your Ticket DOES NOT accurately reflect how long it will actually take to get somewhere. So allow for delays and that slower pace of life in any travel plans.
Getting Around Santa Teresa
Once you’re in Santa Teresa, you’ll have the freedom to explore a handful of different waves and you can easily walk between shops, restaurants, and hotels. Santa Teresa is less a town and more long street with hotels, cafes, and restaurants dotted along the length of it.
However, if you want the freedom of checking out some lesser-known spots and other attractions, such as waterfalls, hiring a quad bike could be a great option. These are super common but can be expensive. Prices range from $75 to $200 per day.
Where To Surf In Santa Teresa?
Santa Teresa has various surf spots for all abilities. So let’s get down to it…
Playa Santa Teresa
Playa Santa Teresa is the main beach in the area and is a long stretch of beautiful white sand with fun, punchy peaks up and down it. The banks can change; generally speaking, the waves are soft, mushy, and forgiving. But it can still be fun for turns and great for beginners at higher tides.
Best For – All Abilities
Wave Type – Beach Break
Best Conditions – East Wind/2-3ft Swell
Playa Carmen
South of Playa Santa Teresa, Playa Carmen is a super popular beach with numerous peaks. Fun, punchy, and, at the beach’s northern end, long wally rights breaking off the rocks. The beach is popular and gets super crowded. So be aware of crowds and surprise rocks on the inside.
Best For – All Abilities
Wave Type – Beach Break & Rock Reef
Best Conditions – East Wind/2-3ft Swell
Playa Hermosa
Not to be confused with the thumping beach break of the same name in Jaco, Playa Hermosa in Santa Teresa is a forgiving and beautiful beach fantastic for beginners. Just outside of Santa town, Hermosa is one of the best beginner surf beaches in Santa Teresa– a long walk or a short drive.
Best For – Beginners
Wave Type – Beach Break
Best Conditions – East Wind/1-2ft Swell
Punta Barigona
At the southern end of Playa Carmen lies Punta Barigona. The place only gets going on the largest swells, and you won’t be surfing here unless there’s a major south swell running. When it’s on, there’s super long wally lefts with barrel sections.
Best For – Advanced
Wave Type – Point Break
Best Conditions – Huge South Swell
Check out the countrywide guide to surfing in Costa Rica for more info!!
Santa Teresa Surf Spot Map
Santa Teresa Surf Spot Info
- Wave Types - Mellow, punchy beach breaks
- Best swells - 3-4ft West
- Best wind - East
- Local vibe - Crowded but mellow
- Hazards - Rocks and kooks
- Temps - Bath water - boardies all-round
- Air temp - 30celcius all the time, seriously tropical
Best Time Of Year To Surf In Santa Teresa
Santa Teresa has waves all year round. For example, I visited in January, and the waves were 2-3ft every day. However, Nov-March is considered the off-season for waves, and while the weather is much drier and sunnier, the waves are less consistent.
April-October is when Sanat Teresa comes into its own and when it gets the largest south swells. However, it comes with lots of rain and less predictable conditions. Typically the morning is offshore until around 10 am; then, the onshore winds whip up for most of the afternoon before glassing off again in the evening. What a routine!
Santa Teresa Surf Forecast
Where To Stay When Surfing Santa Teresa
Santa Teresa has options for everyone, whether you’re after a luxurious, comfortable stay with the family or your partner, or you’re a broke-budget surf traveler.
La Point Camps
Both camp and surf school. La Point is a well-renowned chain of surf camos operating around the globe n some of the best surf destinations in the world. If you want a high-quality, excellent place to stay and access the best waves, La Point could be for you. The surroundings are dreamy, and although you’ll be paying a premium, this is a hostel to create the ultimate Costa Rican surfing experience.
Lucero
Family-owned and operated, Lucero offers surf camp packages, including yoga, surf lessons, and accommodation. Lucero is up there with the best surf camps/accommodations in Costa Rica.
Selina
A classic chain of hostels popular among backpackers throughout Latin America. Selina Santa Teresa has everything you need and has two locations in Santa Teresa. North and South. If yore a traveling surfer or digital nomad looking to work and surf in Santa Teresa, Selina is ideal. Selina always has clean rooms, fast wifi, restaurants, and co-work space available.
Aki Pods
Aki Pods is one of the more affordable accommodation options in Santa Teresa. I stayed here for 10 days, and while the rooms are super small, you get your little pod; there is a cool communal kitchen space to hang out in, and you’re a 5-minute walk from Playa Carmen.
Beach Camping
If you’re on a tight budget, the only way to truly afford a surf trip to Santa Teresa is to camp on the beach. It’s common for the beachfront hostels to charge a few dollars a night and for travelers to pitch up for a night to two on the sand. Just watch the mosquitoes and snakes…
Where To Eat In Santa Teresa?
Along the stretch of Santa Teresa, there’s an abundance of places to eat. From tiny takeaway joints and budget-friendly locals, you can grab a cheap meal for between $5-10. In contrast, the upmarket restaurants with healthy vegan options will set you back upward of $20 per meal.
La Cevicheria
Exactly what it says, this ceviche joint in Playa Carmen has outstanding ceviche tuna poke bowls, super popular but regarded as one of the best seafood restaurants in town.
Nami
If you’re after a sushi fix in Santa Teresa, look no further, Nami boasts some of the best sushi in town and is the perfect way to round off a day’s surfing.
Zula
With a solid Israeli community in town, some fantastic Israeli restaurants are springing up around Santa Teresa. So if you’re craving a falafel wrap after surfing all day, Zula has the best in town.
Economic Snapshot For Santa Teresa
Costa Rica is widely regarded as one of the most expensive countries in Central and South America, and many budget surf travelers choose to skip it altogether. Unfortunately, Santa Teresa is no exception due to an increase in popularity. Here’s a breakdown of some costs in USD.
- Night at Selina - $45
- Quad bike (per day) $100
- Block of Sex Wax $5
- Surf lesson at Carmen $75
- Shuttle from San Jose $50
- Casado (typical Costa Rican dish) $5
* Costa Rica widely accepts USD; however, the local currency, colones, is also used for smaller payments. Typically you’ll pay for your transport and accommodation in USD, and meals/drinks will be priced in Colones. You can check out the current exchange rates here.
Tip – If you need to exchange currency, use Wise App, it’s a super handy little app I use which allows you to convert and transfer money between currencies without the extortionate international banking fees.
Surf Shops In Santa Teresa
Along the main road that is Santa Teresa, you’ll find a wide array of surf shops, from your shack selling the essentials like wax and zinc to stylish boutique stores. Check out the best surf shops in Santa Teresa on the map.
What To Pack For Santa Teresa?
So what do you need to take for surfing in Santa Teresa? Here’s a packing list of some must-haves:
- Sunscreen/Zinc
- Insect repellent
- Surf hat
- Shorts and tees
- Rain jacket (for the wet season)
- Shortboards
Which Boards To Take For Surfing Santa Teresa?
You’ll mostly be surfing mushy, fun 2-3ft beach breaks; a standard shortboard will be fine, but it’s also worth having a fun/high-performance small wave board to make the most of those grovelly afternoons.
Resources For Suring Santa Teresa
So what do you need to make a surf trip to Santa Teresa happen?
If you’re looking for travel insurance covering long-term travel and surfing, check out World Nomads.
Surfing Santa Teresa - Final Words
Santa Teresa could have everything you need for a fun surf town with a traveler vibe combined with consistent, easy-to-surf 2-3ft beachies. It’s a slice of Costa Rican surf paradise, and while it may cost a lot more than other Central American destinations, it’s worth checking out if only for a few days.
The waves may not be all time, but it’ll be warm, consistent, and easy to surf… Oh, and if you surf early in the morning, you can surf on your own for an hour! I hope you’ve found this post helpful and has given you some insights into what surfing Santa Teresa is like and helps you make your trip happen.
Discover other blog posts for surf guides on places throughout Latin America, including some of the world’s cheapest surf destinations. If you need more inspiration, check out my Youtube Channel for some deeper insights.
