Checked October 2026
Santa Teresa & Mal País
One dusty road, a string of surf beaches and a lot of boards leaning on fences, at the bottom of Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula. This is our field guide to where to stay, eat, surf and slow down.
Walk the coastPhoto: Fishermen at sunset, Playa Santa Teresa by Christopher Crouzet, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The coast, north to south
Pick your stretch
Playa Hermosa, Santa Teresa, Playa Carmen and Mal País run into each other along one coast road. Choose your stretch first; the rest is a short walk, bike ride or ATV hop away. Montezuma and Cabuya sit over the hill on the Gulf side.
Playa Hermosa
The quiet north end. A long, wide beach with steady beach-break waves and room to spread out.
Santa Teresa
The middle of it all. Cafés, surf shops, yoga decks and the busiest breaks, strung along one road.
Playa Carmen
Where the road from Cóbano meets the sea. The crossroads of the coast, with waves that suit learners.
Mal País
The rocky south end. Fishing boats, tide pools and slower days, right up to Cabo Blanco.
Over the hill
Montezuma and Cabuya on the calm Gulf side: waterfalls, the reserve and boats to Tortuga Island.
The index
What are you here for?
- StaySurf lodges, small hotels and villas, from the sand to the hills.19 places, 2 guides
- Eat & drinkCafés, bakeries, beach restaurants and sunset bars.4 places, 1 guide
- SurfThe breaks, the seasons, the schools and board rentals.7 places, 1 guide
- YogaStudios, retreat hotels and spas for the days between swells.6 places, 2 guides
- ExploreTide pools, reserves, waterfalls, boat days and tours.7 places, 8 guides
- PlanRoads, ferries, flights, the dust and the rainy season.13 guides
Start here
Mal País vs Santa Teresa vs Playa Hermosa: which to choose
Choose north Santa Teresa if you want to walk to restaurants, bars and surf; Playa Carmen and south Santa Teresa for a central, practical base; Mal País for quiet, rocky coves and sunsets; and Playa Hermosa for space…
Read itFriends & favorites
Nobody knows a coast alone.
The neighbors, guides and hosts we trade tips with, plus the beaches, tables and yoga decks we'd drag a visiting friend to first. Each one comes with a line on why.
Meet the crew
Read before you go
The guides
- 01Horseback riding in Santa Teresa, Mal País and MontezumaThe main riding spot near Santa Teresa is Hacienda Ario, a family cattle ranch just north of Manzanillo that runs beach and hilltop rides through…
- 02Shopping in Santa Teresa: groceries, surf gear, boutiques and banksSanta Teresa has no malls, just small supermarkets, surf shops and boutiques strung along the main road, plus 2 banks with ATMs.
- 03Where to stay in Santa Teresa: areas and hotels comparedStay in north Santa Teresa if you want to walk to restaurants, bars and surf, around Playa Carmen if you want the most central base, in Mal País for…
- 04Things to do in Santa Teresa: surf, nature, boats and day tripsMost days in Santa Teresa revolve around the ocean: surf in the morning, a slow afternoon and sunset on the beach.
- 05ATV tours and rentals in Santa Teresa: guided rides vs rentingIn Santa Teresa you can rent an ATV to get around or join a guided ATV tour to places like the Montezuma waterfalls, Curú and the Cabo Blanco area.
- 06The best beaches in Santa Teresa and Mal PaísPlaya Santa Teresa is the main beach for surf and sunsets, Playa Carmen is the easy, central beach where most people learn to surf, and Playa Hermosa…
- 07The best time to visit Santa Teresa, month by monthFor sunshine and easy beach days, visit in the dry season from December to April, when it barely rains but the town is busy and dusty.
- 08Canopy and zipline tours near Santa Teresa and MontezumaThere are 2 main zipline options near Santa Teresa: Canopy Mal País, a short 11-platform course on a forest farm by the Cabo Blanco reserve, and the…
- 09Day trips from Santa Teresa: Montezuma, Cabo Blanco, Tortuga and moreThe best day trips from Santa Teresa are Montezuma village and its waterfall, a hike in Cabo Blanco reserve (closed Monday and Tuesday), a boat day…
- 10Working remotely in Santa Teresa: internet, coworking and colivingSanta Teresa works well for remote workers who can live with the odd power cut: fiber internet reaches much of town, coliving spaces such as Outsite…
