santa theresa, costa rica

santa theresa is a cute beach town in costa rica filled with an abundance of yoga classes, surfing, an incredible coffee culture, music, and healthy restaurant options. the tropical terrain, warm weather, and stunning beaches will fill your heart with peace. be prepared for dirt roads, chill vibes, and some of the kindest people you’ll ever meet.

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TRAVEL TO SANTA THERESA

This is a tricky one! Santa Theresa is fairly remote and getting to the town isn’t a straight shot. I did a lot of research and talked to a lot of people who took different paths to get here. I flew into San Juan, but I know you can also fly into Nigeria. I’ll include a few thoughts below, but personally, I would highly highly recommend flying into San Juan and taking a small plane to Santa Theresa.

Fly - This is what I did and I’d do it again. Once you land in San Juan, you’ll fully leave the International airport. Walk around the block, and head outside to the domestic airport. The domestic airport is TINY but so cute, safe, well air conditioned, and easy to navigate. It has a small cafe with drinks and some light snacks. The plane to Santa Theresa was tiny and I was a bit scared but I felt safe. The views were incredible! Such a cool experience to start the trip. Once you land, you still have a trek to get to the town. The airport in Santa Theresa is tiny and remote. You’ll want to get straight to town from there. I’d recommend booking a car service that will take you to Santa Theresa. There are taxi drivers waiting that can take you, but it’s nice to have someone waiting for you.

Rent a car - I heard that renting a car is pricey and there are a lot of hidden fees. The roads are not well paved and I heard multiple stories about people getting stuck behind slow cars, fallen trees, etc. It also takes hours on the road to get there.

Shuttle - This is a safe way to get to Santa Theresa, but my goodness it’s a long trip. It adds hours to your already long trip. If you’re looking to cut costs and you’re not worried about saving time, this is a decent option.

Take local transit- Local transit is certainly the most cost effective, but I wouldn’t recommend it. You have to take a bus and switch over to a ferry. I met a friend who went this route. It’s a long trip and as a solo traveler with poor Spanish, she didn’t feel very safe. I’m pretty adventurous and love taking local transit, but I’d take a plane over local transit over and over.

💡Airport tips: The San Juan airport is fun! There are free chocolate and coffee samples EVERYWHERE. There was plenty of food and souvenirs to keep me busy while I waited for my plane. I was so sugared up and caffeinated and happy before I got on the plane back to California!

GETTING AROUND

I found Santa Theresa to be walkable, but I walk quite a bit. There’s one main road (paved but dusty) that stretches from one end of Santa Theresa to the other. It’s parallel to the beach, but you do have to find areas to get from the main road to the beach. I was up for the adventure, but if you need to get all the way from one end of town to the other, you’d likely want to call a driver or a taxi. People rent ATVs and bikes in town as well. I heard renting a car comes with a lot of fees and it’s a pain to get around. Personally, I’d skip the car, but to each their own! If you’re feeling extra adventurous, there’s a local bus that stops along the way. I had a hard time finding a schedule and didn’t end up taking it.

PACKING

Santa Theresa is very casual, but chic casual. I loved wearing cute swimsuits with sundresses with jewelry.

💡Definitely bring comfortable sandals (love these from Amazon)! I didn’t wear my sneakers at all, and I ended up purchasing some pretty uncomfortable flip flops in the grocery store. I couldn’t find many options in the shops.

MONEY

Costa Rica, and Santa Theresa in particular, is not an affordable vacation. I found that the cost of food was quite similar to the Bay Area in California, which is known for being pretty darn pricey. I used my Visa card just about everywhere I went with no issues. Everywhere I went took American dollars. Personally, I preferred to use the local currency called the colón. The calculation between dollars and colónes is a bit tricky and I’d be mindful of how much you’re charged vs how much you’re supposed to be charged. There were a few times I had to get clarification because the bill seemed off, and they adjusted my bill.

CELL SERVICE & WIFI

Many cafes have wifi with a strong connection. Cell service in Cost Rica was great. However, there was a cost from my phone provider and I came home to a decent bill. Definitely get the scoop and plan accordingly before you go!

There were many storms while I was there in the summer. They came and went quickly but there were a few times when the power went out and the wifi dropped. It always came back on and usually within minutes. There’s a cafe called Eat Street with a generator if you need it. It quickly becomes VERY popular when the power goes out in the town!

WHEN TO GO

I went in July and loved it! It was considered off season, so it was easy to get into restaurants and the town was lively but not overcrowded. There were a number of intense thunderstorms, but they passed quickly. Like the locals say… the rain is the reason Santa Theresa is so lush and beautiful!

SAFETY

I felt fairly safe in Santa Theresa and overall in Costa Rica. There were a few instances where I was on alert, but overall, I went everywhere alone and didn’t have any concerns. As always, I didn’t travel alone after the sun went down. If I went back, I’d definitely go with a friend or two so I could stay out later to enjoy the sunsets and more of the nightlife.

WHERE TO STAY

I was working remotely, so I stayed at a coworking community called Outsite Playa and I LOVED it. There are other locations that I heard are equally lovely. Outsite Maramar is another great option and it has a beautiful view. If you don’t have a car, the hill to get there is extremely steep and it’s farther from town. I’d recommend this location if you have a car. The hotel group was created for digital nomads and focuses on a great work environment coupled with opportunities to meet people in social settings. I made friends that I’ll keep in touch with forever.

WHERE TO EAT

Santa Theresa has an abundance of healthy delicious restaurants and cafes. Smoothies, salads, pancakes, burritos, tacos, pizza, and ice cream. If you’re looking for more authentic food, you can go to one of the many Sodas throughout Costa Rica. Sodas are typically small, family-run restaurants with more authentic home cooked meals.

Coffee culture is fun in Costa Rica! I found some excellent cafes with strong coffee. The baristas shared the stories behind the beans and the roasting processes.

Good Munchies, Somos, and Ani’s were my repeat go-to spots, but there are so many amazing options!

WATER

The water in Costa Rica is great. I was there for a few weeks and didn’t drink bottled water at all. I’d go for filtered water at the restaurants and hotels for sure, but I wasn’t careful at all and didn’t get sick.

SHOPPING

There are a number of cute boutiques along the main road with everything from clothing and jewelry to homemade bath products and candles to swim suits. They’re pricey, but I found some gems that I’ll treasure forever. I’d try to pack everything needed for the trip like contact solution, bug spray, makeup, etc. There are grocery stores and pharmacies that carry these items but it can be hit or miss if you’re looking for something specific.

YOGA

There are a number of yoga studios with excellent teachers. I loved Believe Surf & Yoga Santa Teresa! If I went back, I’d probably go with the unlimited pass. Tip: You can share a pack of classes with a friend!

LANGUAGE

Everyone I met in Costa Rica spoke English and Spanish. The locals appreciated my poor attempt to speak Spanish, but it’s a touristy area and you can absolutely get by without speaking the language.

SURROUNDING TOWNS

I met a number of people who went to San Juan before they went to Santa Theresa. Most people said they didn’t recommend it. I took a day trip to check out the

SUNSET & BIOLUMINESCENCE TOUR

There are many opportunities in Costa Rica to go zip lining, take bout tours, and explore the area. I took a sunset and bioluminescence tour through Zuma Tours and loved it! They will pick you up wherever you are in Santa Theresa in the morning. You’ll drive to the boat where they take you through the most magical waters. We saw humpback whales, a turtle, and toucans! We stopped at . Isla Tourtouga where we had lunch, stopped at the shops, played volleyball, and even saw wild pigs. From there, we got back on the boat for the most breathtaking sunset and headed to the bioluminescence. You’ll snorkel in the beautiful waters around the boat and experience the sparkling bioluminescence. Prepare to spend the whole day on the tour. My entire trip was magical, but this tour really topped it off.

OVERALL THOUGHTS

Santa Theresa is amazing! The chill vibes, warm weather, and healthy eats were just what I needed. I felt fully rejuvenated after a few weeks by the beach and I can’t WAIT to go back. Pura Vida!💖

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