The things that cost nothing or almost nothing in Santa Teresa, each with where and when: beaches, tide pools, sunset, the Thursday market, free waterfalls, beach walks, and the cheap extras worth paying for.
Most of what makes Santa Teresa worth visiting is free: the beaches, the sunsets, the tide pools at low tide, the Thursday market, the lower waterfall in Montezuma and a handful of beach walks. The only costs are parking at $5 for the falls, a $12 ticket if you add Cabo Blanco, and food. You can fill a week on under $15 a day if you eat at sodas, walk or take an e-bike, and plan around the tide.
The short version
- Every day: swim and walk at Playa Hermosa, Playa Carmen and Ventanitas, and watch sunset from the sand around 5:15pm to 5:45pm.
- Low tide only: the tide pools at Playa Hermosa and between Santa Teresa and Mal País, and the walk to the island off Cabuya.
- Thursday evening: the market, from about 5:30pm, with free entry.
- A day trip with no ticket: Montezuma lower falls, free entry and $5 parking.
- Cheap add-ons worth paying for: the $10 Lifeguards Gym day pass, a $12 Cabo Blanco hike, a $15 yoga class.
The tide decides half of this list, so open the tide guide for surfers before you plan a day. I will say once: the lifeguard rescue line is +506 2640-0911 in the daytime, otherwise 911, and Playa Santa Teresa has rips, so swim where the guide says to.
Beaches
Costa Rica's beaches are public, and none of the ones below charge entry. The full comparison is in best beaches in Santa Teresa.
- Playa Hermosa is the safest sand beach for swimming and the best free morning, about 7 km north of the cruce. Go at low tide, when the rock shelf at the south end fills with warm pools.
- Playa Carmen is the easy one at the cruce, with free roadside parking and the best sunset bars behind it. Swim at low tide only; rips form at high tide.
- Playa Ventanitas is about 10 minutes south of the cruce on the Mal País road. It has shade near the water, a shallow creek, a marked parking area with bins and is open all hours. It rates 4.7 from 68 reviews on Google, and it is the beach I send people with toddlers to.
- Playa Banquitos is a small cove on the Mal País side, reached by a side track, with almost no traffic. Bring a towel and a book, since it is for sitting rather than swimming.
Avoid swimming at Playa Santa Teresa itself and at Montezuma beach. Both have rips.
Tide pools
Two sets of pools reward a low tide visit, and both vanish when the tide turns.
The Playa Hermosa tide pools on the rock shelf at the south end are warm, shallow and good for children. The Mal País tide pools lie between Santa Teresa and Mal País village near Playa Mar Azul, and they are wilder: no stairs, railings or lifeguards, just volcanic rock and water, so bring water shoes. Arrive 30 to 60 minutes before the lowest tide and leave when it starts to rise. Reaching the Mal País pools needs wheels or a long walk, and they are also the best low tide sunset on the coast.
Sunset
The sun sets between 5:15pm and about 5:45pm all year, a little earlier in December and later in June. The baseline is the beach itself, which is free and where most of the town gathers from around 5pm. At low tide the wet sand mirrors the sky, which is the reason to check the tide. You can buy a drink at Rocamar or Banana Beach, but you do not need to; take a cold drink from a supermarket and sit on the sand. The sunset spots guide names every place if you want to spend something.
The Thursday market
The Thursday market is free to enter, along the main road in the Carmen area. Vendors set up from about 5:30pm to 6pm, the food runs out by 8pm on busy weeks and the evening winds down around 9pm. You pay only for what you buy; dinner there costs about what a soda does. It is smaller in rain and quiet after 9pm, when the crowd moves to the bars. Carry cash in colones or dollars, since not every vendor takes cards.
Waterfalls, walks and hikes with no fee
Montezuma lower falls. About 40 to 50 minutes from Santa Teresa via Cóbano, with free entry and about $5 cash for the parking lot, which closes to new arrivals at 4:30pm. The lower pool is the best swimming hole on the peninsula. The riverbed trail is slippery, so wear shoes with grip. Read waterfalls near Santa Teresa and a day in Montezuma before you go, and do not pay a man at the lot to guide you.
Piedra Colorada. A stream, a small waterfall and a garden of balanced stones about 20 minutes on foot north of Montezuma village. The page I found lists no entry fee. It is easy walking and shaded, so it is good with children.
El Chorro. A waterfall that drops straight into the sea north of Montezuma. The beach walk is about 6 km each way and only possible at low tide, with no fee and nobody collecting one; take two litres of water each. Skip it after heavy rain.
Cabuya island. At low tide a rock causeway connects the small island to Playa Cabuya, about 45 minutes from Santa Teresa. Walk out as the tide drops and come back before it turns, because the crossing floods quickly. Nobody sells tickets there.
Wildlife
Wildlife costs nothing if you walk slowly. Howler monkeys roar at dawn and dusk from the trees along the road, and scarlet macaws are most reliable around Cabo Blanco and along the road toward Cabuya in the early morning. The wildlife guide says where; the cost is a morning's patience. Walk the beach at dawn too: it is quiet and cool.
Free or donation classes
There is no recurring free or donation based yoga or community class in Santa Teresa. Selina, which an older travel blog mentioned for a free class, closed in 2024. The cheapest paid ones are Natura Yoga Studio at $15 a drop-in and Horizon Ocean View at $18, listed in the yoga studios guide. If you want a free class, ask at your hostel or hotel whether it opens a class to outside guests, check the notice boards at the cafes and join the Santa Teresa and Mal País community groups on Facebook. For the free fitness option, the Outdoor Beach Gym is in front of Zeneidas hostel, listed open all hours; fees and equipment are not published, so look before you plan a workout.
Cheap add-ons worth paying for
When you have a few dollars, these are the best value on the coast.
| Add-on | Cost | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lifeguards Gym day pass | $10 | Open air gym, and the money funds the lifeguard towers |
| Cabo Blanco Reserve | $12 | Open Wednesday to Sunday, 8am to 4pm, hike to a white sand beach |
| Montezuma upper tiers via Sun Trails | About $5 | Hanging bridge, upper falls, 8:30am to 5:30pm |
| Yoga drop-in | $15 to $18 | Natura or Horizon |
| Soda casado | $5 to $8 | A full plate of rice, beans, salad and fish or chicken |
| Bimba shared e-bike | About $15 daily pass | Cheaper than taxis for the main road |
| Shuttle Montezuma to Santa Teresa | $18 | Montezuma Tours |
The Lifeguards Gym is 100 metres north of the football field, open 7am to 8pm daily, run by the Santa Teresa Lifeguards association, and is covered in the gyms guide. Sodas and street food are compared in cheap eats in Santa Teresa, and Cabo Blanco is in the Cabo Blanco hiking guide. Without a car, the getting around guide lists the Bimba e-bikes and the other options.
Where the money goes
Santa Teresa is not a free town. Accommodation, rental vehicles and restaurants drive most of the bill. But the beaches, tide pools, sunsets, market and a day in Montezuma add up to a week of things to do for the price of lunch and a $5 parking fee. If you volunteer, a beach cleanup organiser named Carolina Sevilla of BIOYARN is listed in a Costa Rica cleanup directory; I did not verify dates, so ask on the community groups.
Browse more places in the /directory/activities hub.
FAQ
What is free to do in Santa Teresa?
The beaches, tide pools at low tide, sunset from the sand, the Thursday market (free entry), Montezuma lower falls (free, $5 parking), Piedra Colorada and the El Chorro beach walk. Wildlife watching is free too. You pay only for food, parking and any gear.
Is the Thursday market free?
Yes. There is no entry fee. Vendors set up from about 5:30pm, the food runs out by 8pm on busy weeks, and it winds down around 9pm. Bring cash since not every vendor takes cards.
Where can I see the tide pools?
At Playa Hermosa, on the rock shelf at the south end, and between Santa Teresa and Mal País near Playa Mar Azul. Both only appear at low tide. Arrive 30 to 60 minutes before the lowest tide and leave as it rises.
Is Montezuma waterfall free?
Entry to the lower falls is free, and parking at the trailhead is about $5 in cash. Sun Trails charges about $5 per person for its self guided trail to the upper tiers. Do not pay a guide at the lot; you do not need one.
Are there free yoga classes in Santa Teresa?
No studio advertises a regular free or donation class. The cheapest paid drop-ins are $15 at Natura and $18 at Horizon. Ask at hostels and check community Facebook groups for free sessions.
How much does Cabo Blanco cost?
Entry is $12 per person, and the reserve is open Wednesday to Sunday from 8am to 4pm. It is the best paid add-on if you have a free morning.
