Every way from Jaco to Santa Teresa in 2026: the Herradura to Montezuma taxi boat with Zuma Tours and Tropical Tours, shuttle and private van prices, the Puntarenas to Paquera ferry, and driving yourself, with times and who each suits.
The fastest way from Jaco to Santa Teresa is the taxi boat from Playa Herradura to Montezuma, then a road transfer. Tropical Tours sells the whole trip for $66 per person, Zuma Tours sells the boat alone for $40, and the full journey takes about 2.5 to 3 hours. The alternative is the Puntarenas to Paquera ferry, which takes 4.5 to 5.5 hours by shuttle or car, costs a similar amount or more for a private van, and never cancels for swell.
The short version
If you travel light and your day is flexible, take the boat. The crossing is about an hour on the water, it saves two hours against the ferry route, and the views of the gulf coast are the best part of the day. If you have a board over a certain size, a lot of luggage, a toddler, or a day that cannot slip, take the ferry route by private van or your own car. A rough sea can stop the boat from launching, and the boat has one or two departures a day.
Book through a company that sells the whole chain, Jaco hotel to Santa Teresa door, because the boat lands on a beach and the road leg is where people get stranded. Both main operators below do that. For the shuttle companies as a group see best shuttle companies in Santa Teresa, and for the reverse trip into the south from Manuel Antonio see Manuel Antonio to Santa Teresa.
Option 1: Taxi boat from Herradura to Montezuma
Boats leave Playa Herradura, north of Jaco beside Los Sueños, and land on the small beach at the centre of Montezuma, about an hour later. From Montezuma you drive roughly 30 to 40 minutes to Santa Teresa. The details of the crossing are in montezumabeach.com's boat guide and apply to both operators.
Zuma Tours is the long-running boat operator on this coast, with offices in Montezuma (Zuma Tours Montezuma) and at Plaza Kahuna in Santa Teresa (Zuma Tours Santa Teresa). The boat fare is $40 per adult, half price for ages 4 to 10, free under three. It departs Montezuma at 9:30am and Jaco and Herradura at 11:00am. Its shuttle collects from Musmanni Bakery in Jaco, next to the Mas X Menos supermarket, at 10:30am and drives you to the boat. Luggage is 20 kg per person, surfboards cost $10 extra, bags are sealed in plastic against spray, and bicycles and pets are not allowed. Reservations are required. Phone (506) 2642-0024 or WhatsApp (506) 8840-4389, per zumatours.net.
Tropical Tours Shuttles (listing) sells taxi boat seats at $55 between Jaco and Montezuma and $66 between Jaco and Santa Teresa, per its taxi boat page. The Santa Teresa price includes the road leg, so there is nothing to arrange in Montezuma. The page does not print boat times, so ask when you book. Office +506 2640 1900.
Interbus (Santa Teresa Shuttles) sells the same combination at about $95. You pay $30 more for the same boat, and what you buy is a large company with a 24-hour phone line.
One cheaper alternative appears on booking sites: a "land, boat, land" shared shuttle run by Tico Paradise Costa Rica at $80, with a pickup time set by the operator and a 20 minute stop, per its WeTravel page. It has few reviews, so I would book it only if the other two are full.
Add it up: Zuma boat $40 plus a Montezuma to Santa Teresa transfer is $58 to $80 in total, depending on whether you take the shuttle or a taxi. The road leg is covered in Montezuma to Santa Teresa. Tropical Tours at $66 is the simple answer, and it is the one I would book.
Sea and timing. Large waves can keep the boats in. Departure times vary by operator and the sources disagree: Zuma lists 11:00am from Herradura, while other listings show a 9:00am boat. Confirm the day before. Sit at the back for a smoother ride and more shade. The boat is small, 10 to 18 people on standard boats, and private boats for up to five run about $850. On a big swell day in green season, take the refund and switch to the van.
Who it suits: couples and solo travellers with a backpack and a day pack, anyone who wants the scenic route. Who it does not: anyone with a board bigger than the operator will carry, strollers, or a flight to catch the same evening.
Option 2: Shuttle or private van via the Puntarenas ferry
The land route from Jaco runs to the Puntarenas dock, about 74 km and an hour, across the Gulf of Nicoya on the ferry to Paquera, and then 53 km and about an hour to Santa Teresa. A van does this in 4.5 to 5.5 hours depending on when you meet the ferry. Private operators plan their pickup around the sailing.
Two Weeks in Costa Rica prices a private van from Santa Teresa to Jaco at $323 plus 13% VAT for one to four passengers, with $3 per person for the ferry ticket, about 5 hours including the 70 minute crossing, and an hour of stops included (twoweeksincostarica.com). The Jaco to Montezuma version is $308 plus VAT for 4.5 hours (twoweeksincostarica.com). Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a refund minus a small fee. Budget about $365 all in for a family, which is $90 each for four, a fair price for door to door with luggage.
Shared seats on the ferry route are rarer from Jaco than from San Jose, where the going rate is about $60 per person. Ask Tropical Tours or Transporzuma what runs on your day, and see best shuttle companies in Santa Teresa for the full comparison.
Who it suits: families, groups of three or more, anyone with boards or a baby seat, anyone travelling in swell.
Option 3: Drive yourself with the ferry
You drive from Jaco to Puntarenas, on the main coastal highway, roughly 74 km. At the dock you buy a car ticket, about $25 (11,400 colones), and the crossing is 60 to 80 minutes, so allow 1.5 hours with loading, per nicoyapeninsula.com. The timetable published by that site shows eight daily sailings from 4:00am to 10:00pm, and other sites list six, so verify with Naviera Tambor; the full detail is in Paquera vs Tambor ferry. Book the vehicle space online in the Christmas and Semana Santa weeks.
After Paquera it is 53 km to Santa Teresa and about an hour. The road has potholes in places and gets worse with rain. Do not ford rivers, because it voids your insurance, as the rental car guide explains. Aim to be on the Paquera side by 2pm so you do not drive the peninsula in the dark.
Check that your Jaco rental company allows the ferry and a drop-off at a different branch. Many contracts require return to the pickup point. If that is you, the better plan is to rent a car locally in Santa Teresa: see the counters in the Santa Teresa car rental guide.
The alternative is the bridge over the Tempisque at Puente La Amistad, with no ferry, which one guide puts at about 280 km to Montezuma and 5 hours, plus another 45 minutes to Santa Teresa. The drive is long, but it never depends on a timetable.
Who it suits: people already holding a rental car, and anyone staying a week or more.
Which to pick
| Option | Cost | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Tours boat plus road | $66 per person | 2.5 to 3 hours | Light travellers |
| Zuma boat plus Montezuma shuttle | $58 to $80 per person | 2.5 to 3 hours | Anyone who prefers Zuma |
| Private van with ferry | about $365 per vehicle, one to four | 4.5 to 5 hours | Families, boards |
| Own car with ferry | rental plus $25 | 4.5 to 5.5 hours | Long stays |
Practical points: leave Jaco by 8am whichever route you pick. Carry some cash in dollars and colones. Bring a rain jacket in green season, and read rainy season in Santa Teresa before booking a boat in September or October. For the whole map of options see getting to Santa Teresa.
Find a place to stay at the stay hub, and the transport operators are in the services directory.
FAQ
How do I get from Jaco to Santa Teresa?
The fastest way is the taxi boat from Playa Herradura to Montezuma and then a 30 to 40 minute road transfer, about 2.5 to 3 hours in total. Tropical Tours sells it as one ticket at $66. The slower option is the Puntarenas to Paquera ferry, 4.5 to 5.5 hours.
How much is the taxi boat from Jaco to Montezuma?
$40 per adult with Zuma Tours and $55 with Tropical Tours, which includes the shuttle to the boat. Children aged 4 to 10 pay half with Zuma and under three travel free. A private boat for up to five people is about $850.
What time does the boat leave?
Zuma Tours lists 9:30am from Montezuma and 11:00am from Jaco and Herradura. Its Jaco pickup is at 10:30am from the Musmanni Bakery. Other sources show a 9:00am departure, so confirm the time when you book, and book ahead because the boat has limited seats.
How much luggage can I bring on the boat?
Zuma Tours allows 20 kg per person, and bags are sealed in plastic. Surfboards cost $10 extra. Bicycles and pets are not allowed. If you have more, send it ahead by van or take the ferry route.
Is the boat safe in rough water?
Operators cancel or reschedule when waves are too large to launch. Call the day before and again in the morning. If it is cancelled, ask for a refund or rebook on the van via the ferry, which runs in any sea.
Can I drive from Jaco to Santa Teresa?
Yes. Drive to Puntarenas, take the car ferry to Paquera for about $25, then follow the road to Santa Teresa, about 4.5 to 5.5 hours in total. A 4x4 is recommended, and you should check that your rental contract allows the ferry.
