Three, five and seven day Santa Teresa itineraries for 2026, with the named surf lesson, tour, restaurant and sunset spot for each day, what each costs, what to book ahead, and how many days the town deserves.
Five days is the right length for Santa Teresa: two surf mornings, one waterfall day, one night tour, one nature day at Cabo Blanco, and sunsets and dinners that you do not have to rush. Three days works if you protect one morning for a lesson and one for Montezuma. Seven days lets you add Isla Tortuga and a horse ride. Expect to spend about $340 to $520 per person on activities, food and local transport for three days, $650 to $1,020 for five, and $930 to $1,420 for seven, before your bed and the shuttle in.
The short version
The town is one road of about 8 km from Mal Pais through the Playa Carmen cruce to Playa Hermosa, so the day by day plan is mostly about order, not distance. Surf in the morning when the wind is down, take the tours that need a driver on one fixed day, and keep every sunset free. The nightly calendar matters more than people expect: Tuesday is Deep Tuesday, the day and sunset beach party at Ranchos, Thursday is the market, Friday is a DJ at Uma and Latin night at Tikiliano, Sunday is the sunset party at Rocamar. The nightlife guide has the week, and I use it below.
All prices are 2026 figures from the operators and our other guides, in US dollars, before the 13% tax that some operators add. Cash helps: Buggy Blue's quad is $75 cash and $85 by card, and sodas are cash. The costs in each section are my own sums of the prices in this guide, so treat them as planning numbers.
How many days Santa Teresa deserves
Three nights is the practical minimum to settle in. Four to five is better, and anything under that spends too much of the trip in transit. The ride in alone is long: about 5 hours from Liberia on the Tropical Tours shuttle at $60, or 5 to 7 hours from San Jose with the Paquera ferry at $50 to $65 shared. Read Liberia to Santa Teresa and San Jose to Santa Teresa before you book flights. If you can only give it 48 hours, spend them on one lesson, one sunset and one big day out, and skip the rest.
After about seven days you stop being a visitor and start repeating yourself, which is a fine problem. Surf camps run seven-night weeks for that reason, and the surf camps guide compares them.
What to book ahead
December to April. Hostels fill, so book two to three weeks ahead (Lost Boyz in particular fills in high season), and the 420 quads sell out around Christmas and Easter. Book rooms and rentals before you book anything else.
A shuttle in and out. Tropical Tours closes booking for a morning shuttle the night before, and cancellations need 48 hours. Message a driver the night before for any early pickup.
Brukas and Manzu. Brukas, the hilltop sunset dinner, wants a WhatsApp booking in high season. Manzu's six course tasting menu is $125 plus tax and suits a reservation.
Bioluminescence. The Paquera Bay tour works best near the new moon, so look at a moon calendar before you pick the night. The bioluminescence guide explains.
Isla Tortuga. Zuma Tours and Tiko Tours both need a day or two of notice, and Tiko's private boat is $480 plus 13% tax for up to four.
Cabo Blanco. It is closed Monday and Tuesday and only open Wednesday to Sunday, 8am to 4pm, so choose the day first.
The three day itinerary
Day 1: arrive and see the beach. Land mid afternoon, drop your bag, and walk to the water by 4:30pm. Sunset is between 5:15pm and 5:45pm, and the beach at Playa Santa Teresa or Playa Carmen is free and always good. Eat at Soda Tiquicia, where a fish casado is 5,000 to 6,000 colones and the seafood soup is a meal. Early night. Cost: about $15 to $20 for food.
Day 2: surf lesson and a sunset. Book the earliest slot. Blue Mystic Surf School teaches at Playa Carmen, Hermosa or Mar Azul depending on swell, at $60 for 90 minutes with three students per instructor at most; Costa Rica Surf and Sup charges $65 for a group. After lunch, rest. At 5pm go to Rocamar for the swings and a $12 to $15 cocktail (closed Mondays; lounger minimum about $15), or Banana Beach if you prefer live music and a bonfire. Dinner at La Cevicheria, where a large ceviche is about $18 (closed Sunday). Cost: $100 to $150.
Day 3: Montezuma. Drive or take a shuttle 40 to 50 minutes to Montezuma. The lower waterfall is free to swim in and parking is $5 at the trailhead. The upper tiers through Sun Trails cost about $5, and the canopy and waterfall combo runs $62 to $108 with pickup. Lunch at Soda La Naranja (closed Sundays). If it is a Wednesday to Sunday in dry season, swap this day for Cabo Blanco at $12, about 25 minutes to the Cabuya entrance. Read the waterfalls guide for river conditions. Cost: $80 to $190 with transport, before the ride out.
Three day total in activities, food and local transport: roughly $340 to $520.
The five day itinerary
Take days 1 to 3 above, then add:
Day 4: Cabo Blanco and Playa Hermosa. Cabo Blanco is Costa Rica's first protected area. Entry is $12, the park is open Wednesday to Sunday 8am to 4pm, and the Sueco trail runs 8 km to a beach at the tip of the peninsula. Hire a driver for $60 to $80 shared by a group. Dry season is best for it. Afternoon at Playa Hermosa for the tide pools at the south end, an hour before low tide, and the sunset. The Playa Hermosa guide has where to eat. Dinner at Katana, open 5:30pm to 10pm.
Day 5: yoga, a night tour. Drop in on a yoga class (drop-ins run $15 to $20), take the afternoon off, then the bioluminescence tour from the Santa Teresa desk, $70 to $85 with pickup, 5 to 6 hours door to door, best near the new moon. Skip it if the moon is full, and spend the evening at Uma on Friday or the Thursday market if the weekday fits.
Five day total: roughly $650 to $1,020. Day 5 also fits a second surf morning, and a second lesson costs the same $60 to $98.
The seven day itinerary
Take the five days and add:
Day 6: Isla Tortuga. Zuma Tours runs the shared boat, about $85 to $140 per person including the shuttle, snorkel gear, drinks, two beers and lunch, with pickup at 7:30 to 8:30am and a return by 4 to 5pm. Tiko Tours runs a private boat from Tambor for $480 plus tax for one to four people, which works out to about $135 a head for four. Details are in the Isla Tortuga guide. Snorkelling is better in dry season.
Day 7: horses and a slow last night. Ollie's Adventures runs horseback tours in the Santa Teresa and Mal Pais area at about $68 per person for two hours on the beach, jungle and mountain route, with a rotation system that gives each horse a month off. See the horseback riding guide. End the week with the Brukas sunset: $25 to $40 per person with drinks, a steep climb best done by quad.
Seven day total: roughly $930 to $1,420.
Night by night
| Night | What is on | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Live music and a bonfire | Banana Beach (Rocamar is closed) |
| Tuesday | Deep Tuesday, a day and sunset beach party that runs into the evening | Ranchos Itauna |
| Wednesday | Salsa class and Havana Night | Tikiliano |
| Thursday | Market from 6pm, then Somos | Thursday market |
| Friday | Uma DJ at dinner, Latin night | Uma, Tikiliano |
| Saturday | The biggest night | Tikiliano, Ranchos SoundLab |
| Sunday | Rocamar sunset party, long dinners | Rocamar, Manzu |
Arrive at the market between 6 and 6:30pm, because the empanadas and ceviche cups sell out by 8pm. Drift is a dinner and cocktail stop that closes around 10pm, so eat there early or have dinner first.
How to get around
Walk or ride a Bimba e-bike ($15 for a day pass with 100 minutes) between the cruce and the centre. Take a taxi or WhatsApp driver for Montezuma and Cabo Blanco, or rent a scooter ($45 to $60 a day) or quad ($60 to $90 plus 13% tax). Do not ride after drinking or at night on the dirt road; the safety guide is blunt about it. The getting around guide and the quad rental guide cover the choice.
Adjust for the season
In December to April the surf is smaller and cleaner, Cabo Blanco and the island snorkelling are at their best, and everything fills. In May to November the afternoons rain, the waterfalls run full, the lessons are cheaper to book on the day, and some restaurants close for a few weeks in September and October. Pick the season using the best time to visit guide. If your trip is on a tight budget, Santa Teresa on a budget shows what to cut. Always check the tide guide the night before a lesson or tide pool day.
Browse tours and operators at the /directory/activities hub.
FAQ
How many days do you need in Santa Teresa?
Five days is the best fit: two surf mornings, a Montezuma waterfall day, a Cabo Blanco day, a night tour and enough sunsets. Three days works for a lesson and one big day out. The travel to get here takes the better part of a day, so under three feels rushed.
What is the best day trip from Santa Teresa?
Montezuma's waterfalls, 40 to 50 minutes away, with a free lower pool and $5 upper tiers through Sun Trails. Isla Tortuga is the best paid day out, at about $85 to $140 per person on a shared boat. Cabo Blanco at $12 is the best value, but only Wednesday to Sunday.
What should I book before I arrive?
Your bed and your shuttle first, then Brukas or Manzu for a high season dinner, and a bioluminescence night near the new moon. Lessons and most other tours can be booked a day or two ahead in green season, but in December to April book a few days earlier.
How much does a week in Santa Teresa cost?
About $930 to $1,420 per person for seven days of lessons, tours, food and local transport, plus your room and the shuttle. A dorm bed averages $16 to $38 a night depending on the month, and private rooms start around $60.
When is the best time to see a sunset in Santa Teresa?
Between 5:15pm and 5:45pm year round. Arrive 30 to 45 minutes early at Rocamar or Brukas in dry season. Low tide gives the best reflection on the beach.
Is Santa Teresa good for a three day trip?
Yes, if you accept the travel time. One lesson, the Montezuma waterfalls, and three sunsets is a full and satisfying three days. Add Cabo Blanco if it is Wednesday to Sunday and dry season.
