What is on in Santa Teresa on a Sunday night: the Rocamar sunset DJ party and bonfire, long dinners, the Yasumi omakase nights, Banana Beach music until 1am, and an honest look at how quiet the rest is.
Sunday night in Santa Teresa belongs to the sunset: Rocamar's Sunday DJ party on the north beach, with a $15 minimum spend for a lounger, followed by a long dinner and a quiet bar. There is no club night. Tikiliano and Ranchos Itauna keep their dance nights for other days, and the late rooms mostly shut by 10pm.
That is not a complaint. Sunday is the best night of the week to eat properly, and Rocamar's party is the one scheduled event in town that starts in daylight and ends with you in bed by 10pm.
The short version
- Sunset (5pm to 6pm): Rocamar, the Sunday sunset DJ party. It is the busiest hour of the week there.
- Dinner (6:30pm to 9pm): Manzu, Amici, Nami, Pronto, or Yasumi on its omakase Sundays.
- Music: Banana Beach has live music most evenings and is open until 1am.
- Quieter: Drift until 10pm, or Malbec Wine Bar until 11pm.
- Not Sunday: La Cevicheria is closed Sundays. Rocamar is closed Monday.
- Home: book a taxi. No Uber or Bolt.
Sunset at Rocamar
Rocamar is the swings and loungers spot on the north side, 500 metres north of Super La Hacienda and 50 metres east to the beach. It is open noon to 7pm Tuesday to Sunday and closed Monday, and Sunday sunset is the busiest hour of its week. A DJ plays from sunset, there is a bonfire on the sand, and the house rule is a $15 minimum spend per lounger, with cocktails from $12.
Because it closes at 7pm, Rocamar is a late lunch, a long golden hour and then a handover to dinner. Come by 4:30pm if you want a lounger, and 5pm for a swing. Holiday dinners are reservation only on WhatsApp +506 8862 8000, and on ordinary Sundays it is walk in, though holiday weekends fill. A review mentions a bill at double the expected price after an off menu special, so ask the price before ordering anything not on the board. Who it suits: groups and couples who want the sunset with music. The caveat: if you want to hear yourself talk, sit at the back or pick a different night.
If Rocamar is full, the neighbours are Uma, which takes WhatsApp bookings on +506 8782 9449 and keeps cocktails near $15, and Banana Beach, a casual bar with a bonfire. Compare them in the beachfront restaurants guide and the beach clubs guide. The sunset spots guide has free places on the sand.
Dinner you can linger over
Sunday is the night for a long meal. Kitchens run, there is no band to talk over and the crowd is more local.
- Manzu at Hotel Nantipa serves dinner 6pm to 9:45pm, with a $125 tasting menu and the Rondon stew. Reserve on OpenTable or its own site, and treat it as the occasion.
- Amici opens 5:30pm to 10pm daily, with wood oven pizza and fresh pasta. Book on WhatsApp in high season.
- Pronto Piccola Italia in Plaza Wave is open noon to 10pm and has the longest menu.
- Nami serves from 11:30am to 10pm on the main road.
- Yasumi is a ten seat handroll counter that runs a ten course $79 omakase on the second and fourth Sunday of the month. It sells out, so book ahead through the restaurant and see the sushi guide.
- Katana is dinner only and needs a reservation.
La Cevicheria is closed on Sundays, so plan around it. Other kitchens shift their days with the season, so message before you cross town. In green season, September and October especially, several owners take holidays. The best restaurants guide has the longer list, and the date night guide covers tables for two.
A drink after, not a night out
After dinner, the town is mostly quiet. That is the honest version of Sunday.
Banana Beach is the one beach bar with music late. Its own restaurant page says it is open until 1am, with nightly live music, 2 for 1 drinks and a bonfire. Its party nights are reported as Monday and Wednesday, so Sunday is the mellow version, and the Instagram will tell you what is on that week.
Drift is a restaurant and bar open 4pm to 10pm daily, later only on nights with live music or special events. Cold pressed cocktails run $12 to $15. Look at its Instagram for a Sunday live music night. It is a place to sit, not to dance.
Malbec Wine Bar is tiny and open Tuesday to Sunday, 6pm to 11pm. Glasses run $8 to $12, and the list leans Argentine. Kooks closes at 10pm by its own website, so use it for a late burger rather than a late drink.
Tikiliano keeps its dance nights for Thursday (reggae and dancehall), Friday (Latin) and Saturday (electronic), and its late licence covers Wednesday to Saturday, so do not treat it as a Sunday dance room. Check @tikilianobar before you walk over.
If you need music and a dance floor on a Sunday, the honest answer is that you will not find a regular one. A full moon that lands on a Sunday is the exception. The next is 25 October 2026, and Ranchos Itauna and the jungle promoters often take the whole night. Read the full moon guide first. For other nights, see Saturday and Monday.
A Sunday that starts in the afternoon
Because the evening is quiet, Sunday works best as a day that ends well. A few ideas:
- Pool day pass: Blooma sells a $35 pass with pool, hot tub, cold plunge and an arrival drink. See the pool day passes guide for Tropico Latino, Vista de Olas and re:center.
- A late surf: the surf report shows conditions before you decide.
- Tide pools at low tide before sunset, covered in the tide pools guide.
Then Rocamar at 4:30pm, dinner at 7pm, bed by 10pm.
Getting there and getting home
There is no Uber or Bolt in Santa Teresa. Rocamar is on the north side, down a dirt road, and the walk back along the main road is dark in stretches. Book a WhatsApp driver or Pantera Transportation on +506 8591 9555, which runs 24 hours, and agree the fare first. A short ride at night runs $15 to $20. The taxi stand at the cruce empties by about 10pm outside high season. Book at the table.
Do not ride a quad or scooter home after sunset drinks. Roads are dirt, unlit and. Walk only in a group, and stay off the beach alone at night. The safety guide and the taxis guide have more.
High season versus green season
December to April, Sunday sunset at Rocamar is crowded, and holiday Sundays are reservation only. Book Manzu and Amici ahead, and expect Banana Beach to be busy.
Green season, May to November, is quiet. Sunday at Rocamar is still a party, but with a smaller crowd, and rain can cancel the bonfire. Some kitchens close for a few weeks in September and October. A wet Sunday means a long indoor dinner and an early night, and that is a fine outcome. Sea turtle nesting runs about July to December on this coast, peaking in September and October; the sea turtles guide explains how to see it responsibly.
When Sunday is dead
Some Sundays in October have no DJ, a closed kitchen and a grey sky. If the sunset party is cancelled, eat early, have one drink at Drift or Malbec, and go to sleep. Monday has Banana Beach's party night by some accounts, and Thursday has Somos, so the week has more to offer than this one night. The events calendar shows what is booked.
For the week as a whole, see the nightlife calendar. Browse the nightlife directory for current venues.
FAQ
Is there nightlife in Santa Teresa on Sunday?
Sunset at Rocamar has a DJ and a bonfire, and Banana Beach has live music until 1am. Most other venues are quiet, and there is no regular Sunday club night.
What time does Rocamar's Sunday party start?
The DJ plays from sunset, about 5:15pm to 5:45pm, and Rocamar closes at 7pm. Arrive by 4:30pm for a lounger, and note the $15 minimum spend.
What restaurants are closed on Sunday?
La Cevicheria is closed on Sundays. Rocamar is closed on Mondays instead. Others change with the season, so message ahead.
Is Drift open on Sunday?
Yes, 4pm to 10pm, later only for live music or special events. It is a restaurant and bar, not a club.
Where can I get a special dinner on Sunday?
Manzu serves dinner until 9:45pm and Yasumi runs a $79 omakase on the second and fourth Sunday. Book both ahead.
How do I get home from Rocamar?
Book a WhatsApp driver or Pantera on +506 8591 9555, and expect $15 to $20 for a night ride. Walking along the main road after dark is only fine in a group.
