The field guides
Know before
you go.
75 honest guides to getting here, finding your break, choosing a town and living well on the Nicoya Peninsula.
A useful first read
Start here: editor's picks
A few clear starting points before you get into the full field guide.
Digital NomadsBest Coworking Spaces in Santa Teresa
Internet speeds, desk setups, community vibes, and pricing, the coworking spaces that actually support real work.
Where to StayBest Hotels in Santa Teresa for Every Budget
From $15 hostel dorms to $750 beachfront villas, the Santa Teresa hotels actually worth booking, sorted by budget, with honest notes on each.
Food & DrinkBest Restaurants in Santa Teresa
The Santa Teresa restaurants actually worth eating at, from $6 casados to $50 omakase, ranked by what's good, not who paid for the most ads.
Plan your trip
12 guides shown
Practical InfoATMs, Money, and Paying in Santa Teresa
Which ATMs work, where to exchange money, card acceptance, tipping norms, and how to avoid getting stuck without cash.
Read · 6 min →
Practical InfoBest Time to Visit Santa Teresa: Month-by-Month
Weather, crowds, prices, and surf for every month in Santa Teresa, dry vs green season, the shoulder sweet spots, and the honest tradeoffs.
Read · 6 min →
Practical InfoFirst Time in Santa Teresa: Everything You Need to Know
The one guide to read before your first trip, logistics, real expectations, common mistakes, and the things nobody tells you until you arrive.
Read · 7 min →
Practical InfoHealthcare and Pharmacies in Santa Teresa
Where to go when something goes wrong, clinics, pharmacies, dentists, and what to do in an emergency.
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Practical InfoInsects, Heat, and Dust: The Uncomfortable Truths
Mosquitoes, no-see-ums, the relentless sun, and roads that coat everything in dust, what nobody puts in the brochure.
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Practical InfoLaundry, Shipping, and Other Mundane Necessities
Where to do laundry, how to receive packages, printing, and the unglamorous logistics of daily life.
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Practical InfoPacking List for Santa Teresa
What to bring, what to leave, and what you can buy when you get there, based on what people actually use.
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Practical InfoPhone Service and SIM Cards in Costa Rica
Which carrier to use, where to buy a SIM, eSIM options, and realistic coverage expectations for the Nicoya Peninsula.
Read · 7 min →
Practical InfoRainy Season in Santa Teresa: Is It Worth Visiting?
What rainy season actually looks like, when it rains, how much, what closes, and why some people prefer it.
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Practical InfoIs Santa Teresa Safe?
Honest, field-checked safety for Santa Teresa: petty theft, rips, the real #1 danger (ATVs), bugs, sun, water, solo travel and emergency numbers.
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Practical InfoTipping in Costa Rica: When and How Much
Restaurant service charges, tour guide tips, taxi rounding, the actual tipping norms, not the tourist-inflated version.
Read · 6 min →
Practical InfoVisa Rules for Costa Rica: Tourist Stays and Extensions
How long you can stay, border run realities, extension options, and what the digital nomad visa actually requires.
Read · 7 min →