Santa Teresa is a surf town near the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, in Puntarenas province. A string of beaches runs along one coast road: Mal País in the south, Playa Carmen, Santa Teresa itself, then the quieter Playa Hermosa and Manzanillo to the north. The road is lined with cafes, surf schools, and yoga studios, and the sunset over the Pacific is the evening plan for most of the town.
Our two homes here come from the same manager as several of our Tamarindo houses. They share one estate on the beach at the quieter north end of Santa Teresa, so you can take one house or both.
Tap a pin for detailsVilla pins show the neighborhood, not the house: each sits near the middle of its area. The exact location comes with your booking. Surf notes come from published surf guides, linked in each pin; conditions change with swell and tide, so ask a local surf school before you paddle out.
Tap a size to narrow it down. Every house is rented whole, never shared with other guests.
Surf is the reason most people come. Playa Carmen and Playa Hermosa are where beginners learn; the points and reefs along the coast are for experienced surfers. We book lessons and board rentals with local schools.
Cabo Blanco, at the southern tip of the peninsula past Mal País, was the first protected area in Costa Rica, set aside in 1963. Montezuma, a small beach town on the gulf side of the peninsula, makes an easy day out. Back in town: yoga, long lunches, and the sunset.
The quickest way is a domestic flight from San José to Tambor, about 25 minutes in the air, then roughly 45 minutes to an hour by road. By land, most people drive or take a private transfer to Puntarenas, cross the Gulf of Nicoya on the Paquera ferry (about an hour and ten minutes on the water), and drive another hour and a quarter or so to the beach. Door to door from San José airport that is about four and a half to six hours. Ferry times change, so confirm on the official ferry site before you set the day.
The coast road that links Mal País, Santa Teresa, and Playa Hermosa is partly unpaved and gets dusty in the dry season, and the usual advice for the roads on this part of the peninsula is a sturdy 4x4. If you would rather not drive, we arrange the airport transfer and a driver for dinners and tours.
Yes, at the right beach. Playa Carmen and Playa Hermosa are the usual places to learn, while the reef and point breaks are for experienced surfers. The map above shows each beach and break with a note from a published surf guide. A lesson with a local school is the safest start.
Yes. ST-01 sleeps up to 18 in 7 bedrooms. Our two homes share one beachfront estate and can be booked together, for up to 28 guests. Ask and we check both for your dates.
Holiday weeks book early here and carry longer minimum stays, often a week or more, set by the manager for each house. Tell us your dates and we confirm the minimum and the total before you plan around them.
The manager prices each stay by date and group size, so we confirm the exact total, with taxes and fees, before you commit. You book and pay the manager directly. We stay on to plan your transfers, surf lessons, tours, and a private chef if you want one.
We check which homes are open, confirm the exact totals and minimum stays with the manager, and plan the flight or ferry, the transfers, and the surf lessons around them.
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