Is Santa Teresa Worth it? Getting stuck in a Costa Rican surf town
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- čas přidán 10. 07. 2024
- #SantaTeresa #CostaRicaTravel #SantaTeresaSurf
Santa Teresa is a small surf town on the South West point of the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica.....and it's great. Consistent surf for all levels, good food, sun, it's all there. Here's my guide if you're looking to visit Santa Teresa.
Yes, there are some things that get on your nerves. The dust from the road can get a little annoying. The prices are extortionate (accommodation prices, food and transport) especially compared with the rest of Central America. It's clear that it has become more than just a surf town. Lots of people are working remotely and it was surprising to see high profile figures including world heavyweight champion boxers, social media platform founders and world famous DJs.
Regardless, Santa Teresa is one of my favourite places in Costa Rica. I'm biased because I like to surf, but there are plenty of people that don't surf and still love Santa Teresa. You're certainly not going to have a problem if you're wondering what there is to do in Santa Teresa: aforementioned surf, sun, yoga, tide pools, food, the list goes on.
Having spent a couple of months there now, I started to question whether it was worth getting stuck there (like so many do). The laid back vibe is very similar to the likes of Puerto Escondido in Mexico or Siargao in the Philippines. It's fantastic whilst you're there, but what price do you pay?
The obvious price is the financial one. Santa Teresa is certainly not a cheap place. However, the larger price with these types of places is the lost time. They are lots of fun when you're there and you don't want to leave. The issue is when you do leave and reflect on the time you spent there. What did you do? What does that mean for the rest of your travels?
My last visit was 6 weeks....it was supposed to be 2.
Those extra 4 weeks prevented me from visiting Corcovado National Park on the Osa Peninsula. They stopped me from visiting Monteverde or spending more time in La Fortuna.
I love Santa Teresa and always tell people to go there if they're visiting Costa Rica. My advice though would be to book your next destination (and pay for it) so that you have to leave. You can ALWAYS come back. It has an allure that can suck you in and it's difficult to leave.
If you do find yourself staying for an extended period of time, whether that be in Santa Teresa or in Playa Del Carmen, Playa Hermosa or even Montezuma, that's fine. It happens. It's part of travelling. Enjoy.
Timecodes:
0:00 - Where is Santa Teresa?
0:47 - Santa Teresa Drone Footage
1:38 - Surfing in Santa Teresa
4:05 - Coworking Spaes
4:59 - The Road & Dust
5:18 - Food (Eat Street)
6:00 - The Lifeguard Gym
6:47 - Price (Accommodation, Food & Travel)
7:42 - Infrastructure (Black outs, Internet Speed)
8:02 - How crowded is Santa Teresa?
8:36 - Is it too popular?
9:29 - Is Santa Teresa worth it? Should you travel there?
Shot on:
GoPro Hero 9 Black (with media mod)
Mavic Mini Drone
Edited on:
Da Vinci Resolve 17
Music:
Sum Wave - Beach Memories
El Neon - Amanecer
Giants' Next - Tiny Things
My wife and I spent 6 months in ST. It's a paradise town and has plenty to offer for everyone, yet is very simple. Highly recommend renting (or buying) a quad, a pair of Crocs, and surf lessons. You'll fall in love.
@Ty Jadah - agreed with the quad and surf lessons....not sure everyone would agree with the Crocs (though I'm a fan)!
Hey Ty, where would you recommend staying for a month or two? Everything in January seems super expensive on Airbnb, hotels, etc. Thanks!
Thank you for info on surf crowded.
Thanks for the video, very informative and superb editing!
@lugacu12 - Glad you liked it
Great bits of advice..cheers
Glad you enjoyed it
dude. i went there for a month then ended up staying for almost 5 years
@Relax Vibes - Haha and I bet you're not the only that has done that! Still there?!
@@WiththeSparrows no man! I ended up meeting a Tica and got married. Back in Florida now
@@relaxvibes2986 well it looks like it ended up like a good choice either way then!
Thanks for your video :) The same thing happened to us went there for few weeks kept prolonging the stay until it was time to go home to Spain, did not see much of Costa Rica as a result of it. Really expensive as a general rule especially for those not coming from States, but still getting the itch to return there again. Costa Rica´s nature is mind-blowing :D
@Amina Geydarova - we're certainly not the only two that have gotten stuck in Santa Teresa. Still enjoyed my time there though, just wish I'd gone to Osa Peninsula. Agreed though, Costa Rica's nature is pretty ace!
Awesome video. Thanks for sharing. Though I ask, how do you manage to record your footage without water drops. I get them all the time.
I was there for 5 weeks, about 10 years ago. It was glorious, exactly as you describe. A gilded cage. And, I too missed osa peninsula and pavones, and monteverde... haha, surfing seemed to always dominate my decisions. Now, I may go back, and try to get stuck, but not spend thousands doing it. (good luck w that...)
@Aaron Kennedy I'm jealous that you saw it 10 years ago, but it does give me some solace that you also didn't get to go to corcovado (I.e made the same mistakes as people like myself are doing 10 years later..).
I was stuck there several times in the late 90’s love that place. There was a little hotel Hotel playa Santa Teresa would stay there months on end. Day trips to surf a reef to sand break at playa coyote. Def worth getting stuck there!
@Deedubs - I love how getting in stuck in Santa Teresa isn't a recent thing - a few people have commented on how they got stuck there decades ago!
Thanks for the great info! We're trying to decide where on the Nicoya peninsula to visit and this has helped a lot with our decision making.
@Bucket List Travellers - happy that it helped. Did you end up visiting Santa Teresa? You guys are living in Nicaragua right?
@@WiththeSparrows we haven't visited Costa Rica yet. Yep we've been living in Nicaragua for the last year and a half but we're moving on to Costa Rica at the end of this month. After watching your video we think we probably won't visit Santa Teresa as it sounds pretty expensive and full of expats. We prefer the more quiet local experiences.
@@BucketListTravellers fair enough. Hopefully you guys get down to Osa peninsula and make a video about it!
@@WiththeSparrows do you have any recommendations on where to go?
@@BucketListTravellers Depends what you're looking for - I was a big fan of La Fortuna and have heard really good things about Monteverde and Osa Peninsula. The latter being something that I really regret not doing
I like Santa Teresa but personally, I would buy a house in Cobano(I'm costarican), because Nicoya has a lot of nice places to go.
Also, you spend 70$ the night?
Maybe it is because of the internet but downtown Santa Teresa is expensive, while Montezuma which maybe has less infrastructure than Santa Teresa, still has nice places for 35$(pool/AC, etc) the night or 70$ the night but you can get 2-3 people sharing the fee. Also, I am glad I born here because I can enjoy a very cheap lettuce/tomato salad with rice and beans and for me is the tastiest food in the whole world and it is not expensive, so I don't have to spend money on luxurious french/European tastes. Even a simple hamburger in Santa Teresa is quite expensive, I prefer to eat in Cobano when I go to Nicoya or do my own food.
I agree the bigger problem is getting out of there, cause it is a very nice place, but you won't get the real Costa Rica feeling just staying there. We have the best mountains and parks for hiking like Chirripo and La Amistad National Park and other hidden jewels like Ojochal and Manzanillo
@OrochiCr well that seems to be the best choice, like @Doug Lacoursiere
Great video! I understand your dilemma. We have a house in the Cobano/ Montezuma area and it is hard to leave Santa Theresa to go back, even on a day trip. We go there atleast once a week when we are in country. Taco Corner is our favorite, we always eat there for lunch when we are in town.
@Doug Lacoursiere - thanks, it was an issue and thought it would be helpful for people. It's ratified by your comment! I saw Taco Corner, is that in Playa Del Carmen, opposite Pacific Dirt Road Rentals?? Wanted to eat there but was persuaded to go to other places.....
That is probably the one. I know that there is a rental place to the north of it. Small place but good food. A quad or ATV are a must. We shipped a Honda Pioneer side by side down a year and a half ago and only got to use it once so far. They are the best units to have in that area. We skip right over potholes and you get used to the dust.
I can vouch that Taco Corner is amazing!
Three things changed Costa Rica/Guanacaste/Nicoya forever and that is The Internet, an Airport in Liberia, and the Movie Endless Summer Two. For better or for worse is simply a matter of your own perspective.
@Garth Seagrave indeed it's amazing the impact of Endless Summer 2 and Witch's Rock! Good point about the airport as well.
When I lived there for two Winters back in the early aughts, I got stuck in Carmen both times, it took buying a plane ticket to Ecuador to get out the second year...funny tho both years I still camped on the beach across the river from tabu....of course the second year was the last year there was a beach camp, it was becoming too crowded then, I couldn't imagine it now....
Andy.ec glad to hear I'm not the only one that got stuck! It's completely different even to when I visited a few years ago.....
2 years ago... Imagine now :/ I love santa teressa
cool board!
Thx for the info...thinking of a little surf trip later this year, but wondering what you think of staying in the area near Dominical or even closer to Osa. btw, are there any bodyboarders in the water down there?
@Jim Taylor - I can't say much about Dominical, though I have stayed in Jaco and surfed Playa Hermosa there which is a really good wave. Obviously if you stay closer to Osa then you're going to have to get yourself down to Pavones!
Didn't see many bodyboarders but that shouldn't stop you, assuming you're a sponger? You're pretty much guaranteed to be outnumbered at most places!
Happened to me before in other places around the world... 6 weeks go by so quick!
@pascal christen - I'd be lying if it hadn't happened to me before as well. 6 weeks isn't actually that long but yes, in Santa Teresa it goes by in an instant!
@@WiththeSparrows especially with those dependable s swells.
@@icysurfer1 sounds like a man that knows it well!
Costarrican over here! Most of the times, roads are not as good because 1. The lack of government help and 2. We love out town beaches, we don want a city in paradise as it has happend in other beaches such as Jacó. Places as St Teresa should be an experience!
I seen couples going at it in those rock tide pools lol.
@Warrior Bulldogs - Well I wasn't expecting that! I hope they know there are sea urchins in the tide pools.....
You can go to a 'soda' to eat.. You don't need to eat at or go to gringo places always... Do what locals do and you will save a LOT of money
@rodvarmo - we did eat at a couple of sodas and whilst it was slightly cheaper, it wasn't a lot cheaper and the food wasn't as good (it was perfectly fine though). Maybe that's us just being spoilt!
@@WiththeSparrows always ask the locals. Ask your hostel staff where can you eat that's good and cheap. They always know
@@rodvarmo Fair point.
Good vid. Honest and informative.
@Matthew McLemore - thanks, that was the intention! Hope it was useful / you agree with some of the points around Santa Teresa.
I first went in 1998... idyllic... went back in 2000 and it had already changed enormously in those two years and was 'getting busy' back then... and not with the right sort of people... I think it'd do my nut 24 years later
How was the wifi there? And how is wifi overall in coasta rica? Is it consistent for work from airbnbs?
@HD BnB - it was very much dependent on where you were staying. I tended to just go and pay for the Selina Co-working because the wifi was most reliable.
I also knew a couple of people that were staying in pretty expensive AirBnBs ($3000+ per month) who were still working at the Selina because their wifi was patchy.
I wish it were different but it seems to be a real lottery in Costa Rica and Central America in general! It was incredibly frustrating at times......although Nicaragua was 10x worse than CR.
@@WiththeSparrows good to know! do you have to pay to go into the coworking space?
@@HDBnB1 yeah you do. You can get a day pass but they're pretty expensive, much better to buy a week. It's not cheap but the best option. There's one at Selina North and a better one at Selina South but that's at Carmen Beach so depends where you want to stay. I'm sure there's non Selina coworking spaces, but working from cafes doesn't really work because of the noise.
hey nice video, what do you think to Santa Teresa for a non-surfer looking for a chilled beach style holiday ?
@Milezee - it really depends on what you're looking for. Santa Teresa is nice, even if you don't surf. However, it is pretty busy so if you're looking for super chilled and a bit remote, there may be better options (Osa Peninsula). But if you want some people around and some good sunset beers on the beach then Santa Teresa is a good bet.
@@WiththeSparrows cheers 🍻
If i would take a vacation there i may never leave lol
How is the weather and surfing there in July ?
@S unfortunately I haven't been there in July so can't give any decent advice there, your Internet search will be as good as mine!
Big surf tons of rain in July. Lots of stormy blown out days. There are little windows though.
is it less crowded in February/march?
@ufh3478629tegryu - I was there in February/March and it was really busy. It's probably pretty busy all year round now. Sorry if I'm the bearer of bad news!
@@WiththeSparrows damn thanks for letting me know! do you know anywhere in costa rica or central america that's like how santa teresa was 10 year ago? haha
@@ufh3478629tegryu I didn't go to Santa Teresa 10 years ago.....but I know what you mean! Popoyo in Nicaragua is much less crowded and more remote and I've heard El Salvador is pretty good as well.
life guards gym
Wish you would review every location around the world
@Matt Duncan - haha I'm slowly working my way through them!
I love the Belgian bakery there
@ssf467 - good point, that place does some naughty breakfasts. Although it's almost always got a ridiculous queue, especially in the morning.
You seem to chop it up like Rudy!
I hope you met him .
Peace
@Michele Kravat - haha I don't know what you mean by chop it up! In terms of video editing or (poor) surfing?
Unfortunately I don't know who this Rudy fella is!
tuanis mae
Took a Robert august surfboard off the bar at the surf camp way back late 90's after I broke my vector at sunset reef I'm thinking and made friends
@Allan Lege - sunset reef is a long way from Santa Teresa! (If you're talking about Sunset in Hawaii?)
Sparrow. Probably shouldn't tell you there is a killer left at the end of the road in the national park very shallow
@@alienal8278 past Playa Del Carmen or is it North? Don't want to go blowing up a spot!
South of you got too have a vechile and it's in the national park don't break your board like I did chasing butt crack and barrels This is a soul surfers paradise so tread lightly
South of you got too have a vechile and it's in the national park don't break your board like I did chasing butt crack and barrels This is a soul surfers paradise so tread lightly
Did they really tarmac the road? I thought they didnt.
@Krmpfpks - A portion of it. It's still covered in dust so it feels like a dirt road. Perhaps my memory is playing tricks on me but the dust definitely wasn't as bad as it was 3 or 4 years ago in Santa Teresa.
@@WiththeSparrows I was there on October last year, so I’m probably a bit out of date. I bought some land near Santa Theresa and I will move there with my family end of this month. Seeing tarmac would be great.
@@Krmpfpks sounds great - good luck with the move. I'm a little jealous that you've got land near Santa Teresa!
@@WiththeSparrows thank you, we feel very lucky that we found something for a good price, it’s a 10 minute drive up from Playa Hermosa. There are still lots available, just saying 😏
@@Krmpfpks ah yes I know where you mean...that definitely isn't tarmac, but very nice.
150 a day with crowds 😮
En español por favor
eat street, fish noodle bowl
10$ a meal.. expensive 😅.. guess it is a hippie town
@DrMacb612 - 😂yeah I get how that sounds. I guess it's all relative!
My next two boards had the same shape and one is in nesara snx the other???? Stolen
@Allan Lege - stolen in Santa Teresa?!
No back home out of my car 🚗 at pompano's joe's parking lot the other is at lodge vista Del Mar waiting for my return. I hope lol
I'm from destin Florida
First trip to Costa was 87 and found playa Negra i.e. Monkey 🐒 point thanks to Alex from boca barranca for the guided tour
unfortunately vloggers ruined the entire world and every part of adventure and journey .. its a shame what technology,showing off and greed can do to the world.. not just costa rica . Turn off the cameras and enjoy your life in peace .. there are still gems that people respect and only tell other like minded people about a few secret spots left. Hope it can stay that way, one vlogger can ruin it in one upload.. man this was such a relaxing spot 20 years ago even 15 years ..time flys and the disrespectful fake vegans generation continues to grow.. :/
TLDR: It's not worth it, don't go there. But if you do go see Styles Dangerfield play music. Ha.
@Styles Dangerfield - it is worth it, if only to see Styles Dangerfield play....whoever you are. Ha.
Where are you playing? Spread the word.
@@WiththeSparrows Well... no where right now because of the rona. But I was every Monday at Kooks.
gringo rica. pura vida all gone