Santa Teresa: Life along a Dirt Road in Costa Rica
Santa Teresa has everything you need and very little else. It lays along a dirt road traced through the rainforest a few meters from the beach. It is a place where people surf at dawn, do yoga at sunset, and dance to trance-inducing electronic beats next to beach bonfires in the evening.
Getting There:
Dotted with restaraunts, surf-shops, and hostels, Santa Teresa is situated in the south-western tip of the Nicoya Penisula on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Most will be traveling from San Jose, the capital city of Costa Rica, and there are a few options. Because I was staying in SJ for an extended period for work, I wanted to make the most of my weekend.
Fly There:
The quickest way to get from San Jose to Santa Teresa, and the briefcasers choice, is by air. I threw my laptop in my bag and my bag over my shoulder on a drizzly Thursday morning. Then I was on my way in an Uber to the Juan Santamaria International Airport.
The flight from San Jose lasts 25 minutes. On arrival, the small plane glides over surf and a small beach to a run-way carved out of the forest in Tambor. On landing, you will pay a small fee (about 1,300 colones, or USD 2.00) before being admitted to the main airport building. Of course, by main airport building I mean the open air bench under the tin roof on the other side of the fence.
Taxi or Bus after the flight
From Tambor you will need to travel by bus or taxi to Santa Teresa. The taxi should cost at most USD 50. It can be arranged ahead of time through your hostel or with one of the drivers waiting outside of the airport. If you take the bus, you will need to transfer in Cobano, about half way to Santa Teresa. I took a taxi to Santa Teresa and a bus back to Tambor once I had the lay of the land. If you’re there in rainy season (May to October), pack a light rain jacket to fend off the heavy rain you may encounter while huddling under a small roof waiting for the second bus in Cobano.
In addition to being the quickest way to Santa Teresa, flying could suprise with additional benefits. For example, we spotted humback whales leaping from the Pacific as our small plane climbed into the rainclouds. The flight will cost less than USD 200 (roundtrip) and get you from SJ to Santa Teresa in 3 hours (waiting time, and taxi included).
Drive There:
Most people I met in Santa Teresa had driven from San Jose and taken a ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera. Note that much of the post-ferry drive will be on unpaved roads. I also met several people that came from San Jose by bus. There are a couple of buses every day, one very early and one in the afternoon. All told the trip takes five to six hours and costs about USD 15.00, including the ferry ticket.
Staying There:
It had been some years since I last stayed in a hostel. Therefore I arrived nostalgic and apprehensive to Selina North in Santa Teresa on a hot Thursday afternoon. Shaking my Nicaraguan taxi driver’s hand, I bounded through the front entrance of the rose pink building with light blue accents.
Because check-in was still three hours away I slung my bags into the storage locker behind the desk. Ridding myself of all but my swim shorts I slid into the pool at the centre of the hostel’s courtyard. Emerging back to the surface after my initial foray, I glided towards a pool colleage and struck up a conversation. My new Argentinian friend was the first of a diverse group of people I would meet over the course of three nights. All told Denmark, Costa Rica, Russia, the United States, Argentina, France, Ireland, Spain and Switzerland were represented during poolside chats and evening drinks.
Selina North is by no means the only option in Santa Teresa. Feel free to check out Selina South, Wave Trotters Surf Hostel, and Dos Monos as other options of which reviewers have spoken highly.
Eating and Drinking There:
Unlike many big cities where you will be overwhelmed with options, in Santa Teresa it is fairly straight forward to walk down the main dirt road and wander into an establishment that catches your eye. Pizza, sushi, and burgers are all available along with local food.
Selina
Selina itself has a restaurant / bar attached to the hostel. Hungry upon arrival, I threw myself at the supersalad on offer, delighting in the fresh avocado and crunchy quinoa. The salad was representative of Santa Teresa’s wellness streak.
Casa del Mar
With a group of three Spaniards, I wandered into Casa del Mar for pizza one evening. We were overwhelmed by the size of the two pizza’s we ordered to share. As a result we ended up walking home with a box stuffed full of the next day’s breakfast. Those pizzas were prepared in an open stone oven which blasted an unwelcome heat in our direction on an already humid evening. Consequently, we did our best to regulate ourselves by sampling some of Costa Rica’s artisan beers. My favourite was the Tano Manso Blueberry Wheat Beer.
Burger Rancho
The next night I wandered down the dirt road with a group of Ticos (people from Costa Rica) I met in the pool earlier in the day. We enjoyed our burgers on picnic-style tables that we pushed together under the roof of the crowed open-air restaurant.
Doing There:
Go to the Beach:
I wasted little time before going to the beach on my first day in Santa Teresa. Taking a left turn off the dirt road, I meandered down a path carved through the thick green forest seperating the town from the Pacific Ocean. Making my way past lanky surfers carrying their boards above their heads, I arrived after a couple of minutes. A pristine expanse of white sand lay between the jungle and the shore where waves arced and fizzled into foam. This is why you go to Costa Rica.
Go to the Waterfall:
About 45 minutes south of Santa Teresa is the charming town of Montezuma. I shared a taxi with my friends from Spain and we hopped out near the entrance. Walking past a few parked ATVs that others had rented to get to the site (about US$ 75 for the day), we made our way to the start of the path. We changed into our chosen footware and set off.
The Lower Falls
Holding onto overhanging branches as we stepped over roots and negotiated small changes in elevation, we followed the river for about an hour. Occassionally the way was blocked on one side of the river. As a result we did our best to balance on rocks as we crossed gentle rapids to the other side to continue our journey. Before long we were merrily splashing about in a pool at the base of an 8 meter (or so) waterfall. We were undeterred by the murky look of the water from silt churned up by recent heavy rains. An older local man resting on a rock by the pool indicated a small rock formation to the left of the waterfall and let us know that the water below was deep enough to jump from. Testing his advice, I timidly leapt from about 1 meter up. In contrast my friend then did a backflip from higher up. Meanwhile, I contented myself with swimming over to the waterfall and clamouring up the rocks to stand behind it. There I enjoyed the powerful sound of water plunging into the pool.
The Upper Falls
A short ways before reaching the base of the waterfall we spotted a series up steps leading upwards. Inspired with curiosity by the poorly marked route, we eagerly started to climb. Once at the top we took in a picturesque site. Scanning our surroundings we saw cascading rapids flowing over rocks surrounded by the lush forest as far as the eye could see. The rapids were flowing into another pool of water from which the waterfall we just visited was plummeting. A small bit of cement had been added to the rock formation to make for a perfect diving platform. Teetering on the edge for a few seconds (perhaps minutes) I studied the rocks below. It was going to be necessary to clear at least a meter to land safely. Adreneline quickly flooded my body. I briskly removed my shoes and shirt and made my way back to the platform. Next, my arms swayed forward a few times anticipating the forward thrust I would need. Suddenly a decisive conviction took hold. I bent my knees, leaned forward, and leapt.
Go Dancing:
Kika
As my first day in Santa Teresa turned to night, I wandered down the road to an open air bar. On arrival, I joined a crowd listening to a local band while sipping on their Imperial beers and Mojito’s. As it is want to do in these parts, a heavy rain joined the proceedings. As a result, everyone cozied up to their neighbours as we crammed under the small roof.
La Lora
After the music wrapped up at Kika, we made our way to La Lora, a rare venue in Santa Teresa for having four walls and a roof. The DJ kept the music going and the large dance floor full.
Taboo
Santa Teresa divides into a northern and southern section of town. On a Friday night a group of us decided to walk the 30 minutes from north to south. As we approached Taboo a faint but steady beat met our ears. Turning down the driveway we made our way to the entrance, the music growing louder. Soon we were weaving our way through hundreds of people moving to the trance-inducing rthyms in the open-air beach side club. Next we walked past a huge bonfire as we made our way to the beach. We passed the night under vibrant stars and with the intermingled soundtrack of the steady beats behind us and the waves crashing on the shore in front of us.
A Final Thought
Time is always too short when your briefcasing around the world. Work committments were looming on Monday. I threw my bag over my shoulder and readied myself to depart on a Sunday afternoon. Santa Teresa manages to maintain the right balance between its roots and the change that comes with increasing tourism. As I bumped along the dirt road in my taxi back to the airport I smiled as I watched groups pack surfboards onto the roofs of 4x4s and friends chat over chia-seed infused fruit smoothies at cafes. A few nights in Santa Teresa left me wanting more, but it was time to continue the pursuit.
