Santa Teresa is a booming new travel destination in Costa Rica, attracting beach lovers and surfers to its broad, white-sand beaches with world-class surf. Since the jungle hugs the shore, you find lots of shady hideaways on the beach. Fortunately there aren’t yet high-rise buildings in Santa Teresa so that views of the coast are undisturbed until the wooded hills of Mal Pais and Cabo Blanco.
Not long ago, Santa Teresa was a small village that has now become a lively town. Many who had only planned a surf vacation in Costa Rica fell in love with Santa Teresa and decided to stay.
The influx of newcomers from all parts of the world has spawned a variety of restaurants and bars, along with hotels and vacation rentals to match every taste and budget.
For their main clientele Santa Teresa offers surfer-oriented hotels, surf camps, plus numerous surf schools and shops who cater to all ages and levels of surf experience. The breaks of Playa Carmen and Playa Santa Teresa are also excellent for beginners learning to surf.
See: Surf in Santa Teresa and Mal Pais
However, you don’t have to be a surfer to enjoy a vacation here. Mal Pais and Santa Teresa rank among the most beautiful beaches of Costa Rica and on a walk to the north or south of Santa Teresa you can explore miles of picture-perfect coastline.
