Santa Teresa: The Wild, Salt-Kissed Soul of Costa Rica
By Joe Liebke
There are places you stumble into on a surf trip and never quite shake. Santa Teresa, on the southern tip of Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, is one of those places—a dusty, sun-drenched strip of jungle-meets-ocean where time blurs, shoes disappear, and life gets deliciously simple.
It’s not polished. It’s not curated. And that’s exactly why it’s so damn cool.
Where the Jungle Kisses the Break
Santa Teresa isn’t a town in the traditional sense. It’s more like a vibe stretched across a beach road, woven together by surfboards, scooters, and smoothie bars. One moment you’re riding a quad down a dusty road with monkeys overhead, the next you’re paddling into some of the most consistent, glassy beach breaks on the Pacific coast.
The waves here hit different. Playa Carmen offers soft, rolling whitewater for beginners, while Playa Hermosa and La Lora crack with power and speed for the pros. This is the kind of place where surf rules everything. Dawn patrol is sacred. Tide charts are gospel. And your board is your most loyal companion.
Everyone surfs. Everyone. The 8-year-old girl zipping past you in the lineup. The silver-haired expat who moved here in the ’90s. The model from Paris and the software developer from Boulder. It’s not about looking cool—it’s about showing up for the ocean, every damn day.
Dirt Roads, Divine Living
Don’t come to Santa Teresa expecting high-end infrastructure. The roads are rough, muddy in the green season, dusty in the dry. There’s no central plaza, no stoplights. Just miles of jungle, beachfront bungalows, and barefoot wanderers navigating it all with a sense of freedom most cities can’t touch.
And yet, it’s undeniably chic. In its own barefoot-luxury way.
Hidden among the palms are design-forward eco-lodges, cliffside villas with infinity pools, and beach bars with swing seats and mezcal cocktails. Boutique hotels like Casa Chameleon and Latitude 10 blend right into the wildness, offering luxe without ever losing that raw, grounded feel.
The Wellness Scene Is Real—But Chill
Santa Teresa is where your inner wellness warrior comes to thrive—without the preachy packaging. Here, yoga isn’t a trend. It’s part of the rhythm. Sunrise flow at Pranamar. Sunset yin at The Horizon. Breathwork circles. Temazcal ceremonies. It’s all here, but it’s not in your face. It’s integrated into the pulse of daily life.
And the food—fresh, vibrant, organic—is fuel for the soul. Think dragonfruit smoothies, jackfruit tacos, raw cacao bliss balls, and grilled mahi-mahi caught hours earlier. The Bakery is a local icon, slinging sourdough and almond croissants that rival Paris. At night, toes-in-the-sand dining at places like Katana, Manzu, or Koji’s feels like a scene from a dream you didn’t want to wake up from.
Who Comes Here?
Santa Teresa draws a strange and beautiful tribe: pro surfers, yogis, backpackers-turned-entrepreneurs, couples on spiritual sabbaticals, families in search of nature, and digital nomads running six-figure businesses in board shorts. Justin Bieber’s been spotted here. So has Gisele. But you’re more likely to see them sipping a coconut in silence than posting from a VIP booth.
It’s that kind of place. Fame doesn’t matter. Money doesn’t shout. The currency here is presence.
Nights Are Magic
The sunsets here are ridiculous—sky-on-fire, tear-in-your-eye kind of beautiful. As the sun melts into the horizon, people gather on the beach with beers, guitars, kids, dogs. It’s communal and casual and perfect. When darkness falls, the night heats up. Fire dancers spin under palm trees. DJs drop deep house at jungle parties. Small beach bars pulse with reggae, reggaeton, and pura vida energy.
Or, if that’s not your thing, you walk the beach under a moonlit sky, listening to the tide, barefoot and buzzing with the kind of peace you didn’t realize you were craving.
Why You’ll Stay Longer Than You Planned
Santa Teresa is hard to define. It’s gritty but elevated. Remote but connected. It’s where the wild meets the refined, where you can go from a surf session to a sound bath, from tacos on the street to a ten-course tasting menu. And while it may have started as a sleepy surf town, it’s evolved into a sanctuary for the soulfully adventurous.
This is a place where you feel alive. Where your hair stays salty, your body stays tan, and your spirit stays light. You come for the waves. You stay for the energy. And eventually, like so many before you, you start plotting how to never leave.
Santa Teresa isn’t just cool. It’s magnetic. And once you’ve felt it—you’ll carry it with you forever.