10 Things To Do In Santa Teresa: Sustainable Travel Edition
So you’re headed to Santa Teresa…you and every other 20-something traveler! This stunning beach town in Costa Rica has gained serious notoriety in the last 20 years as the place to be. But just because Santa Teresa is growing in popularity, doesn’t mean it’s lost all its charm. In fact, it’s probably one of the best places to visit if you’re looking for surf, sand, and the chance to meet other young and adventurous travelers. Let’s cover the top 10 things to do in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica!
Table of Contents
Surfing At Santa Teresa Beach
Surfing At Santa Teresa Beach
Why Sustainable Travel?
This guide is for sustainable travel lovers (a.k.a. all of us) who want to visit Santa Teresa without damaging the natural environment. The main downside to the rapid growth of this beach town in Costa Rica is that it’s occurred without proper adherence to environmental guidelines.
Santa Teresa now faces challenges such as inadequate waste water management and water supply. Further, the rapid development of the town has not been properly regulated and the area faces zoning and sanitation challenges as a result. The Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper organization’s website elaborates on these issues in greater detail.
So how do you enjoy a stay in Santa Teresa without damaging the local environment? By making a conscious effort to minimize your impact as a traveler! Below, you’ll find 10 things to do in Santa Teresa that support the local economy, and the natural environment.
Surf Shop At Somos
Somos Hostel
Book a Sustainable Stay
First and foremost, you need somewhere to stay in Santa Teresa. Ecotourism is often considered expensive, but Santa Teresa has quite a few affordable and eco-friendly accommodation options that you can choose from.
- For solo travelers & hostel stays: Somos
- For digital nomads: Outsite
- For groups and families: Florblanca & Nantipa Hotel
If you plan to travel on to the nearby town of Montezuma after your time in Santa Teresa, you’ll want to book this amazing eco hotel in the jungle.
Surf
If Santa Teresa is known for anything, it’s surfing. The breaks here suit both novice and experienced surfers. Wake up with the sun and walk down to the beach to join the other early risers in the water. You can rent a board for $15 a day, or closer to $80 for the week.
If you want to eat, sleep, and breathe surf, consider staying in one of Santa Teresa’s many surf camps. Camps are great if you’re an inexperienced surfer, as they offer you a chance to immerse yourself in the environment of the sport.
So, how do you make surfing sustainable? Great question! During your stay in Santa Teresa, choose to support the local businesses that operate with the planet in mind. For a surf camp, try Zopilote Surf Camp. Check out Kina Surf Shop for all your rental and surf lesson needs.
Alternatively, if you want a private villa all to yourself, book Nina’s Surf Beach Villa. All three of these businesses partner with the Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper, the organization working to clean up rivers, lakes, and coasts across the Nicoya Peninsula.
Baked Goods At Cafca Cafe
Vegan Spread At Ani's Bowls
Work From a Cafe
Why work from home when you can work from a cafe in Santa Teresa? This beach town in Costa Rica is especially popular with digital nomads for a few reasons. First, Costa Rica operates on Central Standard Time (CST), making it easy for U.S. travelers to maintain consistent work hours. Secondly, Costa Rica is a relatively quick–and affordable–flight from the U.S.. Santa Teresa in particular also manages to feel off the beaten path while providing modern amenities to travelers.
If you have to work, there’s hardly a better place to do it than inside a cozy cafe in Santa Teresa. Below, we’ve listed a few of our favorite cafes that we worked from during our time in Santa Teresa! Of course, all of these cafes are certified ocean friendly businesses, adhering to set guidelines to reduce ocean pollution, by properly discarding solid waste and waste water.
@baggagegirls If you’re traveling to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica make sure you check out these restaurants! 🍽️ You can find the full list of small ocean-friendly businesses to support on @Waterkeeper Alliance website! 🌊🐟🚰 ••• #travelcostarica #santateresacostarica #restaurantguide #naturalistguidecostarica #travelblogger #baggagegirls #traveltiktok #ecotourism #sustainabilitytips #oceanfriendly #costarica
♬ Rather Be (feat. Jess Glynne) - Clean Bandit
@baggagegirls Santa Teresa is definitely one of the more expensive beach towns in Costa Rica — and it was the priciest place we visited during our month in Costa Rica! 🌺🏄♀️🌊🌞 Link in the comments to the latest post on our Baggage blog! ••• #costaricatraveltips #santateresacostarica #costoftravel #budgettravel #travelbloggers #baggagegirls #whatispend #travelgirls #bucketlisttraveldestination
♬ Caught in a Dream - PALASTIC & LissA
Shop Local
Next up is one of the top things to do in Santa Teresa, and in general when you travel to new places. Supporting local businesses is one of the best ways to support the local communities you visit. Santa Teresa’s town is basically just one LONG dirt road that runs for miles, with shops and restaurants on both sides.
Spend a few hours walking both sides of the street and ducking into the various surf shops and clothing boutiques. You’ll find prints and jewelry handmade by local artists, sustainably designed clothing, and ethically made swimwear brands you’ve never heard of before.
Browse the various small businesses in Wave Boutique Mall, and explore the Wednesday Market from noon to 10 pm weekly. This market boasts food, clothes, jewelry, and drinks – curating a true shopping experience.
While you can’t go wrong with any of the cute shops you choose, there are some adorable swimsuit shops that we loved next to Ani’s Bowls Restaurant. This restaurant also happened to have the biggest salad bowls we’ve ever seen, and it’s worth visiting for a fresh salad and shake after spending the day on the beach.
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
Eat at Eco-Friendly Restaurants
Speaking of restaurants, you’ll want to support these eco-friendly eateries during your time in Santa Teresa for fresh food that’s good for you and the planet. Yet again, we’ve listed exclusively ocean friendly businesses on the list below:
- Pronto Piccola Italia – perfect for dinner and drinks
- Eat Street – outdoor eatery with multiple different food vendors serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drinks
- Manzu Beachfront Restaurant
- OSA Restaurant
Walk Everywhere
One of the best things to do in Santa Teresa is explore on foot! Santa Teresa is super walkable, with the entire town being one long road that runs parallel to the beach. Various hotels are located right on the main road, and many Airbnb properties are situated just off the main road. Thankfully, this means that you’re never more than a few minutes from everything you need – restaurants, bars, cafes, shops, and the beach are all within walking distance!
Walking is not only good for you – it’s the best option for the environment too. ATV and scooter rentals damage the natural environment and contribute to carbon emissions – negatively impacting Santa Teresa. Plus, these rentals are quite expensive. The best way to cut costs is to forgo using this method of transportation as much as possible. Make sure to book accommodation that’s walking distance to the main road and you’ll have everything you need! Choosing to walk during your time in Santa Teresa is the perfect example of a small choice that makes a big impact – especially if we all make this conscious effort together!
Surfers At Sunset In Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
Santa Teresa Beach
Enjoy the Beach
Santa Teresa’s beach is repeatedly awarded the Costa Rica Ecological Blue Flag award by the Costa Rica Tourism Board, for being one of the cleanest beaches in the country. The effort to keep the beaches on the Nicoya Peninsula clean is championed by none other than locals and local businesses alike.
The beach is the place to be in Santa Teresa. Even if you don’t like to surf, you’ll want to spend your days on this beach. Thankfully, the beach offers respite from the sun with a variety of low hanging trees. Arrive early to claim your spot in the shade and relax with a good book. The beach is an ideal place to meet fellow travelers and soak up the sun you came for.
Catch Every Sunset
While we’re on the topic of the beach, you’re going to want to catch every sunset in Santa Teresa. The sunset is probably the most magical part of this beach town in Costa Rica. Everyone flocks to the beach as the sky turns pink, and surfers take to the water to catch the last waves of the day. You’ll feel like you’re in a movie scene as you gaze out at the dark silhouettes of surfers sitting on their boards, bobbing in the waves, with the sky painted bright orange and red behind them.
Sunset At Santa Teresa Beach
Sunset At Santa Teresa Beach
Yoga in Santa Teresa
Alright, so we’re getting to the end of our list – but yoga is definitely one of the most popular things to do in Santa Teresa. There is a large yoga culture in this region of Costa Rica – and for good reason. Few places are more peaceful or serene than these beach towns that offer the perfect mix of jungle and ocean scenery; a laid-back lifestyle; and an abundance of healthy and fresh food. Take time to pour into yourself during your trip to Santa Teresa, and support local yoga instructors and studio owners in the process.
If you’re looking for a morning oceanfront practice, Florblanca offers a variety of yoga classes for all skill levels. While Florblanca is a sustainable resort-property, all yoga classes are walk-in and open to the public.
On the other hand, if you stay anywhere close to the main street in Santa Teresa, you won’t be far from a yoga studio. When you arrive, spend some time checking out the surrounding area. There is no better way to start a morning than by walking to yoga, working on your breath, and then heading straight to the beach for a swim.
Experience Santa Teresa Nightlife
So you’ve heard that Santa Teresa has great nightlife – and it’s true. Santa Teresa is a surf town by day – and party town by night. While it might not seem like nightlife has anything to do with ecotourism, there are actually some great ocean-friendly restaurants you can choose to support for happy hour! Start your evening off with 2 for 1 drink specials at one of these trendy beach bars:
- Somos restaurant (great drinks and a DJ! Plus the kitchen is an airstream)
- Pronto Piccolo Italian (the outdoor bungalow-style bar gets busy on Friday nights!)
- Nami Sushi Bar
@baggagegirls Are you looking to Go Steady in Santa Teresa? We’re writing all about this popular travel destination in Costa Rica on the blog! 🏄♀️🌴🌊 ••• #travelgirls #santateresacostarica #costaricatravelguide #travelcostarica #travelbloggers #baggagegirls
♬ Confidence - Lux-Inspira
Santa Teresa Jungle Party
We decided to write about Santa Teresa’s jungle party because there’s very little information online about this popular rave that occurs on the weekends. This party isn’t environmentally conscious in any way that we know of, but it also doesn’t seem to be harming anything. In truth, these parties seem to at least benefit the local economy by allowing locals to charge high prices for things like taxis to and from the remote location of the party, wristbands for entry, and alcohol at the event. Below, you’ll find the pros and cons of attending a jungle party in Santa Teresa, based on our experience.
Pros of the Santa Teresa Jungle Party
- Chance to meet fellow travelers
- Great if you love raves and rave music
- If you’re traveling in a group, you will have safety in numbers and be able to split the cost of the taxis. This could be a fun night out for you and your travel companions.
Cons of the Santa Teresa Jungle Party
- Expensive. $20-25 for wristbands, drinks are $10+ each, and the taxi fare ranges from $10-30 per person.
- You need to be aware of yourself and your surroundings. Traveling in a foreign country is not the best time to let loose and have a wild night – especially not when you travel far out of town into the jungle.
- This is just as expensive, if not moreso, as partying right in town – and partying in town is arguably much safer because there is no driving involved, and you’re being served alcohol by legal businesses.
Safety In Santa Teresa
When traveling, we mostly prefer to stick close to our accommodation for our nights out. This way, if something were to go awry or we felt off for any reason, we could simply walk home. However, we traveled to Santa Teresa with a group of 6 and felt comfortable trying out the Jungle Party because of the size of our group. If one of us had been traveling solo, we agreed we wouldn’t have made the trip.
Of course, you should decide for yourself based on the experiences you like to have when you travel. We just want to make sure that this party lives up to your expectations! And just know that you won’t miss out if you stay in town and explore the nightlife on the main street in Santa Teresa instead. La Lora Amarilla Disco Bar is a bit of a dive, but it’s popular on Thursdays and Saturdays. Plus, it’s right on the main road! If you want something nicer, try Pronto’s outdoor bar, Kooks BBQ, or head to Somos Restaurant for the DJ on weekends.
Finally, always remember to prioritize your safety when you travel and make smart choices so that you can feel comfortable in unfamiliar environments.
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
Santa Teresa Beach
That’s a Wrap
There you have it, 10 eco-friendly things to do in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica! It’s vital that travelers visiting Santa Teresa are aware of the challenges this community is facing and the risks of overtourism. Some elements of natural beauty in Santa Teresa have already been sacrificed for tourism, and this community cannot afford continued damage to its natural environment. The best part about the businesses we’ve shared in this post is that they are actively working to protect and preserve Santa Teresa. If you support these groups in their efforts as you travel, you can feel good about where your money goes and about the impact you leave on the places you visit.
Choose to travel in a way that supports the environment. Choose to love the world you seek to explore – and we’ll all be better for it.
If you’re traveling to Costa Rica, check out our other Costa Rica Travel Guides to help you plan your trip!
- 2023 Costa Rica Travel Guide
- One Month In Costa Rica Travel Itinerary
- Is Costa Rica Expensive? How To Travel Costa Rica On A Budget
All our love,
Baggage girls
