Costa Rica (Santa Teresa) Need some beta.. Itin etc.

[btmacken]

Heading to Santa Teresa mid August for 7 days with the wife. Looking for some good ideas for daily activities etc. Flying into San Jose then taking another flight over to Tambor (should we rent a car from Tambor to Santa Teresa? Not sure if we should just rely on local transportation) We are looking to do some stand up paddle boarding and some surf lessons. Also, looking to go zip lining somewhere. Wouldn't mind seeing some cool waterfalls/jungle hike for a day as well. Ultimately we don't want to stray too far from the hotel as we need to stay at the same place every night, but we are open to some fun day trips. Any recommendations for food etc. Any recommendations on specific companies for zip line booking or surf lessons/paddleboard rentals? How about the weather? I know that it is rainy season, but does that mean we won't get any sun at all?

[digitaldeath]

heres an idea...wing it

and skip the zipline....what a lame activity

[btmacken]

Just want some reccos from those that may have been there. Plan is to certainly wing it right now, but want some names to keep in mind etc. Zip line was not my idea ha..

[Tippster]

Edit: never mind. New destination on the Nicoya Peninsula near Manzanillo.

In general the lush tropical rainforest stuff isn't anywhere near the Nicoya Peninsula, which is relatively dry. The cloud forests are in the Central crest of CR, about a 4-5 hour drive on a good day.

[concretejungle]

We were down there in February and drove from San Jose to Santa Teresa. I would rent a car if you want to get around easily but I'm not sure about the quality of the roads during the rainy season or what the other options for transportation are. We also had a 2 year old and were staying in Playa Hermosa so there were only a couple of restaurants within walking distance. I was injured but the rest of our party went zip lining here http://www.zumatours.net/waterfall-canopy-tour/ and loved it. Surf lessons shouldn't be that hard to find and I'd just ask at the hotel you're staying at.

For food I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of restaurants. They were all very good but our favorite was Brisas Del Mar. Get there so you can watch the sunset from the outdoor seating area. Also Koji's for sushi.

[btmacken]

Much appreciated!

[liv2ski]

Definitely drive. I always rent a 4 Runner. The country is fun to see and having wheels is good. I always head north, so no comments on your destination, but there is lots to do in CR. Horseback riding in a rain forest, river trips, drive all over the place seeing shit and of course surfing. Have fun. Last time we went was with my parents. My step dad was having such a great time (getting hammered on margaritas) that he wanted to by a place down there.

[Tippster]

I was injured but the rest of our party went zip lining here http://www.zumatours.net/waterfall-canopy-tour/ and loved it. Surf lessons shouldn't be that hard to find and I'd just ask at the hotel you're staying at.

Well shut my mouth. Guess the Micro-climate at the tip is different than in Nosara: http://costa-rica-guide.com/Weather/WeatherMap.html

[MarcusBrody]

I was there at the beginning of February, though my itinerary was pretty different so I won't be much help in that area.

The roads around Santa Teresa were pretty crappy, so if you're renting a car, make sure to get a stout one. Also, I'd make sure you have good directions as we came in at night, made a questionable turn, and took a lot longer than expected to get there. You can't really get too lost though as it's a peninsula.

I wouldn't get a car though if I was flying into Tambor. Buses go right by there pretty frequently (I believe, I was going all the way to the ferry to Puntarenas). and a taxi would only be $50 or so I think. It would save the hassle of a car rental/driving on some crappy roads. Santa Teresa isn't that big, and if you're going to stay mostly in town, it would be easy to walk/rent bicycles/scooters and have no problem getting around. I'm not sure how far outside of town your activities might be though, so if they're a ways, it might be nice to have a car. The coast north of the city looked pretty cool in our attempt to get in, so it might be fun to explore those if you had rented a four wheel drive. I was there when it was dry though, so those roads might go from pretty crappy to impassable if it's raining.

Also, where are you staying? Some of the nicest places are toward the edge of town (which still isn't that far).

[btmacken]

I was there at the beginning of February, though my itinerary was pretty different so I won't be much help in that area.

The roads around Santa Teresa were pretty crappy, so if you're renting a car, make sure to get a stout one. Also, I'd make sure you have good directions as we came in at night, made a questionable turn, and took a lot longer than expected to get there. You can't really get too lost though as it's a peninsula.

I wouldn't get a car though if I was flying into Tambor. Buses go right by there pretty frequently (I believe, I was going all the way to the ferry to Puntarenas). and a taxi would only be $50 or so I think. It would save the hassle of a car rental/driving on some crappy roads. Santa Teresa isn't that big, and if you're going to stay mostly in town, it would be easy to walk/rent bicycles/scooters and have no problem getting around. I'm not sure how far outside of town your activities might be though, so if they're a ways, it might be nice to have a car. The coast north of the city looked pretty cool in our attempt to get in, so it might be fun to explore those if you had rented a four wheel drive. I was there when it was dry though, so those roads might go from pretty crappy to impassable if it's raining.

Also, where are you staying? Some of the nicest places are toward the edge of town (which still isn't that far).

Staying at Horizons yoga hotel. Had 5 stars across the board for reviews and looks pretty sweet for the hippy/treehouse vibe. All I know is it is located up on a hill with a quick walk to the beach...

[MarcusBrody]

Staying at Horizons yoga hotel. Had 5 stars across the board for reviews and looks pretty sweet for the hippy/treehouse vibe. All I know is it is located up on a hill with a quick walk to the beach...

Looks like a nice place. The whole beach is really nice, but if I remember correctly, you should be above a particularly nice part in that it's less crowded than some (though I was there at a much higher season and nothing was really "crowded").

Overall I really liked Santa Teresa. For being a town that was clearly existing mostly for tourists, it did a good job of keeping a low key, relatively unpackaged feel.

[Supermoon]

I stayed in a place called Casa Marbella when I was there, and it was really nice. Its also up on the hill, which is a lot steeper than you think. There was another hotel right above it that had a really good restaurant for breakfast and dinner. Go there for a great sunset view if you can, although I don't remember the name so it could be hard.

Our favorite place was this little chicken joint down on the main road. I can't remember the name of it at the moment (apparently I need to pay more attention), but their slogan was "It's the shit," and they weren't lying.

Honestly, though, you shouldn't have huge expectations for food anywhere in CR. At least in my experience. It's good but nothing to write home about.

For activities, surfing is a must. Zip lining was actually really fun, even though I sort of hated on it ahead of time. Our hotel set it up for us and arranged transport. The guys who ran it were chill and funny, and the rides were fairly long and fast.

You can also do some sailing and snorkeling/SCUBA trips there though I haven't done it.

I would cab from the airport and not worry about a car if it were me (again, your hotel is probably the best resource for this), and rent 4wheelers one day to go explore around the Santa Teresa area.

Montezuma is a pretty quick day trip from ST if I remember right, so if you did get a car you could check that out. It's MUCH more touristy than ST though. Same for Tamarindo.

[btmacken]

I would cab from the airport and not worry about a car if it were me (again, your hotel is probably the best resource for this), and rent 4wheelers one day to go explore around the Santa Teresa area.

.

This is my biggest question now. I am fine renting ATV's to get around the area, but concerned that it will limit a lot of our options. Wonder if we can just rent a car for like 1 day right out of Santa Teresa..

[Supermoon]

This is my biggest question now. I am fine renting ATV's to get around the area, but concerned that it will limit a lot of our options. Wonder if we can just rent a car for like 1 day right out of Santa Teresa..

Looks like there's a Budget office there: http://www.budget.co.cr/budget-locat...untarenas.html

[Ottime]

The beach just south of Teresa has gentler waves. We used to call is Mal Pias. About a mile south of there is a restaurant perched on the rocks above some reefs called Mar Azul, which had great food 15 years ago.

Manzinillo will require a taxi ride, but it is on the other side of the peninsula and has loads of soffit terms from skidoo to fishing trips to zip lines. More of a euro destination, but a fun town worth a day visit. Think waterfalls, lush jungle and black sand beach.

The very southern tip of Nicoya there is a national park. Blanca something. There are howler monkeys and waterfalls worth hiking to there. You must access it via the Manzinillo side.

Franks was a soda in Mal Pias with excellent casado con pescado. Or daily fresh fish plate.

If you plan to rent a car you will want/need a 4 wheel drive in the rainy season.

[CascadeCrudSkier]

I'd recommend getting a car. If time is more important than money you'll be able to see a lot more and won't be waiting on public transportation. In order to take advantage of the area you'll need more than your feet. Everything is very spread out. You'll be fine for a day or two without one but eventually you'll probably want to see more stuff.

Santa Teresa is the hub north of the crossroads, Mal Pais is to the south. There is more to see and do in Santa Teresa but it's still nice to check out Mal Pais. As mentioned before, Brisas del Mar is a great place to eat dinner. Another is Mary's in Mal Pais. Two totally different places but both have quality food. There's plenty of random roadside cafes and sodas for eating as well as several good expat spots.

This area isn't so good for beginning to surf. It's all beachbreak and it gets hollow. You'll get worked but if you're okay with that it'll be fun. If surfing's important you may want to check out Nosara but you can't really get between the two since it's the rainy season and the coastal roads will be impassable. However, it's nothing like the Nicoya climate mentioned above and the ziplining/jungle is as good as anywhere (except maybe Monteverde).

Take a day trip over the hill to Montezuma. It's probably about an hour away. There's a great waterfall hike right outside town and there's a cool day hike into Cabo Blanco natural reserve. With some effort you can get to a secluded white sand beach that's as nice as any in CR. Pack a lunch and enjoy.

Have fun, it's a great part of CR and there's a lot to see and do.

[btmacken]

Thanks for all of the tips! So again on the weather, since it is "rainy season" what are the chances of sun during the day? Looking at the maps the Nicoya pen seems to get less rain, but is it typically overcast during the day in Aug?

[CascadeCrudSkier]

You'll still have the opportunity to get sunburned. Just plan on rain at least once a day. Sometimes it's a monsoon for much of the day, otherwise it may just rain for 20 minutes and move on. Afternoons are more likely to be wet than mornings.

[Sluff]

Bring a rash guard to keep the mid day sun off you. The sun is brutal this time of year. I agree with a few others about skipping the zip lining. Way over rated. I go to Playa Negra in early December every year for 10 days of surfing. Sun angle is as weak as it gets, the rainy season is over, and things are still lush and green.

[mtcham]

Was there in March. Definitely rent a car or 4 wheeler. I did not and relied on taxis and shuttles, and felt handcuffed getting where and when I wanted to go. Car rentals are not cheap and they require full insurance which is probably good as the roads are some of the worst I have seen.

Heard a massive condo development was going in around Mal Pais. Would be curious to know if you hear anything about it.

[whipski]

Or you could fly direct to Nosara and surf for 7 days a lot cheaper.

[zion zig zag]

Or you could fly direct to Nosara and surf for 7 days a lot cheaper.

I don't think you can fly direct to Nosara from anywhere other than San Jose and maybe Liberia. If that's what you mean by direct, then carry on.
IMO, I'd still want a car in Nosara. Cool town, but would feel small after a couple of days there.

[TheElk]

We were there for a month in April/May with a car, and are returning for April/May next year without a car. We rented a house in Malpais this year which requires a car as it's 3 km from anything (other than Mary's Restaurant and a nice lefthander....). Next year, we are renting in the center of town. You won't "need" a car in that pretty much everything is an easy walk from Horizon (which is in the center of town), the taxi stand is near you (in case you want to go to, say, Koji's for dinner), and Budget, Alamo, and Toyota rental cars are down the street for day trips (see below). We reckon that we'll rent on days we want to get away, but otherwise, we can get to 95% of what we want by walking. We rented a Suzuki Jimny 4x4 this year from Vamos4x4.com at their Liberia airport location and had no issues (car was pretty beat up but worked and dealing with Vamos was hassle-free), but it was expensive even though Vamos was the least expensive option we found.

On food, Brisas del Mar is the best meal we had. It's immediately above Horizon up the steep hill. I suspect that you'll eat there often -- it's really good. The same couple that runs Brisas also runs a hamburger place called Chop It at the crossroads ("el cruce") shops on the ocean side. Chop It is outstanding (we had been out of the US for a while so a hamburger & fries was a treat). There's also a fish market at the crossroads that does fresh seafood lunches that are awesome as well as a small gelato shop that is good.

It will require a taxi ride for you, but Mary's in Malpais is outstanding both for its fresh food (most of which is grown on their farm) but also for its amazing pizzas cooked in a wood-fired oven.

You'll be able to walk to Ronny's grocery (just across the one lane bridge from where you'll be). Greenworld is further down and has awesome fresh fruit and veggies, locally made yogurt, and chilled coconuts that they will open for you to drink.

Zula does great smoothies and decent Mediterranean (hummus, kebabs, etc). Also great for smoothies is Maracuya (Spanish for passion fruit) which is right at the crossroads. Koji's was highly recommended by everyone but were there the weekend that they were closing for the off season and we were rather underwhelmed in that they only offered two types of fish. It's also all the way north on the edge of Playa Hermosa so is out of the way.

We haven't stayed there, but Horizons rooms looked great and the tea house is nice. My wife went daily for yoga, and I joined her on occasion. Really nice set up with a great ocean view.

For hikes, the Montezuma falls trail (just outside the town of Montezuma) is worth it especially when you get to the rope swing over the pool at the top of the second falls. The entrance to the Cabo Blanco Reserve is about a 45 minute drive away but the hike is worth it -- about 4 hours round trip through the rain forest on a well-built trail to a hidden beach that even has a fresh water shower to rinse off before you head back. We saw tons of monkeys, coatees (sort of like raccoons), large birds, and even a small antelope/deer of some kind.

If one of you is on facebook, there is a Santa Teresa Facebook page that you could join that tells you about the menus the various places are offering that night as well as any live music or other events.

Enjoy!

[Ottime]

Holy shit that place sounds like it has changed. There was literally just a cross roads then, a soda, a shower, one cafe, one restaurant and the surfers camp up the hill. Sounds like a metro center now. But I'm guessing good enough to return to.