Playa Santa Teresa

Mal País & Santa Teresa


Playa Santa Teresa is a long, stunning beach that's famous for its fast and powerful beach break. The waves are pretty consistent and can be surfed at virtually any time of day. At the north end of the beach, Roca Mar – aka Suck Rock – is an awesome point break and a local favorite. The break La Lora is named for the nightclub that marks the turnoff from the main road, which is how you find it.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Mal País & Santa Teresa attractions

1. Playa Hermosa

0.96 MILES

Somewhere north of town, Playa Santa Teresa ends and Playa Hermosa starts. This gorgeous beach deserves its hermosa (beautiful) moniker and then some. It…

2. Playa El Carmen

1.24 MILES

Playa El Carmen, downhill from the main T-intersection coming into town, is a good beach break that can be surfed anytime. The beach is wide and sandy and…

3. Playa Manzanillo

2.42 MILES

About 8km north of the Playa El Carmen intersection (past Playa Hermosa), Playa Manzanillo is a combination of sand and rock that’s best surfed when the…

4. Montezuma Gardens

6.28 MILES

About 1.5km south of town, alongside the waterfall trail, you can tour this lush mariposario (butterfly garden) and nursery where the mysterious…

5. Montezuma Waterfalls

6.46 MILES

A 40-minute river hike leads to a waterfall with a delicious swimming hole. Further along, a second set of falls offers a good 12m leap into deep water…

6. Reserva Natural Absoluta Cabo Blanco

6.48 MILES

Costa Rica’s oldest protected wilderness area covers 12 sq km at the tip of the Península de Nicoya. The unique park is covered by evergreen forests,…

7. Montezuma Bay

6.77 MILES

This pretty little beach is the centerpiece of Montezuma, as fishers, ferries and tourists come and go. Unfortunately, it's not really recommended for…

8. Church

6.82 MILES

This local landmark is on the north side of the soccer field.

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "costa-rica/peninsula-de-nicoya/mal-pais-and-santa-teresa/attractions/playa-santa-teresa/a/poi-sig/1201724/358333",
      "destination": "Mal-País-&-Santa-Teresa",
      "continent": "Central-America",
      "country": "Costa-Rica",
      "city": "Mal-País-&-Santa-Teresa",
      "position": "superzone"
    }