Your guide to Santa Teresa
Eat, weather & getting there
Local favourites and seasonal tips shared by our hosts at The Baya House.
Discover the beaches & Nicoya’s Blue Zone connection
Where to eat
Local Costa Rican
Locally owned and Costa Rican food first.
Soda Tiquicia
30 sec walkTraditional Costa Rican food right next door. Local, easy and great any time of day.
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Sargo
10 min walkCosta Rican chef serving creative tapas with Costa Rican and Chilean influences.
Dinner · Tapas
La Choza
5 min driveElevated Costa Rican food with a modern feel.
Lunch · Dinner
Las Delicias Café
30 min driveHome-style local cooking in Montezuma, worth the scenic drive.
Breakfast · Lunch
Breakfast & coffee
El Patio Café
1 min walkA longtime local favourite for amazing breakfast and coffee.
Breakfast · Lunch · Coffee
Gula
2 min walkGreat coffee, smoothies, breakfast and lots of grab-and-go options.
Breakfast · Coffee · Grab + go
Ani’s
5 min walkFresh bowls, smoothies and one of the most-loved breakfast spots in town.
Breakfast · Healthy
Namore
10 min walkMediterranean-style breakfast spot with great coffee and grab-and-go snacks.
Breakfast · Coffee
Lunch
Nami Sushi
10 min walkAmazing sushi, great rolls and really good cocktails.
Lunch · Dinner · Sushi
Munchies
30 min walkCasual, and one of the rare restaurants in town with air conditioning.
Lunch · Casual · AC
Eat Street
10 min walkDifferent food spots together in one place — great when everyone wants something different.
Lunch · Dinner
Zula
30 min walkMediterranean food with a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere.
Lunch · Dinner
Somos
5 min walkGreat food and cocktails with a fun, social atmosphere.
Lunch · Dinner · Cocktails
Dinner
El Facón
2 min walkArgentinian-style grill with cocktails and live music on select nights.
Dinner · Grill · Live music
El Pulpo
5 min walkGreat pizza and an easy, casual dinner close by.
Dinner · Pizza
Katana
30 min walkBeautiful atmosphere and great sushi for a nicer dinner out.
Dinner · Sushi
Yasumi
10 min walkIntimate, high-end sushi bar for something a little more elevated.
Dinner · Sushi
Beachfront & sunset
Where the location and the sunset are part of the experience.
UMA
Beachfront setting for a long lunch, sunset drinks or dinner.
Lunch · Dinner · Sunset
El Carmen
Right on the beach and great for food, drinks and sunset.
Sunset · Drinks
Rocamar
Laid-back beachfront — an afternoon by the ocean that turns into sunset.
Casual · Sunset
Trópico Latino
Tropical beachfront setting for lunch, sunset or dinner.
Lunch · Dinner · Sunset
Drinks & going out
Somos
5 min walkCocktails, music and a fun crowd.
Cocktails · Music
Tiquilianos
A local nightlife spot for drinks and music.
Drinks · Music
Kooks Bar
Casual, fun and an easy spot for drinks.
Drinks · Casual
Weather & seasons
Santa Teresa is beautiful year-round and moves through three seasons. Our March retreat falls in the sunny dry season.
Retreat week
Summer season
December – April · peak dry season
The sunniest time of year — warm days, clear blue skies and very little to no rain.
- Very little to no rain, with clear skies and warm, sunny days.
- The ocean is typically calm, with smaller, friendlier waves — ideal for beginners.
- Occasionally a bigger swell rolls through and brings larger surf.
- Fruits in season: mango, pineapple and papaya.
- The most vibrant time in town, with lots of energy and travellers.
Green season
May – August · November
Bright, sunny days with fresh mornings — the jungle at its most alive.
- Still bright and sunny, especially afternoons; rain usually comes at night or early morning.
- The landscape turns lush, rivers fill and the air feels clean.
- Town slows down slightly — calmer, but still very much alive.
- Consistent surf with a mix of small and larger days.
- Fruits in season: bananas, watermelon and passionfruit.
Rainy season
September – October
The quietest months — cosy, calm and deeply connected to nature.
- Rain arrives in waves through the day, with breaks of sun between.
- The jungle is at its fullest and most dramatic.
- Fewer visitors make Santa Teresa feel slower and more intimate.
- The biggest waves of the year, for experienced surfers.
Getting there
Fly into either Liberia (LIR) or San José (SJO), then choose the route to Santa Teresa that suits you.
Fastest
Short domestic flight
- Fly into Liberia (LIR) or San José (SJO).
- Take a ~30 minute domestic flight to Cóbano Airport with SANSA Airlines or Costa Rica Green Airways.
- Then a ~30 minute drive to Santa Teresa — The Baya House can arrange a trusted local taxi.
Scenic
Drive & ferry
- From San José, drive about 2 hours to Puntarenas.
- Ferry to Paquera (about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes) — book tickets ahead at navieratambor.com.
- Then about 1.5 hours by road to Santa Teresa.
Road trip
Drive all the way
- About 4.5 hours from Liberia.
- About 6 hours from San José.
- Main routes are paved, and no steep hillside roads are needed to reach the house. Parking for up to four cars on site.
Search “The Baya House” in Google Maps for the entrance. Flights and transport are not included in the retreat — Lori will help you plan the easiest route.
What to pack
- Pack light — bikinis, linen, sundresses, tanks, shorts and easy pieces that go from beach to dinner.
- Bring more swimsuits than you think; between the beach and the pool you'll live in them.
- Sandals are everyday shoes, but bring comfortable sneakers for walks — skip brand-new white ones, side roads get dusty.
- Santa Teresa is never dressy. Leave the heels at home.
- Sunscreen is essential and bug spray is good to have, especially around dusk.
- Hairdryers are available at The Baya House on request.
Recommendations from The Baya House.