How to get from Monteverde to Santa Teresa

Why visit Santa Teresa?

Lying on the northwest coast, Santa Teresa is Costa Rica’s surfer paradise. This once-quiet fishing village is now a popular tourist destination — thanks to its beautiful beaches, lush jungles, variety of wildlife, and world-class waves.

We love that it is still quite detached from the rest of Costa Rica. The roads leading to it are mostly unpaved, giving Santa Teresa a more natural feel. And despite the unpaved routes, the town offers enough comforts and natural luxury that can keep you happy and entertained for weeks on end. Santa Teresa is a world of its own.

There are 3 ways to travel the 220 kilometre (137 miles) distance from Monteverde to Santa Teresa. You can choose between the bus, shared minivan and private transport. The journey takes 3 to 7 hours and the quickest way is by shared minivan. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by bus with tickets starting at 6,100 CRC ($13).

For a hassle-free journey, taking a minivan from Monteverde to Santa Teresa is a great choice. Tickets start at 24,000 CRC ($51) — more expensive than the bus, but includes free hotel pickup and drop-off.

You won’t need to worry about all the transfers or whether you will make it to your connecting bus. Your minivan operator will take care of everything for you.

Travel time by minivan is around 3 to 7 hours.

What to expect with the minivan transfer from Monteverde to Santa Teresa

Minivan companies take two different routes from Monteverde to Santa Teresa. Some offer a direct land transfer, while others offer a combined minivan and ferry.

With a direct land transfer, you will either take the same minivan the whole way through or take two minivans with a transfer halfway through the trip. Either way, this journey will be completely overland.

The other option is to take a combined minivan and ferry. For this route, the first part of the journey is a minivan from your hotel in Monteverde to Puntarenas Port. And then, you will take a ferry to Paquera Harbour. Here, you will go back to your minivan for the rest of the journey to Santa Teresa.

Double check your chosen company’s route before booking to avoid any surprises on the day of your trip.

Are you on a budget? The bus is the cheapest way to get from Monteverde to Santa Teresa. It’s also the least convenient, though, because there are no direct buses for this route. You’ll have to take 3 buses plus a ferry.

With combined rates from 6,100 CRC ($13) and a travel time of at least 5 hours 50 minutes, it’s up to you to decide whether the savings are worth the effort for this route. Also, expect to spend extra time waiting for your connecting buses and ferry.

PRO TIP: Do not ever lose sight of your belongings. Luggage thieves are notorious in bus stations and buses in Costa Rica. Make sure your bigger bags are inside the luggage compartment before boarding the bus and don’t forget to get your luggage ticket. As for your smaller bags with valuable belongings, it’s better to put them in front of you or between your feet instead of the overhead bin.

First, you’ll travel by bus from Monteverde to Puntarenas, a coastal town that you can find 65 km south.

Transmonteverde operates 4 daily bus trips for this route. A bus ticket costs around 3,060 CRC ($6.50).

Buses depart from Santa Elena, at the Transmonteverde Bus Stop beside Centro Commercial Monteverde. Travel time to Puntarenas takes around 2h.

Buses from Monteverde park at Puntarenas Bus Terminal, 2.5 km away from Paquera Tambor Ferry Boarding Station. You can get to the pier via a short taxi ride or a 30-minute walk.

From Puntarenas Port, Naviera Tambor operates at least 10 ferries departing daily for Paquera. Tickets for foot passengers cost 890 CRC ($1.90) per person when you buy online at Quickpay.cr. You can also buy your tickets at the port.

The ferry ride takes around 1h 30m. Ferries dock at Paquera Port.

Upon arrival at Paquera Port, look around for buses bound for Cobano. They’re usually available and waiting for passengers every time a ferry arrives.

You can buy your ticket on the bus for around 1,410 CRC ($3). Travel time to Cobano Bus Stop is 1.5 hours.

In Cobano, you’ll have to transfer to another bus going 15 km southwest to Santa Teresa. Don’t expect much of the terminal here — it’s literally a stop along the road. You can ask the locals around the area for the latest bus schedule.

This bus journey takes around 50 minutes and you can get a ticket for 940 CRC ($2) - 1,410 CRC ($3).

When travelling in a group, you can save a few dollars if you split the cost of a private transfer — instead of taking a shared minivan.

Rates start from 130,000 CRC ($275) for a 5-seater car from Monteverde to Santa Teresa. Divide the cost and that’s about 26,000 CRC ($55) per person.

Private Transport options from Monteverde to Santa Teresa