How to get from Tamarindo 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 190 kilometers (118 miles) from Tamarindo to Santa Teresa. You can choose between the bus, minivan and private transfer. The journey takes 4 hours to 11 hours 30 minutes and the quickest way is by private transfer. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by bus with tickets starting at 6,700 CRC ($13.50).

We recommend taking a minivan from Tamarindo to Santa Teresa. It’s convenient and although it’s a shared ride, you will be picked up and dropped off at your hotels. Ticket prices start from 24,000 CRC ($48) and the journey can take 4 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours.

With this door-to-door transport, you won’t have to worry about finding your way to/from bus and ferry terminals.

Transporzuma, Tropical Tours Shuttle and Interbus are the three companies offering shared rides.

Taking a bus and ferry from Tamarindo to Santa Teresa is nowhere near as convenient as the other options. But it’s a cheap alternative for the adventurous at heart.

The unfavourable road conditions between these two towns don’t allow for buses to operate directly. Instead, you’ll have to go all the way to Liberia and Puntarenas by land, hop on a ferry back to the Nicoya Peninsula (Paquera), then travel by land again to Cobano and finally, Santa Teresa.

That’s a total of 4 buses and 1 ferry!

With this bus and ferry option, combined fares start from 6,700 CRC ($13.50). Travel time is about 9 hours 20 minutes to 11 hours 30 minutes. If you don’t have a lot of time to spare, consider taking a direct minivan instead.

If you’re set on taking the bus, it’s important to leave Tamarindo early. Otherwise, you might not make it to Santa Teresa on the same day.

PRO TIP: Because you’ll be taking a lot of buses, we strongly urge you to be mindful of your luggage. Make sure your bigger bags are inside the luggage compartment before boarding each bus and don’t forget to get your luggage ticket. As for your smaller bags, try to put them in front of you (or between your legs) instead of the overhead bin.

From Tamarindo, you’ll travel 80 km northeast to reach Liberia Bus Terminal. Buses depart from in front of the plaza from 4:30 to 17:00 daily, but it’s not clear what time these buses actually depart.

A ticket costs from 1,490 CRC ($3) - 1,990 CRC ($4) and the travel time is around 1h 30m - 3h.

Upon arrival at the bus station in Liberia, we recommend asking around for the buses bound for Puntarenas. Simply say “Puntarenas” if you can’t speak in Spanish.

They should be available in the same station. But in some cases, you might be pointed to Pulmitan Bus Station just down the block.

From Liberia, the bus journey southeast to Puntarenas takes around 3h - 3h 30m. Buses depart almost every hour from 05:00 to 17:00.

You can buy a ticket for 1,990 CRC ($4) - 3,490 CRC ($7). Buses park at Puntarenas Bus Stop, 2 km east of Puntarenas Port.

From the bus terminal in Puntarenas, you can take a 5-minute taxi ride to Naviera Tambor Ferry Port. That should cost around 2,490 CRC ($5).

At the port, take the ferry bound for Paquera, operated by Naviera Tambor. A ticket costs 745 CRC ($1.50) per person for foot passengers, when you buy them onsite. There is also an option to book online via quickpaycr — this website is in Spanish, but you can use Google Translate for easier access.

The ferry ride takes around 2h 30m and docks at Paquera Ferry Landing.

Buses are usually available outside the port in Paquera in time for ferry arrivals. Take one bound for Cobano, 40 km southwest.

From Paquera onwards, expect some rough roads. It’s really scenic though, probably enough to take your mind off the bumpy ride.

You will reach Terminal Buses De Cóbano in 1h 30m. A bus ticket costs 1,490 CRC ($3) and you pay directly to the bus driver.

At the same bus station you arrive in Cobano, you can finally take a bus bound for Santa Teresa.

Also here, you can just buy your ticket from the driver. That should cost around 995 CRC ($2) - 1,490 CRC ($3). Travel time is 50 minutes.

If you’re travelling in a small group, you can consider taking a private transfer. It’s quite expensive, but you can enjoy the comfort of your own private ride for the journey that takes about 4 hours.

Rates start from 206,000 CRC ($415) for a vehicle that can fit 4 people.

Some of the most trusted companies offering private transfers from Tamarindo to Santa Teresa include Suntrails and Relaxury.

Private Transfer options from Tamarindo to Santa Teresa