Paradise is Santa Teresa
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica - 2017
If you’re wondering if the “call of the wild” is a real thing, go to Central America. You’ll hear it.
In July, my teacher contact was set to expire. I knew in my heart that I wanted to stay longer. In early 2017, I still hadn’t experienced a lot of the country, but I wanted to see it all. The wild landscapes of Costa Rica were calling me with their pristine beaches, dense jungles, and explosive volcanoes.
Puntarenas, Costa Rica - 2017
To organize the year, a few teachers and I identified breaks in our schedule where we would be able to take different adventures around the country on the weekends.
The first stop was a place called Santa Teresa with a good friend of mine.
To get there from our city Liberia, we had to take a long bus ride to a city, then a ferry across a bay, and finally a few other buses through deep jungle. In total, maybe 12 hours from start to finish.
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica - 2017
Santa Teresa is purely a surf town and has the cleanest beaches I’ve ever seen. The town itself is pretty awesome too, it’s the chillest place I’ve ever been in my life. It’s so interesting because the actual town is just one straight road next to the beach, but the road itself is pretty long. On the side across from the beach, there are a lot of hostels and restaurants, but behind that it’s dense jungle. It really feels like you’re on the edge of the world.
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica - 2017
Just like most beaches in Costa Rica, the ones in Santa Teresa are often empty. Here it’s a bit rocky, which leads to a mesmerizing landscape. Walking up and down the beach in the hot sun can be tough but rewarding for the photos. Surfers go out in the early morning to catch some perfect waves and most other people are relaxing around town during the day. It’s a lazy town but it will teach you the meaning of the word “relaxation” with its Pacific vibes.
Maybe one of the most popular activities here is to rent an ATV and drive around the area. We took our ATVs to a nearby place called Montezuma in one of the best days I can remember. Montezuma is a small town with a tiny beach, perfect for a day trip to grab a smoothie next to the ocean. If you get bored of taking it easy, there’s a giant waterfall you can reach by hiking. In the photo of the waterfall, look for the guy jumping off of the rocks into the water.
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica - 2017
After we left Montezuma, we took our ATVs around the back roads of Santa Teresa and got lost in the jungle behind the town. It was surreal to see crabs darting back and forth under our wheels, or see monkeys and toucans in the treetops above us while racing through the forest.
The end of the day in Santa Teresa is always the same. The people in town grab their favorite drink and rush out onto the beach during the sunset to enjoy one of the best that Costa Rica has to offer. It’s always a big event and everyone is out there having fun. It’s definitely a place you don’t want to miss, and a town you’ll never forget.
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica - 2017
