How to Get from Tamarindo to Santa Teresa

We recommend taking a minivan from Tamarindo to Santa Teresa. It's so much more convenient than an indirect bus that requires several transfers. And although the minivan is a shared ride, you will be picked up and dropped off at your hotel. With this door-to-door transport, you won't have to worry about finding your way to/from bus and ferry terminals. Minivan prices start from $48 and the journey can take 4h 30m - 5h 30m. Transporzuma and Tropical Tours Shuttle are the two companies offering shared minivans from Tamarindo to Santa Teresa.

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 $18. Travel time is about 9h 20m - 11h 30m. 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.