In April, the dirt road through Santa Teresa is dusty and gold by late afternoon, and surfers walk home barefoot with boards under their arms while the smell of grilled fish drifts out of open-air kitchens. The long beach fills with people at sunset, and the jungle behind the town hums with insects. April marks the close of the dry season on the Nicoya Peninsula, a stretch for surfing, yoga and unhurried days at the beach before the rain comes back.
What is the weather like in Santa Teresa in April?
April is hot, sunny and mostly dry, with a few short showers that begin to hint at the green season ahead. Bright and warm right from the start, April mornings give way to intense sun by mid-morning.
| Month | Average high (°F) | Average low (°F) | Rain days | Sea (°F) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 86.6 | 77.7 | 1.1 | 86.6 |
| April | 85.4 | 77.8 | 6.9 | 86.9 |
| May | 83.1 | 76.9 | 21.8 | 87.6 |
The best hours for walking, surfing and yoga are early, when the air is still a little softer and the light is clear. By midday the heat is heavy, so shade, a cold drink and a hammock become the real plan. Afternoon clouds sometimes build over the hills, and a brief shower may cool things down, usually not enough to cancel a day.
Nights stay warm and sticky, warm enough to eat outside in a T-shirt and leave the windows open under a fan. Expect bright, hard light in the middle of the day and a softer orange glow from late afternoon, which is when the beach is prettiest. Light, breathable clothes and a hat do most of the work.
The rain tends to arrive in the afternoon or evening rather than all day, and the dirt road can turn from dust to mud after a good shower. The transition toward the wetter months is gradual, so a wet spell is possible late in the month, but most days still belong to the sun.
Can you swim in Santa Teresa in April?
The ocean stays warm, with water in the upper 80s, but conditions may not be suitable for swimming.
Warm water is not the same as easy water. Santa Teresa is a surf town, and its beach faces the open Pacific, so waves and currents are part of daily life.
Rip currents are very dangerous, and they cause the deaths of several U.S. tourists each year, while lifeguards are absent and no warnings about unsafe conditions exist at most beaches. Look at how the surf breaks, ask your hotel or a surf school about the day, and stay within your depth.
Choose where and when to swim only after asking your hotel or a surf school about the day’s conditions. Beginners do best with lessons and a board rental, and children are happiest in the shallow pools that form near the shore, always with an adult watching. Bring a rash guard, sunscreen and a hat, since the sun on the water is intense.
What to do in Santa Teresa in April
April has a special rhythm here. It is the tail end of the dry season, so the town is busy but relaxed, the surf schools are full and the days are long. The big event on the calendar is Holy Week (Semana Santa), which moves every year.
When it falls in April, Holy Thursday and Good Friday are national holidays, most businesses close and Costa Rican families fill the beaches. Some shops and restaurants may close or slow down, so plan meals and supplies ahead.
April 11 is Juan Santamaria Day, a national holiday honoring a young drummer who became a national hero. Expect a long weekend feeling, with more local families at the beach than usual and a festive mood around town.
Surfing and surf lessons
Surfing is the reason most people come. The beach has several breaks along its length, so ask a local surf school about the conditions before paddling out. Schools offer lessons for first-timers and board rentals for those who already know their way around, and the town is full of people who will happily tell you where the best peak is that day.
If you do not surf, watching is a pleasure in itself. Sit on the sand near sunset and you will see locals and visitors share the waves while the sky turns orange. Follow local advice on where to enter the water and respect the lineup.
Yoga and slow mornings
Yoga studios and open-air shalas are scattered along the road, with classes early in the morning and again in the late afternoon, which suits the heat well. A class before breakfast, then a smoothie bowl and a swim, is a very Santa Teresa kind of day.
Many studios sit among trees, so you may hear howler monkeys or birds while you stretch. Drop-in classes are common, and a mat and a water bottle are all you need.
Sunsets, tide pools and the road itself
Walking the beach at low tide reveals rock pools where small fish and crabs shelter, and the evening light turns the whole shoreline gold. Sunset is the town’s shared ritual, with people gathering on the sand or at beach bars to watch it go down over the Pacific.
The main road is where life happens: bakeries, taco stands, juice bars, small boutiques and cafes. Ask for the casado, the traditional dish that comes with rice, beans, salad and your choice of fish or chicken, plus fresh ceviche or that day’s grilled catch. Cold coconut water and fruit smoothies are the drinks of the season, and an afternoon on the terrace of a cafe is a fine way to wait out the worst of the heat.
Getting to Santa Teresa from San Jose claims most of a day, whether you travel by car and ride the ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera, then handle a long drive on roads that are partly unpaved, or take a short flight to a little airstrip nearby. Once you arrive, plan how you will get around the town’s dirt road.
A two-day itinerary for Santa Teresa in April
Day 1 begins early, with sunrise around the start of the day and a bright, warm morning. Go for a surf lesson or a walk on the beach while the air is still gentle, then have a late breakfast at a bakery or cafe on the main road. Fruit, eggs and gallo pinto, the rice and beans mix, set you up well.
At midday the heat peaks, so retreat to shade. A long lunch of fish and a cold drink, then a siesta or a quiet hour in a hammock, is the sensible rhythm. Dinner can be a casual taco or seafood spot along the road.
Day 2 starts with a yoga class in the morning, when studios are coolest, followed by a smoothie bowl and a slow wander along the road, browsing small shops and stopping for coffee. Later, explore nearby Playa Carmen or Mal Pais, always checking the surf before entering the water.
If a shower rolls in, as it can in the afternoon, move to a covered cafe, a spa treatment or a cooking-style lunch indoors, and wait it out, since rain is usually short. Later on, choose a spot unlike the one you visited the previous night, maybe a beach bar featuring live music or a peaceful dinner surrounded by trees, and then wrap up with one final gaze at the stars when the sky is clear.
Is Santa Teresa busy in April?
It is busy in the holiday weeks and calmer around them, since April is still the dry season and the weather draws travelers. Holy Week is the peak, when Costa Rican families fill the beaches and rooms fill quickly, while the weeks around it feel lighter.
Surf schools, yoga retreats and small hotels all see steady demand, and restaurant tables at sunset can fill up on the busiest evenings. If your dates overlap Holy Week or the Juan Santamaria Day long weekend, book rooms and transport early, well ahead of time. For the quieter weeks, a more relaxed approach works, though the small size of the town means the best places still go first.
When families travel together, rental cars and the car ferry route can be cramped, and that long drive on roads that are partly unpaved goes more smoothly when you are not in a hurry. Closures during Holy Thursday and Good Friday mean you should buy supplies and plan meals beforehand. Outside those days, the town keeps a laid-back pace and the beach never feels too crowded.
What to pack for Santa Teresa in April
Pack for heat, sun and the odd afternoon shower, with light clothes that dry fast.
- Lightweight, breathable clothes, because the days are hot and humid.
- Pack sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses too, because that beach sun beats down hard.
- A rash guard for surfing, to protect your skin from sun and board rub.
- A light rain jacket, for the occasional afternoon shower.
- Sandals and closed shoes, for the beach and the dusty, sometimes muddy road.
- Bring a reusable water bottle so you can keep drinking and avoid getting parched when it is hot.
Good to know before you go
The U.S. State Department rates Costa Rica Level 2, ‘Exercise increased caution,’ due to crime; it says petty crime is common throughout Costa Rica and that violent crime also affects tourists, including armed robbery, homicide and sexual assault.
Before departure, U.S. travelers should carry a valid passport and proof of onward travel, check the stay granted on entry, and plan around Holy Week closures and the long journey to Santa Teresa. Holy Week counts for even more, since most businesses shut on Holy Thursday and Good Friday, and getting there takes time: either a drive over roads that are partly unpaved, including a car ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera, or a short flight to an airstrip nearby. Book the first and the last legs of your travel early, and carry what you need for the closure days.
Santa Teresa in April vs March and May
Moving the trip a month earlier gives you the driest, sunniest weather, with almost no rain and the sea still warm. March is classic dry-season beach time, so it suits travelers who prioritize sunshine for surfing and sunbathing, though it can feel hotter and busier in the heart of the season.
A month later, May is the start of the green season. Most days bring rain, often in the form of intense afternoon downpours, and as the landscape grows lush, the town settles into quiet. The sea stays warm, and some travelers like the greener scenery and calmer streets, but beach plans are more often interrupted.
April sits in between, with mostly dry days and a hint of the coming rain. Choose March for the surest sun, April for a balance of good weather and a slightly softer pace once the holiday weeks pass, and May if lush scenery and fewer people matter more than clear skies.
Is April a good time to visit Santa Teresa?
Yes, April is a very good time for beach lovers, surfers and anyone who wants warm sea and mostly sunny days, as long as you plan around Holy Week and the heat.
It will suit surf students, yoga travelers, couples and families who enjoy long beach days and slow evenings. It is less ideal for anyone who dislikes heat and humidity, or who wants total quiet during the holiday weeks. On arrival, settle in, check the surf and ask locals about the conditions before your first swim, then book your lessons or classes for early mornings.
What makes April special here is the light and the mood: the last of the dry-season gold on the beach, a warm Pacific, and a town that still moves at barefoot speed with the first hints of green on the hills.
Sources
- Open-Meteo / ECMWF ERA5, normals 1991-2020 computed for the grid cell at 9.6458N 85.1698W, checked October 8, 2026
- Open-Meteo Marine API, average 2015-2024, checked October 8, 2026
- sunrise-sunset.org, sunrise and sunset calculated for the 15th of the month, checked October 8, 2026
- U.S. Department of State, Costa Rica Travel Information, Safety and security (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/CostaRica.html), checked October 8, 2026
- U.S. Department of State, Costa Rica Travel Advisory, issued April 1, 2026 (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/costa-rica-travel-advisory.html), read via the State Department open data API on October 8, 2026