Santa Teresa if you want to surf and walk the beaches for miles. Montezuma if you want to check out waterfalls, snorkeling at Tortuga Island, visit Cabo Blanco and Curu Reserves.

Been to both places and prefer santa teresa. I find the location really chill with great beaches and surf. You can easily do a day trip to montezuma and hike the waterfalls, have lunch. I was kinda unimpressed with the "town" in montezuma. I did daily yoga in santa teresa and saw lots of places in montezuma as well if that is your thing. We rented atvs to montezuma and it was really fun. I saw there was a zip line there but never did that as we planned on doing the one in mal pais but it poured all day and never got to it.

I think the beaches are better in Santa Teresa...much better for walking and less rocks, but both locations are lovely. They are so close to each other...do you have to commit to one?

Both locations are lovely, both have nice beaches.. The major difference is that Montezuma is a tiny clustered town surrounded by nice beaches and Sta Teresa is long and spread out with nice beaches.

What you difference might be is if you have tranportation. It's easier to walk places in Montezuma, in Sta Teresa you kind of need a car or bike

Of course, my biased opinion is Santa Teresa. It has more choices in accommodations, restaurants and is spread out so you don't feel like you have to be a part of everything going on in town. The beaches in Santa Teresa are beautiful and go forever, the sunsets are #1 (Montezuma has no sunsets). You can always rent a car or quad for the day if you are not renting one for your entire stay and check out Montezuma.

Montezuma is definitely central, but you still have to get to the various attractions somehow...not all of them are within walking distance. If you aren't staying in town, you are likely staying up the hill....and it can be a long climb in the heat of the day. If you are into partying, Montezuma is the place to be.

Weyfish makes a good point on the sunsets! One of the best sunsets I've ever seen was in Santa Teresa, and sunsets are an important part of my day.....as mentioned, you can't see the sunset from Montezumas beaches.

Thanks everyone! Forget to mention we will be renting a car. So it sound like Santa Teresa is a little more relaxed and getting to Montezuma is easily accessible via car. A day trip to Tortuga Island is a must, is getting there from Santa Teresa difficult?

If you are here in the dry season, you can take the back route to Montezuma - turn right just by the Doghouse reataurant it's way faster than going through Cobano. just don't attempt it green season

Great advice...nice ride between Montezuma and Santa Tereza...I love to do it during the summer time and stop my car at a nice shollow river and enjoy a coke with birds, squirrels and hopefully some monkies...if you see a red Toyota Baja that is my summer toy...and I drive it around there often in the summer time!

Just not fun during rainy time!

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