Santa Teresa Beach
Santa Teresa is one of Central America's most celebrated surf destinations — consistent beach breaks, bohemian lifestyle and spectacular Pacific sunsets.
ACO · MRAF · Costa Rica
Cóbano Airport
Cóbano — Nicoya Peninsula. 20 min to Santa Teresa / Mal País.
Runway
900m
Surface
Grass
Elevation
150m
Hours
6am-5pm
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Airport at a glance
Cóbano — Costa Rica
For twenty years, getting to Santa Teresa was the price of Santa Teresa. The southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula — Malpaís, Santa Teresa, Montezuma, Cabo Blanco — is one of the most desirable stretches of coast in Costa Rica and one of the most awkward to reach: a ferry from Puntarenas, then an hour of road that degrades as it goes, or a five-hour drive around the entire Gulf of Nicoya.
Cóbano Airport changed that. Opened in August 2023 after a privately financed development, it is the newest airport in Costa Rica and it was built specifically to solve this problem.
Runway 09/27, 1,300 metres total with approximately 995 metres declared between thresholds, 18 metres wide, at roughly 140 metres elevation. ICAO: MRAF. Coordinates: 9°41′32″N, 85°05′45″W. Daylight operations.
Two things matter about that runway. First, the east-west orientation allows operations in both directions, which the older Tambor strip does not. Second, at 1,300 metres of total length it is substantially longer than anything else in southern Nicoya — Tambor is 700 metres — which means larger aircraft, more payload and better margins in marginal conditions.
The airport is served by Costa Rica Green Airways and Sansa on scheduled services, and by charter operators including AeroRide.
Getting there
Cóbano Airport — Getting there
From San José, southern Nicoya by road means either the Puntarenas ferry — with sailing times to work around and a queue in high season — plus an hour of road, for around five hours total; or a drive around the gulf via the Tempisque bridge, which is longer still.
The charter from San José to Cóbano is about 31 minutes.
From Liberia and the northern Guanacaste beaches, the road route is worse — inland, then south, then back out — and the flight is correspondingly more valuable.
Connections. Cóbano connects by charter to San José (~31 min) and along the Nicoya coast to Tambor, Punta Islita, Nosara, Tamarindo and Liberia.
| San José | ~31 min | ~5 h incl. ferry |
Nearby
Things to do near Cóbano
Cóbano village is the administrative centre of the district and about 20 minutes from the coast in either direction.
Santa Teresa and Malpaís, roughly 25 to 35 minutes west, are the reason most people come: a long beach break that works year-round, a strip of surf hotels, beach clubs and increasingly serious restaurants, and a reputation as the place where a certain international crowd goes to be unbothered.
Montezuma, about 20 minutes southeast, is the older and quieter counterpart — a small village at the foot of a waterfall, with a bohemian character that predates Santa Teresa's development by a decade.
Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve, at the peninsula's tip, is Costa Rica's first protected area, established in 1963, and the seed from which the entire national park system grew. The trail to the beach at the point is a genuine forest hike with capuchins, howler monkeys and, at the end, a stretch of coast that almost nobody reaches.
Santa Teresa's beach break and the sunset scene at Playa Carmen. Montezuma waterfall, a three-tier cascade with a swimming hole, reached on a short scramble from the village. Cabo Blanco reserve. Playa Manzanillo and Playa Hermosa, north of Santa Teresa, emptier and often better waves. Isla Tortuga, off the eastern coast, for day sailing and snorkelling. And Curú National Wildlife Refuge, near Tambor, which is small, private, and one of the most reliable places in the country for spider monkeys.
Premium Surf — Santa Teresa & Mal País
World-class surf breaks at Santa Teresa, Mal País and Playa Carmen — private coaching, premium boards and video analysis available.
Luxury Villas — Nicoya Peninsula
Exclusive private villas on the Nicoya Peninsula — infinity pools, full staff and panoramic Pacific Ocean views from the jungle hillside.
Yoga & Wellness — Santa Teresa
Santa Teresa has become a world-class yoga and wellness hub — premium studios, retreats and personal training in a stunning Pacific setting.
Maritime Charter — Nicoya Coast
Private boat and catamaran charters along the Nicoya Peninsula coast — snorkeling, fishing and island hopping in protected Pacific waters.
Secret Break Expedition — Cobano
Private boat expedition to the secret reef breaks off the Cabo Blanco headland — exposed reef passes and rock slabs that only work on specific swells and tides, guided by a local who has surfed them alone for 20 years.
Freediving — Gulf of Nicoya
Gulf of Nicoya freediving expedition from Cóbano — mantas, whale sharks in season and the extraordinary productivity of the upwelling-fed reef systems inside the Gulf. Private boat, certified freediving instructor, spearfishing option.
Night Expedition — Cabo Blanco
Private night expedition inside Cabo Blanco Absolute Reserve — Costa Rica's first protected area, where pumas, ocelots and white-faced capuchins are active after dark. Private naturalist guide and exclusive after-hours access.
When to fly
When to fly
Southern Nicoya has a marked dry season from roughly December to April, with reliable sun and offshore mornings, and a green season from May to November with afternoon storms. September and October are wettest. The road from Cóbano to Santa Teresa deteriorates noticeably in the wet months, which is another argument for flying in rather than driving in during the green season.
The 140-metre elevation and the ridge terrain inland make Cóbano a slightly more weather-sensitive field than the sea-level beach strips. Morning operations are the standard.
From $1,369
Fly from ACO to
Drake Bay · 53 min · $2,327Golfito · 63 min · $2,636La Fortuna · 33 min · $1,680Liberia · 35 min · $2,317Limón · 61 min · $2,511Nosara · 25 min · $1,905Palmar Sur · 53 min · $2,287Pérez Zeledón · 45 min · $1,922Puerto Jiménez · 62 min · $2,634Quepos · 34 min · $1,636San José (Pavas) · 34 min · $1,369San José · 33 min · $1,646Tamarindo · 33 min · $2,133Tambor · 12 min · $1,408Tortuguero · 54 min · $2,144Upala · 39 min · $2,066
FAQ
Cóbano Airport — Frequently asked questions
What is the runway length at Cóbano (ACO)?
1,300 metres total, approximately 995 metres declared between thresholds, 18 metres wide, at around 140 m elevation. ICAO: MRAF.
When did Cóbano Airport open?
August 2023, with scheduled services beginning that October. It is Costa Rica's newest airport.
How do I get to Santa Teresa from Cóbano Airport?
Roughly 25 to 35 minutes by road west, depending on the specific beach.
How long is the flight from San José to Cóbano?
About 31 minutes, against roughly five hours by road including the Puntarenas ferry.
Should I use Cóbano or Tambor?
Cóbano has a considerably longer runway, bidirectional operations and a newer facility, and it is closer to Santa Teresa. Tambor remains useful for the Tambor bay hotels and Curú.
What is Cabo Blanco?
Costa Rica's first protected area, established in 1963 at the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula — the origin point of the national park system.