Forty point four nautical miles separate two of the most sought-after destinations on the Nicoya Peninsula. By air it is a hop. By road, it is the reason this page exists. From 995 USD per aircraft.
Route facts
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | Nosara (NOB), 125 m displaced threshold on 04 |
| Destination | Tambor (TMU) or Cóbano, for Santa Teresa and Mal País |
| Distance | 40.4 NM · 75 km |
| Price | From 995 USD per aircraft |
Seventy-five kilometres in a straight line that no road covers
Here is the whole argument for this route, and it needs no exaggeration.
Nosara and Santa Teresa sit on the same peninsula, on the same coast, seventy-five kilometres apart in a straight line. But no coastal road connects them directly. The overland route swings inland, crosses unpaved sections depending on the season, and gets genuinely difficult in the rains.
It is the opposite of Liberia–Tamarindo, where we say openly that the car works. Here it does not.
The flight does not save kilometres: it saves a journey the geography does not offer.
The specific aircraft is assigned on confirmation, based on passenger count, baggage and the destination field.
Which field serves Santa Teresa
There is no airstrip at Santa Teresa. The two fields serving the Mal País and Santa Teresa area are Tambor and Cóbano, and each implies a different ground transfer to the beach.
Which we use and when: We confirm the entry field we operate in the quote, because it changes with the date and the operation.
It affects your day more than it appears: the difference in the air between the two fields is minimal, the final transfer is not.
A specific weather warning
Tambor publishes no METAR of its own. The nearest station is in San José, some ninety-three kilometres away and on the other side of a mountain range.
That means the weather information available for this destination describes somewhere with a different climate. It is the same problem we flagged at Roatán, and on a peninsula with coastal microclimates it matters.
The practical consequence: schedule with slack and do not leave this leg for the last flight of the day. Several fields in the network operate in daylight and visual conditions, and close when the weather does not allow it.
When it does not earn its place
If your trip is long and you are spending two weeks in each place, the overland transfer is one day out of twenty-eight. We are not selling you a flight there.
It earns its place when the trip is short, when the group splits the cost, or — the commonest case — when you are carrying surfboards. Both destinations are surf towns, almost all the traffic between them is surfers, and moving board bags along that road is precisely the problem the flight solves.
See surf charter in Costa Rica.
Chaining the Nicoya coast
Tamarindo, Nosara and Santa Teresa in one trip is a common itinerary and a slow one by road. By air, Tamarindo–Nosara is 22.4 nautical miles and Nosara–Tambor 40.4.
Three points in a week is reasonable, with at least two nights at each, as we recommend on the multi-stop circuit.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Nosara to Santa Teresa?
The flight covers 40.4 nautical miles. By road the route swings inland with unpaved sections depending on the season.
Is there no direct coastal road?
No. The two destinations sit on the same coast 75 kilometres apart in a straight line, but the overland route does not connect them directly.
Which airport serves Santa Teresa?
There is no airstrip at Santa Teresa. Tambor and Cóbano serve the area, each with a different ground transfer. We confirm the entry field we operate in the quote, because it changes with the date and the operation.
Is there a weather report for Tambor?
It publishes no METAR of its own. The nearest station is in San José, some 93 kilometres away and across a mountain range. Several fields in the network operate in daylight and visual conditions, and close when the weather does not allow it.
When is flying not worth it?
If you are spending two weeks in each place, the overland transfer is one day out of twenty-eight. It is worth it on a short trip, in a group, or with surfboards.
Can it be chained with Tamarindo?
Yes. Tamarindo–Nosara is 22.4 nautical miles and Nosara–Tambor 40.4. Three points in a week is reasonable with two nights at each.