At a glance
- From Santa Teresa
- Dry season, by 4x4 on the coast road: Playa Coyote about 1 h 20, Punta Islita about 2 h. Rainy season or no 4x4: about 3 to 3½ hours via Paquera and Jicaral
- From the airports
- Liberia airport (LIR): about 3 hours to Punta Islita. San José airport (SJO): charter flights only, to the Islita airstrip
- Swimming
- Calm in the Punta Coyote cove, San Miguel's lagoon and Islita's bay on quiet days. The open beaches have strong rips
- Best for
- Adventurous couples; honeymooners at Punta Islita; self-sufficient families who want empty sand
- Facilities
- Very few: two supermarkets and a few restaurants in San Francisco de Coyote, a resort at Islita. No gas between Santa Teresa and Sámara
- Getting there
- Coast road: unbridged rivers, dry season (January–April) only. Islita: 15 km of dirt road off the Hojancha–Sámara road, 4x4 needed
- Surf
- Reliable, uncrowded beach breaks for experienced surfers; not a place for a first lesson
What is the Coyote coast?
It's the empty middle of the peninsula's Pacific side: the coast between the Río Bongo, just north of Manzanillo, and Punta Islita. The Bongo is the peninsula's largest river and the border between Puntarenas and Guanacaste provinces; its mouth is a small turtle refuge with crocodiles in the estuary. North of it you'll find Playa Coyote and the village of San Francisco de Coyote, Playa San Miguel, Playa Bejuco, the tiny airstrip at Corozalito and, at the north end, the bay and resort of Punta Islita.
There's no town to speak of, very few places to stay and no gas station. That's the appeal: long beaches you'll share with herons and the odd surfer.
How do you get there from Santa Teresa?
| Route | When | Time from Santa Teresa | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coast road via Manzanillo and the Río Bongo | Dry season (January–April), 4x4 only | Coyote about 1 h 20; San Miguel about 1 h 30; Islita about 2 h | Unbridged river crossings and rough dirt. No gas. |
| Via Cóbano, Paquera and Jicaral | Year-round | About 3 to 3½ h to Coyote or Islita | Longer, but no rivers to ford; paved to Jicaral, then a hilly road to the coast. The last stretch into Islita is 15 km of dirt. |
| From Liberia airport (LIR) | Year-round | About 3 h to Punta Islita | Paved to the Hojancha–Sámara road, then dirt. |
| Charter flight from San José | Year-round, daylight | Short hop to the Islita airstrip | No scheduled service; arranged through the hotel or a charter company. |
The coast road is the reason this stretch feels so remote. Road guides warn that it's hard going without experience, that rental insurance doesn't cover river damage, and that crimes against drivers have been reported at the crossings near Santa Teresa. If you go, go with a local driver who knows the fords, in daylight, and turn back if a river looks high. For the full route picture, see our Nicoya Peninsula map and driving map.
Insider tip: Fill the tank in Cóbano before you head north. There's no gas station in Santa Teresa and none along the coast until Sámara, and a wrong turn or a river you can't cross can add an hour or two.
Which beach suits whom?
| Beach | What it's like | Swimming | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Playa Coyote | Long beach split by the Río Jabillo estuary; a sheltered cove at Punta Coyote with a picnic and camping area | Cove: calm. Open beach: rips and rocks | Families with a picnic, birders, surfers |
| Playa San Miguel | Miles of grey sand, holiday homes, mostly deserted | Not in the sea: strong rips. A calm, chest-deep lagoon at the south end | Solitude, long walks |
| Playa Bejuco | A 3.5 km beach ringed by mangroves, with low-tide pools at Pilas de Bejuco | Tide pools at low tide | Nature lovers |
| Corozalito | A very small beach by the airstrip where many turtles nest | Not a swimming beach | Turtle nesting season |
| Punta Islita | A horseshoe bay under a rocky point, with the resort on the hill | Sheltered; good on calm days | Couples and honeymooners |
Just north of Islita, Playa Camaronal is a protected turtle beach, and beyond it lie the calm family beaches of Sámara and Carrillo.
Why do couples choose Punta Islita?
Because it's the one place on this coast built for a slow, romantic stay. Hotel Punta Islita's villas are spread across a green hillside above the bay, with a holistic spa, a beach club on the sand below and a small community museum and art village where local artisans work. Nights are dark and quiet; days are for the pool, the beach and little else.
Getting there takes some effort: about 3 hours from Liberia airport, or 2 hours from Santa Teresa in the dry season, and the last 15 km are dirt. A honeymoon that pairs Punta Islita with Santa Teresa gives you both seclusion and a dinner scene; see our itineraries.
Where should you stay on the Coyote coast?
- Couples and honeymooners: Hotel Punta Islita, the only resort on this stretch.
- Families: Hotel Punta Islita welcomes children of any age. Self-sufficient families can rent a house near Playa Coyote or San Miguel, but you'll cook and drive for everything.
- Everyone else: stay in Santa Teresa or Sámara and visit on a dry-season day out. See where to stay in Santa Teresa.
When should you go?
January to April, if you're coming up the coast road: that's when the Río Bongo can be forded, and the dirt is dry. From May the rains raise the rivers, and September and October, the wettest months, can make the coast road impassable. Punta Islita itself stays reachable year-round on the paved route; it just takes longer. More in the best time to visit.
How does it compare with Santa Teresa?
Santa Teresa has everything this coast doesn't: restaurants, shops, yoga, doctors and a busy beach road. The Coyote coast has empty beaches and silence. For most travelers it's a dry-season adventure from a Santa Teresa base, or, at Punta Islita, a secluded second stop.
Is there surf?
Yes. Playa Coyote, San Miguel and Islita all have reliable beach breaks, often with few people around. They suit experienced surfers; for a first lesson, stay near Santa Teresa's Playa Hermosa or Sámara. See surfing on the peninsula.
Frequently asked questions
Can you drive from Santa Teresa to Playa Coyote?
Yes, in the dry season, in a high-clearance 4x4. The coast road north of Manzanillo crosses the Río Bongo and smaller rivers without bridges; the Bongo can only be forded from about January to April. Rental insurance doesn't cover water damage, and there's no gas until Sámara. The rest of the year, go round on the paved road via Jicaral, about 3 hours.
How long does it take to get to Punta Islita from Santa Teresa?
About 2 hours in the dry season on the coast road, and about 3 hours in the rainy season, when you take the longer paved route. Either way, the last 15 km to Islita are dirt, and you need a 4x4.
Is Punta Islita good for a honeymoon?
Yes, if you want seclusion. Hotel Punta Islita sits on a hillside above a quiet horseshoe bay, with a spa, a beach club and a community art village, and very little else nearby. It pairs well with a few livelier nights in Santa Teresa or Nosara.
Can you swim at Playa Coyote?
In the right spot. The Punta Coyote cove at the south end is sheltered, with a picnic and camping area. The open beach has rips and rocks, and the Río Jabillo estuary, which splits the beach, has crocodiles. At Playa San Miguel, swim in the small lagoon at the south end, not the sea.
Is the Coyote coast a good day trip from Santa Teresa?
Only as a dry-season 4x4 adventure: an early start, a picnic, a swim in the Punta Coyote cove and back before dark. From May to December, when the rivers are up, it becomes a 6-hour round trip on the paved road and isn't worth it for a day.
Is this Playa Bejuco the same as the one near Parrita?
No. This Playa Bejuco is on the Nicoya Peninsula between San Miguel and Islita: a 3.5 km beach ringed by mangroves, with low-tide pools at Pilas de Bejuco. The better-known Playa Bejuco near Parrita is on the Central Pacific coast, across the Gulf of Nicoya.
Where can you stay near Playa Coyote?
There's very little. Hotel Punta Islita, farther up the coast, is the only resort on this stretch. Around Coyote and San Miguel you'll find rental houses and a few small places to stay, best for self-sufficient travelers with a car. Most visitors stay in Santa Teresa or Sámara and come for the day.
Is Playa Coyote in Guanacaste or Puntarenas?
Guanacaste. The Río Bongo, just north of Manzanillo, is the border: Santa Teresa, Malpaís and Montezuma are in Puntarenas province, while Coyote, San Miguel, Islita, Sámara and Nosara are in Guanacaste.