Santa Teresa and Mal País Surf
30 minutes from TMU — consistently ranked among the finest surf destinations in the Americas. The Santa Teresa-Mal País point break cluster generat…
Tambor — Nicoya Peninsula. 30 min to Montezuma.
Tambor Airport (IATA: TMU, ICAO: MRTR) is the primary air access point for the southern Nicoya Peninsula — serving the surf destination of Santa Teresa and Mal País (consistently ranked among the world's best waves by international surf media), the waterfall village of Montezuma, and the ecological reserve of Cabo Blanco — Costa Rica's oldest protected area.
The southern Nicoya Peninsula is reached overland from San José by a 5–6 hour journey involving two ferry crossings (at Puntarenas or Paquera) and extended unpaved road sections — a logistics challenge that has, paradoxically, contributed to maintaining the authentic character of the destinations it serves. A private charter from San José to Tambor takes 25 minutes, eliminating the entire overland challenge and arriving passengers directly in one of Costa Rica's most compelling landscapes.
Tambor itself is a quiet Pacific bay — relatively calm water, good for families and snorkeling — rather than a destination in itself. Its airport serves as the distribution point for the cluster of extraordinary destinations to its south and west: Montezuma's waterfalls and bohemian village (20 minutes), Santa Teresa's legendary surf breaks (30 minutes on an improving road), and Cabo Blanco's primary forest (40 minutes).
30 minutes from TMU — consistently ranked among the finest surf destinations in the Americas. The Santa Teresa-Mal País point break cluster generat…
20 minutes from TMU — a series of three tiered waterfalls on the Río Montezuma, the tallest of which drops 18 meters into a deep pool ideal for swi…
40 minutes from TMU — Costa Rica's first protected area (established 1963), covering the entire tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. Primary tropical dry f…
15 minutes from TMU — a private wildlife refuge on the Nicoya coast with excellent primate sightings (white-faced capuchins, howlers, and the rare…
The protected Tambor Bay itself offers calm-water snorkeling, sea kayaking, and paddleboarding in conditions appropriate for all ages and ability l…
Tambor Airport (IATA: TMU, ICAO: MRTR) is a regional airport serving the southern Nicoya Peninsula. 1,500m asphalt runway, 6m elevation, daylight operations. Gateway to Santa Teresa surf, Montezuma waterfalls, and Cabo Blanco.
By private charter: San José to Tambor (25 minutes) then 30-minute car transfer to Santa Teresa. By road + ferry: 4–5 hours including Puntarenas or Paquera ferry crossing plus unpaved road section. The private charter is by far the superior option.
Tambor Bay itself has calm water, not surf. Santa Teresa and Mal País (30 minutes from TMU) are for intermediate to advanced surfers — the breaks are powerful and not ideal for beginners. Beginners in the area are better served by classes at Montezuma beach or the southern end of Santa Teresa where smaller beach break exists.
Tambor Airport has a 1,500-meter (4,921 ft) asphalt runway at 6m elevation. Daylight operations. ICAO: MRTR. One of the longer runways among Costa Rica's regional airports.
Yes — AeroRide can coordinate inter-regional private charters from TMU to other Costa Rican airports including Nosara, Tortuguero, Drake Bay, Quepos, and San José. Contact us for multi-leg itinerary planning and pricing.
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