TRAVEL HUB / COSTA RICA / NICOYA & SANTA CRUZ
Nicoya & Santa Cruz
10 VIDEOS · 10.20°N 85.45°W · REGULAR SHOPPING TRIPS
WHEN WE VISITEDRegular shopping trips (Nicoya monthly)
GETTING THERESelf-drive
WEATHER WE GOTSun & rain (year-round)
BEST FOREveryone
WALKABILITYHigh
NEED A VEHICLE?Recommended
TOURISTY LEVELLow
BUDGET$–$$
DAYS WE'D RECOMMEND1
Both Nicoya and Santa Cruz were shopping centers for us while we lived in Sámara. We'd drive to Nicoya several times a year, and through both towns anytime we headed north.
They have a very local feel — we spent a Guanacaste Day in Nicoya, hiked up to the then-new Christ the Redeemer statue, and tried food at a few local spots.
Watch Nicoya & Santa Cruz
What we'd tell a friend
- Both are really shopping trips from the coast — treat them that way.
- Hike up to the Christ the Redeemer statue above Nicoya.
Who should come here?
COME HERE IF
- You live on the coast and need to do some shopping
- You're after a very local experience
SKIP IT IF
- You're not shopping
- You're not looking for a very local experience
The Dufresnes Verdict
LOCAL CUISINE7/10
VALUE7/10
FRIENDLINESS9/10
WOULD RETURN? NO
Questions we actually get
Are Nicoya and Santa Cruz worth visiting?
They're shopping-and-errands towns, not destinations. We went to Nicoya monthly while living in Sámara. Worth a stop for a local experience or supplies, but not somewhere we'd go back to as a trip.
How many days do you need?
One. They're day-trip shopping towns, not overnight stops.
Do you need a car?
Recommended — they function as hubs you drive to from the coast.