This is probably the most-asked question from Luna Llena Hotel guests. People are always shocked at how few buses run between Montezuma and Santa Teresa, being that the two towns are both popular tourist destinations and we're only about 20 kilometers apart.
If you're staying in Montezuma it is not convenient to go to Santa Teresa and come back on the same day by public bus. It's possible, but you only get to spend about four hours in Santa Teresa. Plus, the real issue is that the Number #1 Thing To Do in Santa Teresa is to see the sunset, and the last public bus leaves Santa Teresa at 3:30pm which doesn't allow you to see the sunset at all. If you want to see the sunset or stay past 3:30pm, you have to take a cab, rent a car or ATV, or spend the night in Santa Teresa.
There are, in fact, no direct buses from Montezuma to Santa Teresa. You have to make a stop in Cobano and change buses. Leaving from Cobano there are only two buses per day headed to Santa Teresa: 10:30am and 2:30pm. This bus is very slow on a very bumpy road and takes anywhere from 1 hour to 1.5 hours to go 14 kilometers, depending on how crowded the bus is and how many stops it has to make.
In order to get from Montezuma to Santa Teresa by public bus, you must take the 10am bus leaving Montezuma to Cobano. In Cobano you change buses and get on the 10:30 bus leaving Cobano for Santa Teresa. This bus will drop you off at "El Cruce," or the crossroads at Playa Carmen. Playa Carmen is the dividing line between Santa Teresa and Mal Pais. South of Playa Carmen is Mal Pais; north is Santa Teresa.
The only other public bus option from Montezuma to Santa Teresa is to take the 12pm bus leaving Montezuma, get off in Cobano around 12:30 and sit around Cobano waiting for two hours until the 2:30 bus leaves Cobano on its way to Santa Teresa. Not very convenient. Most Luna Llena guests who want to take the 2:30 bus to Santa Teresa take a cab from our hotel ($10) to Cobano around 2pm and then hop on the 2:30 bus to Santa Teresa.
Returning from Santa Teresa to Montezuma the buses leave from Playa Carmen at 7:30am, 11:30am and 3:30 pm. All of these buses will drop you off in Cobano and you have to make a change in Cobano and get on the Montezuma bus. Not all of the buses meet up; you may have to sit and wait in Cobano.
When guests are traveling in groups (or are more concerned with saving time than money), we recommend taking a taxi to Santa Teresa. A taxi costs $40 and can fit up to four people. As always, when traveling in the Nicoya Peninsula, private transport is always a big time-saver and well worth the cost if you don't want to spend your vacation waiting at bus terminals.
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