ATV Rental Santa Teresa Costa Rica: What I Paid, the 13% Catch and the Rides I’d Do
Here’s the funny thing about this ATV rental Santa Teresa Costa Rica guide: I got around on a scooter for most of my time here. And that’s exactly why I think a quad is the better choice if you want to explore.
The scooter was great for the day to day: surf, coffee, groceries, back home. But the day I rented a quad to ride down to Cabo Blanco, I got it. The roads out of town get steep, dusty and bumpy fast. (New here? Start with my Santa Teresa surf guide.)
So this guide covers what I paid, what’s included, the 13% tax catch, the license and police rules, where to get cheap gas, and the rides I’d actually do.
In a Rush? My Pick for ATV Rental Santa Teresa Costa Rica
If you just want a quad waiting for you when you land, this is the easy option.
🏍️ Book it before you land
A Honda 420cc quad for the day, delivered to your hotel. It comes with two helmets, goggles and a surf rack strap (the thing I had to pay extra for). Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Honest catch: it only has a handful of reviews so far, so read them first.
Heads up: some links in this post are affiliate links. If you book through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. 🤙
TL;DR: Renting a quad in Santa Teresa
- Do you need one? Only if you want to explore. A scooter or your own feet handle the town and the main beaches just fine.
- What it costs: I paid $60 for one day in low season. Most shops list $60 to $90 a day.
- Where to rent: walk into an ATV rental agency in town, or compare quads and prices on Rent ATV Santa Teresa. Want it booked before you fly? The Honda 420cc rental on Viator.
- Watch out for: the 13% tax on card payments. Ask before you book, and ask if cash skips it.
- License: your normal car driver’s license from home. Carry the card and your passport.
- Police: wear the helmet and the reflective strap. A friend got a $250 ticket without them.
- Gas: fill up at the station up the hill. It’s about half the price of the bottles sold in town.
- Rather have a guide? This ATV tour to Montezuma Waterfall does the whole day for you.
Quad, Scooter or Walking: Which One Do You Actually Need?
Before you rent anything, be honest about what your trip looks like. Here’s how I’d decide.
| Option | Best for | What it costs | Hills and dirt roads | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATV / quads | Exploring: Cabo Blanco, Manzanillo, Montezuma | $60 to $90 a day | Easy | Check current price |
| Scooter | Surf, food and shopping in town | $20 to $25 a day in low season, $40 to $50 in high season | Doable, but sketchy on steep hills | Message on WhatsApp |
| Walking | Saving money, staying central | Free | Long and sweaty | Free |
| Guided ATV tour | First-timers who want a guide | From about $155 per quad | Easy, with a guide | Check current price |
Quad prices are the daily rates shops list online. Low-season scooter prices are what I paid; high season is what shops charge now. Tour prices are from GetYourGuide and change with the season.
Get a quad if you want to explore
If you want to go beyond the usual beaches, rent a quad. Going uphill, down to Cabo Blanco, up to Manzanillo and to the quieter spots in between is just easier on four wheels. In town the main road is paved, but north of Zeneidas it turns to dirt: dusty when it’s dry, muddy when it rains.
A quad also fits two people and a board, and it handles potholes that would throw you off a scooter.
Get a scooter if you’re here to chill
If you’re in town to surf, eat and maybe check a couple of beaches around Santa Teresa, a scooter gets you to most places. And it’s way cheaper: $20 to $25 a day in low season, and about $40 to $50 a day in high season (December to April).
My 3-month scooter deal
My scooter cost $25 a day. Because I rented it for three months, I got it down to $20 a day. A win for me and a win for the guy renting it.
If you’re staying a few weeks or more, always ask for a long-stay price. Same goes for ATV / quads: most shops do daily, weekly and monthly rentals.
Walk if you don’t mind the heat
Technically you can walk everywhere, even to Mal País. It just takes a long time, and by the time you get there you’ll have sweated off 2 or 3 kilos (joking, obviously). Haha.
But walking is great if you want to save money and you’re staying central. Catch a ride with friends heading to other beaches, and you’re sorted.
How Much Does It Cost to Rent a Quad in Santa Teresa?
I rented my quad for one day to ride down to Cabo Blanco. I paid $60 because it was low season, and I rented it from Extreme Center Santa Teresa.
Here’s what you can expect from an ATV rental agency across town:
| What | Typical price | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Quad, 8 hours | $60 to $80 | Smaller automatic quads are the cheapest |
| Quad, 24 hours | $70 to $90 | The bigger 420cc and 450cc quads cost more |
| Quad, a week or more | About $63 to $81 a day | Ask for a long-stay price |
| My day in low season | $60 | Helmet, cargo box and a full tank included |
| Surf rack | Extra | Not included at my shop |
| Security deposit | From about $500 | Refunded when you bring it back undamaged |
| Damage cover | Optional, per day | Lowers what you pay if you damage it |
| Card payments | +13% | Cash may skip it, so ask first |
The 8-hour, 24-hour, weekly and deposit numbers come from the price list on Rent ATV Santa Teresa. The low-season price is what I paid. Prices go up in high season (December to April).
The 13% catch nobody tells you about
Ask about the tax before you book
Usually, shops here charge 13% tax (IVA) on credit card payments. Some shops don’t mention it on their website, so ask before you book.
Paying cash usually means you skip the 13%. But again, ask the shop first so there are no surprises when you hand the quad back.
On a $70 quad, that 13% is about $9 a day. Over a week it really adds up. So when you ask for a price, ask for the full price: tax, deposit, surf rack and fuel.
What’s Included When You Rent a Quad
My rental came with:
- A helmet. Wear it. More on that below.
- A cargo box for your phone, wallet, sunscreen and a towel.
- A full tank of fuel. Most shops want it back full too.
The surf rack cost extra. If you’re bringing a board, ask for one when you book and check that it’s tight before you ride off.
You should also get a reflective strap with every rental. If the shop doesn’t give you one, ask for it. Seriously, you’ll see why in a sec.
Do You Need a Driver’s License to Rent an ATV in Costa Rica?
Yes, but your normal car license from home is enough. You don’t need a motorbike license for a quad. Any ATV rental agency will ask for a valid driver’s license and want to see the physical card, and most want you to be 18 or older.
As a tourist, your home driver’s license works for as long as the stay on your passport’s entry stamp, which can be up to 180 days. Carry your license and your passport (or a photo of the page with your entry stamp) in case the police stop you.
Police Checkpoints: Wear the Helmet and the Reflective Strap
Police checkpoints here are random. They stop anyone who isn’t wearing a helmet and a reflective strap.
A friend’s $250 lesson
A friend of mine got a $250 ticket for riding without them. That’s four days of quad rental, gone.
Wear the helmet and that small reflective strap every single time, even for a five-minute ride to the beach.
Where to Get Gas (and Why It Matters)
Gas is a tricky thing here. The cheapest option is the gas station outside Santa Teresa, up the hill. It’s about a 15-minute ride.
When I was here, a liter at the station cost about ₡700. In town, a couple of shops keep gas in containers and sell it for around ₡1,500 a liter. That’s double the price.
So fill up at the station when you can. The easiest way is on your way back from a waterfall hike in Montezuma or a shopping day in Cóbano, because you pass it anyway.
The Best Rides From Santa Teresa on a Quad
These are the four I’d do. All of them are way more fun on a quad than on a scooter.
Mal País Tide Pools
The easy one. The tide pools at Mal País are only a 7 to 10-minute ride from Santa Teresa, and they’re beautiful, especially at sunset.
Time it around low tide, when the water pulls back and the rock bed opens up. And be careful walking out there: those rocks are slippery.
Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve
This is the one I rented my quad for. Most people call it a national park, but it’s officially a nature reserve, and the oldest protected area in Costa Rica. It sits at the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, past Mal País and Cabuya. The ride down is dusty and bumpy in spots, which is exactly why I left the scooter at home.
From the entrance, it’s about a 2-hour hike, and it’s a hard one. The trail goes up and down the hills of Cabo Blanco the whole way. But then you come out at this untouched bay, and it literally feels like a movie scene.
I went with friends, and we spent a few hours there swimming, chilling and eating on the beach. There was no one else on the beach, and only a few people on the trail. The one thing that hurt: all the trash washed up on the sand. Such a shame to see.
Swim at your own risk
It’s a wild beach with no lifeguards. If you’re not comfortable swimming in the open ocean without anyone watching, stay on the sand. And pack water and food for the day, like we did.
Montezuma Waterfall
The classic day trip. You ride over to Montezuma on the other side of the peninsula, hike to the waterfall and cool off in the pools. On the way back, stop at the gas station and fill up.
🌊 Want someone else to lead the way?
This guided ATV tour rides through Mal País and Cabuya to Montezuma Waterfall and back in about 3 hours. Good if it’s your first time on a quad.
Manzanillo Beach
North of Santa Teresa, past Playa Hermosa. Up there it’s dirt backroads surrounded by tropical forest the whole way, so a quad makes life a lot easier. It’s a lot quieter than town, and on a quad you can stop wherever you like.
Want the full picture of where everything is? My Santa Teresa Costa Rica map shows the roads, the breaks and the spots to stop.
Is It Safe to Ride a Quad in Santa Teresa?
Mostly, if you take it easy. But accidents do happen here, and I’ve seen what they cost.
The accident at my hostel
A girl staying at my hostel was riding a scooter up the hill on the way to Cóbano. When she changed gears and hit the gas, the scooter did a wheelie and flipped onto her back.
She got a huge cut above her ankle and had to go all the way to San José to get treated. Friends told me it cost her about $2,000.
That’s exactly why I never travel without insurance. Here’s my guide to surf travel insurance and what it actually covers.
Her accident was on a scooter, but the lesson is the same for a quad: go slow on the hills, don’t gun it while changing gears, and never ride after drinking.
A few more things I learned: the dust gets in your eyes, so bring sunglasses or a bandana. The rain comes fast, so keep a raincoat in the cargo box (check my Santa Teresa weather guide for when it hits). And lock your quad at night, especially north of Zeneidas. More on that in my post on whether Santa Teresa is safe.
ATV Tours: If You’d Rather Not Ride Alone
Never driven a quad? Or just want someone else to plan the route? A guided tour is a solid choice, and most ATV / quads tours include the helmet and a guide who knows the back roads. Here’s what’s on offer from Santa Teresa right now:
- Montezuma Waterfalls ATV tour: about 3 hours, from around $165 per quad.
- Guided ATV ride to Manzanillo Beach: about 3 hours, from around $155 per quad.
- ATV ride to a rainforest reserve and waterfalls: about 5 hours from Playa Carmen, from around $230 per quad.
Prices are per quad, and two people can usually share one, so split it and it’s not too bad. Most of these are fairly new listings without many reviews yet, so check the latest ones before you book.
Before you rent: quad cheat sheet
- Ask for the full price (tax, deposit, surf rack and fuel) before you say yes.
- Ask if cash skips the 13% tax. It usually does, but check first.
- Take photos and a video of the quad before you ride off, so nobody can blame you for old scratches.
- Wear the helmet and the reflective strap. Every ride, every time.
- Carry your driver’s license and passport, or a photo of your passport’s entry stamp.
- Fill up at the gas station up the hill, not with the bottles sold in town.
- Ask for a long-stay price if you’re renting for a week or more.
- Go slow on the hills, and never ride after a few beers.
Conclusion: Rent a Quad to Explore, Ride a Scooter to Chill
If you’re here to surf, eat and hang out in town, save your money: a scooter or your own two feet will do. But if you want to see Cabo Blanco, Montezuma, Manzanillo and the Mal País tide pools, rent a quad for at least a day or two. That’s how I’d do it next time.
Just ask about the 13% before you pay, wear the helmet and the strap, and fill up at the station up the hill. Want it booked before you fly? Grab the Honda 420cc quad on Viator.
FAQs: ATV Rental in Santa Teresa
How much does it cost to rent an ATV in Santa Teresa?
Most shops list $60 to $90 a day, depending on the size of the quad and how long you rent it. I paid $60 for one day in low season. Add 13% if you pay by card, and expect a deposit of around $500.
Do I need a driver’s license to rent a quad in Costa Rica?
Yes, your valid car driver’s license from home. You don’t need a motorbike license for a quad. Carry the card and your passport, because your home license is only valid for as long as the stay on your entry stamp.
What’s included in an ATV rental in Santa Teresa?
Mine came with a helmet, a cargo box and a full tank of fuel. The surf rack was extra. You should also get a reflective strap, so ask for one if it’s missing.
Is it better to rent a quad or a scooter in Santa Teresa?
A scooter is cheaper and fine for town and the nearby beaches. A quad is better if you want to explore the hills, Cabo Blanco, Manzanillo or Montezuma, or if you’re riding with two people and a board.
Where is the cheapest gas near Santa Teresa?
At the gas station up the hill outside town, about a 15-minute ride. The shops in town that sell gas in containers charge roughly double.
Planning more of Costa Rica? Check out my guide to the best surf spots in Costa Rica.
