Three distinct travel interests come together in the municipality of Santa Teresa: the Río Escalante–Chacocente Wildlife Refuge and its turtles, the Ruta del Dulce with its handmade sweets, and the January festivities. These themes span nature and species conservation, artisanal production, and patron-saint traditions. To decide which to focus on, consider the distinction: those primarily interested in turtles can look to the wildlife refuge; those interested in sweets and how they are made can explore the Ruta del Dulce; and those who want to include a particular celebration can plan around the January dates.

Turtles and the Wildlife Refuge

The Río Escalante–Chacocente Wildlife Refuge is considered the most representative place in the municipality of Santa Teresa. It is one of only eight beaches worldwide where Paslama turtles arrive en masse. It is also a nesting site for leatherback turtles, which are described as nearly extinct. These two points highlight different aspects: the Paslama turtles arrive in large numbers, while the leatherbacks nest here. This gives Santa Teresa’s nature theme a specific connection to turtles and species conservation, rather than limiting it to a general description of the landscape.

Craftsmanship on the Ruta del Dulce

The Ruta del Dulce offers a different focus. It passes through workshops where melcochas, alfeñiques, and the iconic “muñequitas de azúcar” (little sugar dolls) are made by hand. The route puts the artisanal production of various sweets in the spotlight. For travelers interested in cultural topics related to sweets and how they are made, this offers a different perspective from the one focused on turtles and the wildlife refuge. While the nature connection centers on wildlife and nesting, this perspective focuses on the products named above and their production. In this way, two distinct themes of the municipality can be explored without combining them into a single excursion program.

January Festivities in the Municipality

The January festivities usually take place on the last weekend of the month. Saturday typically features a traditional Tope de Toros, a serenade for Santa Teresa, fireworks, and a dance party. Travelers planning to attend for a particular event can take note that it is scheduled for Saturday. It is advisable to check the dates for the relevant year in advance.

On the Sunday of the patron-saint celebrations, the procession of the Virgin passes through the main streets of the municipality of Santa Teresa, distributing traditional buñuelos and ginger chicha. At the end, food is handed out and Santiaguito is carried down accompanied by Santa Teresa. Residents can try traditional guiso and buñuelos. Saturday and Sunday each have a different focus. So, anyone wishing to include a particular element of the celebrations in their plans should pay attention not only to the month but also to the relevant day.

Discover more destinations: Casares, La Boquita, Dolores, San Marcos, Jinotepe, Diriamba, El Rosario, Huehuete.

For the broader travel overview: Carazo.