Montezuma
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Montezuma

Montezuma

Bohemian Nicoya Peninsula beach village of waterfalls, rocky coves, surf shops, and jungle wildlife.

Montezuma is a small, bohemian beach village at the southern tip of Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula. It attracts a mix of backpackers, surfers, yoga practitioners, and nature lovers drawn by its waterfalls, rocky coastline, and laid-back atmosphere. The village itself is tiny -- a handful of streets with restaurants, surf shops, and a weekly organic market in the park.

The main draws are natural. The Montezuma Waterfalls — a series of three cascades with swimmable pools — are a short walk from town. The beach alternates between sand and volcanic rock, and the surf is decent if not world-class. Cabo Blanco Absolute Natural Reserve, the oldest protected area in Costa Rica, sits at the tip of the peninsula about 10 kilometres south. The area has a well-established expat community, and the food scene is better than you would expect for a village this small.

Guide

Activities

Montezuma's waterfall is a twenty-minute walk from the village and costs nothing, which is worth knowing before anyone sells you it. What is worth booking is the water: snorkelling trips along the Cabo Blanco coast, the boats out to Isla Tortuga, and the water taxi across the gulf to Jacó, which saves a five-hour drive round it.

Cabo Blanco at the tip of the peninsula is the oldest protected area in Costa Rica and is walked rather than toured.

Guide

Eating Out

Montezuma has a surprisingly good food scene for a village its size, thanks to a large expat community and a steady flow of travellers. The Saturday organic market in the park is the social hub of the week -- local and expat vendors sell fresh produce, baked goods, and prepared food. Several small restaurants along the main road serve a mix of Costa Rican staples and international dishes, with an emphasis on fresh ingredients and vegetarian options.

Guide

Getting There

Montezuma is at the end of a peninsula and takes some effort to reach. The quickest option from San José is to fly to Tambor Airport (on the Nicoya Peninsula) and take a taxi or shared shuttle the 40 kilometres to Montezuma. Alternatively, take a bus from San José to Puntarenas, a ferry across the Gulf of Nicoya to Paquera, and then a bus or taxi to Montezuma — the total journey takes around 4–5 hours.

There is also a passenger ferry service directly from Jacó to Montezuma, operated by Zuma Tours, which cuts across the gulf in about 1.5 hours. This is a more scenic and direct option for travellers coming from the Pacific coast. The roads into Montezuma from Cobano are paved but narrow; the last stretch into the village is steep and can be rough in the rainy season.

Guide

Things to Do

The waterfalls are the main attraction. A well-worn trail leads from the edge of town to a series of cascades with swimmable pools at their base -- the lower falls are an easy walk, the upper ones require a bit of scrambling. The beaches are good for surfing, especially for intermediates, and several operators in the village rent boards and offer lessons.

Cabo Blanco Absolute Natural Reserve, about 10 km south, protects a stretch of tropical dry forest and coastline where howler monkeys, coatis, and a rich variety of birds can be spotted. The reserve trails are well maintained and the beach at the end is usually deserted. Snorkelling around the rocky points near town is worthwhile when the water is calm.