Montezuma Beach
After a short night of rest in San Jose, we woke at 4:30 am one last time (we hoped!) to begin one last journey before two weeks relaxing on the beach for the holidays. At first glance, it seemed this leg of the trip would be relatively easy, but it turned out to be another all-day journey. At this point, we’d been moving around a lot, and we were completely exhausted.
We got a taxi to the bus station and after locating the bus we needed, queued up. Instead of buying a ticket in advance, you get in line next to the bus you need and pay when you get on. For this reason, it was important for us to arrive an hour or so before the scheduled departure.
The entire journey from San Jose to Montezuma cost 7535 colones (about $15 USD) per person, which we paid upon boarding the bus. The bus travels from San Jose to Puntarenas, where it boards a ferry to Paquera. Then the same bus takes you to Cóbano, where you board another bus to Montezuma. You will be given a voucher for the ferry and another for reentering the bus in Paquera, and then one more for the bus in Cóbano, as proof of payment.
You can expect about 4-5 hours of actual travel time for this trip. The ride from San Jose to Puntarenas is a couple of hours, the ferry ride from Puntarenas to Paquera is about 1-1.5 hours (but we waited an hour on the ferry before it departed, so it was a bit longer for us), and about another hour from Paquera to Montezuma. It was all relatively convenient and organized, but do pay attention to what your bus looks like before getting on the ferry–it will make it easier to locate it amongst the many buses once the ferry arrives.
Ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera
We left for Montezuma two days before Christmas. We hardly realized it, having been removed from the craziness of holiday shopping in the US, and with the weather so warm. But looking around the ferry at the other people making their way to the Nicoya Peninsula, it was suddenly obvious, and it felt so strange! We were surrounded by vacationing families and groups of friends kick-starting their party week with dancing and 10am shots! I felt a little out of place, dirty and road weary as we were, but it also sparked a sense of excitement–our amazing yet long and exhausting trek from Guatemala to Costa Rica was coming to a close, and we would have two glorious weeks to spend lounging on the beach. Neither of us had ever been to a tropical destination for the holidays. Up until recent years, I’d almost always worked at the hospital on Christmas, and Evan almost always went home for the holidays. It suddenly dawned on us what a treat it would be to have Christmas on the beach!! Si Señor, I would love a beer, muchas gracias!
Beautiful day for a ferry ride
Montezuma is a really lovely little town on the southern tip of Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula. Once a remote fishing village, it has apparently become increasingly popular over the last 30 years or so, but I wouldn’t say it’s so popular as to be unpleasant. We were there during peak tourist season and were still able to find havens from the masses when we wanted to. The town itself is tiny and easily walkable, but if you want to visit most of the nearby attractions you’ll need a vehicle, preferably one with 4WD, as the roads leading into and out of Montezuma are unpaved. I noticed a few places in town offering four-wheelers for rent. Also keep in mind that there is only one ATM in the town, which regularly ran out of money while we were there. There are two small markets in town where you can use a debit or credit card, but you cannot get cash back. So bring a stash of cash!
We booked our lodging about a month in advance, which was just in the nick of time, because there wasn’t much left available even then. If you’re planning a trip to Montezuma anywhere near peak season, book well ahead of time. The entire town was booked for the week of Christmas and New Years, and we saw loads of travelers turned away.
We felt really lucky to have ended up where we did: Luz en el Cielo Eco-B&B/Hostel was the best! It’s located on a fairly steep hill leading into the town, but even with the heat and humidity, we appreciated the exercise. The staff were amazingly friendly and helpful, the rooms are rustic but still very nice, and breakfast each morning was really delicious! We stayed in the six person deluxe dorm, which had its own bathroom (outdoor but just outside the entrance to the room). Breakfast each day was scrambled eggs, gallo pinto (spiced rice and beans), fresh baked bread from the bakery in town, and fruit. While we were really happy with the space itself, the people staying at this hostel were the best part. Someone had the good fortune to play frisbee with a local fisherman’s kids, who in return hooked us up with fresh mahi-mahi and swordfish! A cinder block wood-fired BBQ was built, and for Christmas Eve dinner everyone pitched to make a huge feast of grilled fish, ceviche, all sorts of incredible side dishes, and even homemade eggnog! For being a night away from close friends and family, we certainly felt at home there. And though by then most of the people staying at the hostel were new and different, we had a similar celebration for New Years Eve, followed by a huge party in the streets with music, dancing, and all around good vibes. We couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend the holidays abroad!
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Luz en el Cielo
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Luz en el Cielo
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The BBQ (photo: Dan Smith)
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The fish!! (photo: Dan Smith)
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Evan’s dream: a bunch o taters just waitin’ to be fired
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Friends in faraway places. (photo: Dan Smith)
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So much food! (photo: Dan Smith)
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Christmas dinner in paradise
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Why yes, that bottle of delicious rum IS almost empty…..why, do we look faded? (photo: Dan Smith)
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Gratuitous armpit shot. (photo: Dan Smith)
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Cheers, Charlie!
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The first moments of New Year’s Day, 2015
A Few of Our Favorite Things in Montezuma:
Montezuma Waterfalls
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First waterfall
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Evan of the Jungle
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Tippy-top waterfall
We came to the falls on a couple of occasions, and had an absolute blast. After a short hike along the river (mildly treacherous, so wear good shoes!) you arrive at the first waterfall, which plummets into a rather large swimming hole. From there you can make the hike/scramble to the second and third waterfalls (much more treacherous–definitely wear good shoes!) which are located above the first. There you’ll find two smaller swimming holes and a rope swing. The top is 24 meters (79 feet!!) high, but every time we went there were multiple crazy people jumping from the near top.
The water was cool and incredibly refreshing, but the crowds could be a pain. The morning and evening are better times to avoid the crowds.
Playa Grande
Evan’s surf lesson at Playa Grande
A 20-30 minute walk along the beach from town, Playa Grande is a huge, wide-open stretch of beautiful sand and ocean–it’s definitely worth the walk! It’s big enough that you can almost feel like you have it all to yourself. And if you’re there early enough, you can carve out a shady spot for yourself amongst the coconut trees.
As seen from my little nook under a coconut tree
Along the way to Playa Grande, you’ll come across Piedra Colorado. This beautiful little stretch of beach is different for its colored rocks (hence the name) rather than sand and shells, as it sits where a river empties into the ocean. There are a couple of pools there deep enough for a nice refreshing dip. (The walk to Playa Grande can be a bit on the sweltering side)!
Speaking of shells–I’ve never seen so many beautiful shells on a beach! The cappuccino colored sand alternates with patches of white and pink where pieces of shells have accumulated.
Mal Pais & Playa Santa Teresa
This beach is located on the opposite side of the Nicoya Peninsula, a little less than an hour drive from Montezuma, on unpaved roads. A couple of friends from the hostel invited me to spend the day with them there. We took a shared shuttle (which cost about $10 per person–you can also take the bus for a lot less if you time it right) to a drop-off spot between Playa Santa Teresa and Mal Pais. From there you can walk in either direction to Mal Pais or Santa Teresa. We started our day walking to Mal Pais. Along the way, we came across a natural “hot tub” of sorts–a smooth hole in the rock adjacent to the ocean’s edge, filled with semi-warm water. We met a couple of really sweet women here, who were accompanied by their two dogs and and incredibly cute puppy.
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photo: Dan Smith
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photo: Dan Smith
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Heading back toward Playa Santa Teresa, we had some of the best fish tacos I’ve ever tasted at a place called Product C. If you’re in or around Mal Pais, you must go!
Once back at the beach, it was all fun in the sun and waves until sunset–for which Playa Santa Teresa is famous, and rightfully so. Surfers and kids playing in the waves were silhouetted by a gorgeous red-golden sun sinking into the ocean. It was breathtaking!! Montezuma seems a bit more chill than Playa Santa Teresa, which made it the better place to stay, at least for me. But if you want to party and see a few really amazing sunsets, Playa Santa Teresa is apparently the place to be.
Monkeys
Every morning around dawn, we could hear Howler Monkeys waking up in the jungle around us. The first time I heard Howler Monkeys was watching the sunrise at Tikal in Guatemala. These creatures are so loud, I thought they must have been large predatory cats! They sounded like they were incredibly close to us from our beds in the hostel. But ‘howling’ aside, these monkeys are harmless, and after hearing them a few times, they became a welcome sign of a brand new, beautiful day in paradise.
We also saw a fair amount White-throated Capuchin Monkeys in Montezuma. Someone told me they’re like squirrels–always around and looking for snacks! They seemed to take delight in playing on the roofs of the cabins at our hostel, picking up the edge of the metal roof and jumping up and down, making an incredible racket! And you’d best watch the clothes you laid out to dry on the deck, because they apparently will steal them!
Baby Turtles
Late one afternoon, Evan and I were playing in the waves on Montezuma Beach when we noticed a large gathering of people crouching around something. From a distance, I could see that some of the people were wearing blue latex gloves. I assumed someone had been hurt, but judging by the number of people and gloved hands, I determined they had enough help and decided to mind my own business. But after a fair amount of time had gone by, curiosity got the best of us, so we walked over to check it out.
There is an organization in Montezuma that releases baby sea turtles on the beach just about every day, depending on when they hatch. The people with the blue gloves were actually the ones doing the releasing. They remain there until each turtle makes its way into the water, protecting them from sea gulls, dogs, and whatever else might inhibit their journey. People gather to watch, take pictures, and learn a little about these amazing little creatures. Only about 1 out of every 1,000 of these babies is expected to survive! How amazing is that!?
Isla de Cabuya
About 7km south of Montezuma is a little village called Cabuya. Here, about 100 meters off the coast, is a little island called Isla de Cabuya. A couple of friends from the hostel invited us to join them to the island one day. At low tide, we were able to walk to the island from Cabuya village. There we found a little cemetery, and a few nice places to wade into the water as the tide began to roll in. It was an incredibly peaceful way to spend the afternoon, and sunset made for really beautiful photos.
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Water closes in on the path to the island as the tide rises
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Isla de Cabuya from a distance
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Yaaaar!
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Bakery Cafe
Just a little shout-out to a restaurant in which we often found ourselves. In a convenient spot, it sits on the corner at the turnoff from the town to Montezuma Beach. The food is really pretty good, and the prices are decent too. They have lots of different types of Batidos, which are blended fruit with water or milk, and ice. I really enjoyed these during our stay in Central America. You can find them in just about any eatery, and they’re tasty, refreshing, and healthy. Besides in this part of the world, you have access to the most delicious mangoes, bananas, pineapple, passion fruit, tamarind–you name it!
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A friendly game of Monopoly at Luz en el Cielo
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Dan’s going bankrupt, but he’s got all the railroads!
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Guess who won?
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Sunrise at Montezuma Beach
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Breakfast of champions: papaya and yogurt. Mmmmm
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Gettin’ tossed around
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Sunset at Montezuma Beach
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Globeward Bound 