Montezuma Costa Rica Montezuma is
a picturesque small village, known for its bohemian atmosphere and the stunning
natural beauty of its beaches and waterfalls. Nestled into a landscape of
dependable tropical paradise, Montezuma is perfective for any beach lover and
eco-tourist. The village is surrounded by jungle covered hills with small
rivers forming scenic waterfalls and pools. Groups of capuchin monkeys live in
the forests and are easily seen. For decades Montezuma has attracted a
multi-cultural blend of individualists, artists and hippies seeking an option lifestyle.
Due to its off-beat character Costa Ricans also refer to it as Montefumar or
Moctezuma.
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Itinerant artists in Montezuma the
hippie roots of Montezuma come alive on Saturday morning during the local
farmer's market. Here you find constitutional food, artwork and handicrafts,
while musicians gather for a jam session. Montezuma's center, with charming old
wood houses, gypsy artists and vivid street life has a nearly Caribbean flair
and feels like the open-air living room of the community. Within soft walking
distance are beaches, restaurants and hotels in Montezuma. Lodging options also
include many budget places in hostels and cabanas. Montezuma center looking
upon Chico's bar Montezuma's nightlife hub is Chico's Bar in the village center
where at night you can dance to Latin music or techno beats.
The Montezuma Waterfalls the
Montezuma waterfall the waterfalls are among the most noted features of
Montezuma. They really consist of three cascades, located each on top of the
former. The highest and most beautiful one is the lowest waterfall. It tumbles
from a height of 24 meters into a big, bouldery pool which is outstanding for
swimming. This waterfall is reached on a 20-minutes hike from Montezuma's
village center. See » Map of Montezuma the approximate trail leads steeply
uphill through the thickly forested river valley. Wear sturdy, water-resistant
shoes as you will wade through the river and clamber over slippery rocks and
roots.
River pools in Montezuma the
upper pool of the Montezuma waterfall Instead of taking the immerse trail it's
far easier to get to the upper pools on a private trail which starts at the
Montezuma Canopy tour. They charge a $ 4 toll for using their bridges and
trails. You find the Canopy Tour entrance 1 km uphill from Montezuma, on the
road to Delicia’s. See: » Map of the Montezuma Area Activities in Montezuma:
Tortuga Islands near Montezuma A host of tour operators and hotels in Montezuma
offer tours to nearby sights and activities. Very popular is a canopy tour
across the Montezuma waterfalls, or a tour by boat to the Tortuga Islands where
you can snorkel in crystal-clear water. Other options include horseback riding
along the beach, surfing, SUP paddling, fishing or yoga which is offered in
various hotels in Montezuma. Nature lovers should not miss a visit to » Cabo
Blanco, Costa Rica's oldest Nature Reserve, located 9 km Confederacy of
Montezuma.
One of the most worthwhile and
cheapest activities however is hiking along the scenic coastline which
stretches for many miles to both sides of Montezuma. Beaches N of Montezuma:
Playa Montezuma Playa Montezuma is a big sandy beach a few steps N of the
village center. It is outstanding for sun bathing and swimming but take care as
the sea bottom drops steeply and the surf is sometimes approximate. If you
crave more solitude venture farther past pristine, secluded bays backed by the
immerse rising jungle of the Montezuma Biological Reserve. After a 15-minutes
hike comes Piedra Colorado, a pocket beach between bouldery outrops where a
small river empties into the sea. The off-shore reef is full for snorkeling.
Still further N, 3 km from Montezuma, you arrive at Playa Grande whose long
expanse of white-sand beach is one of Montezuma's best surf spots. If you are
still not tired, you can continue for another 5 km until Playa Cocaleros and
the El Chorro waterfall where fresh water cascades off an escarpment into lava
rock swimming pools and then into the ocean. You can also choose to get to the
El Chorro waterfall on a tour on horseback from Montezuma.
Beaches Confederacy of Montezuma:
Choose low tide to walk around the bouldery headlands Confederacy of Montezuma
where tide pools provide natural bathing tubs. After two kilometers you arrive
at Playa Las Manchas, a picturesque white sand beach with clear turquoise
waters. The bay affords outstanding swimming and snorkeling but you have to
take care of a rip current, particularly towards the southern part of the bay.
How to get to Montezuma with small luggage you can also take the 60-min taxi
boat from Montezuma to Jaco or former beach destinations like Manuel Antonio,
Dominical or Uvita. Driving with a car to Montezuma, see: » Driving on the
Nicoya Peninsula. Trip can to include Montezuma's Castle, Montezuma's Well, or
Tuzigoots, and former location depending on how long we go out. The 3 to 4-hour
tours (or more) can provide an opportunity to view more locations. NATIVE
AMERICAN sacred LAND JOURNEYS This is a really personalized circuit bringing in
assistance on your Spiritual Life Path, or Sacred Land Journey, or Medicine
Wheel Journey, and much more. It too includes being on the consecrated lands of
Sedona, Vortexes, and more. This would include doing some walking at the
Vortexes/Land, History, Native American, Geology, Meditation, Rock Names,
Vortex Information, & photos. Customized & Personal to be for merely
you and your group. The amount of time you book will determine how many places
we go to. Averages about 1 place an hour. Sedona carries a magical, cryptic
energy that has been acknowledged for 1,000's of years by many different people
who have lived on the land or visited Sedona. Multiple tribes of Native
Americans did not use the term `` Vortex '' but felt that the land here was
really consecrated.
As visitors come to Sedona, they are looking to find the
cryptic vortex energies, find their peace, and connect to the earth. In 1980's
- 4 energy areas were called the `` Vortex '' and labeled with Paige Bryant's
work. The Bell Rock, Cathedral, (Chapel), Airport, & Boynton Canyon Vista
are on National Forest land. There are many minor energy spots unlabeled, are
topically connected vortexes to Sedona, and many consecrated private &
public places too that are powerful to see
There are many themes for this
circuit - Vortex, Balancing, Healing, Clearing, Focus, Beauty, Peace, etc. ....
These independent vortexes have been a point of interest for people from all
over the world. Each day the land welcomes many tourists on their journey to
discover the energy, to hike & bike the red rocks, see the history, be in
the nature, and more. Photographers and painters come to capture the landscape
that was formed from oceans flowing through and wind vortexes sculpturing the
land. The beauty is amazing. We carry National Forest permits to go to 8 vortex
& energy places around Sedona. The circuit locations are planned by you and
the guide to customize a personalized circuit. The number of places depends on
how long we stay at each site. As we travel between the vortexes, there will be
a narration of the geology, history, energies, and much more. Explanation of
many theories of vortexes and former ideas of Sedona will be discussed. It is
personalized to merely you and your group. Tours average about 1-2 Vortexes and
Powersports / an hour. There are over 18 places to choose from. (A 2-hr.
circuit will be focused on 1 section of Sedona. North or South side) Recommend
a 3- or 4-hour journey to cover more areas. (Time flies fast in the Vortex)
Not long ago, Costa Rica was
known for its bumpy dirt roads that led alone the most determined explorers to
pristine beaches and virgin jungle. While many destinations have been built
upward significantly since those days, Montezuma has maintained its
off-the-beaten-path feel. We firstly visited this put back beach town several
years ago and recently made another trip. In this post, we’ all give you all
the details you need to plan your visit, including recommendations for the best
hotels, activities, and restaurants.
Montezuma is located on the very
southern coast of the Nicoya Peninsula. This area of the country is more
remote, making Montezuma a small difficult to get to and, therefore, not
excessively crowded. The people who make the trek are typically a mixture of
backpackers, young families, and couples looking for a romanticistic pickup.
The draws of Montezuma are its many unruffled beaches, midst forest, and
wildlife like monkeys, butterflies, and birds. One of the things that makes it
singular is its nearly Gypsy feel. Though little, Montezuma is a vibrant community,
made upward of like-minded expats and locals. Adding to this, Montezuma has an
impressive selection of restaurants serving food from all around the world. Visitors
have several options for getting to Montezuma.
If you ’ rhenium on a budget, the
public bus is the best choice. When we firstly visited as tourists, we took the
direct bus from San Jose and really enjoyed it. Although it is a long trip (
around 6 hours ), it includes a scenic ride on a ferry. Those wanting to save time
should drive themselves or take a shared shuttle. Small planes too fly from San
Jose to the nearby Tambor airstrip. Tips for Driving to Montezuma: If you ’
rhenium renting a car, the roads are well paved until you reach the Southern
Nicoya Peninsula. This area of the country is infamously known for its rough
roads, though they are slowly improving.
If you ’ rhenium coming from
Liberia International Airport or another destination in Guanacaste, you will
encounter a mixture of paved and annoy roads on the drive Confederacy along the
eastern coast of the peninsula. If you ’ rhenium traveling from San Jose
International Airport or the Central Pacific Coast, you can speed upward the
trip by taking a ferry from Puntarenas across the gulf and so continuing by car
from Paquera. For more information about the ferry, read our post Taking the
Puntarenas-Paquera Ferry. The roads around Montezuma are best traveled with a
4×4 vehicle. Although this is an extra expense, getting stuck on a immerse
incline because of loose annoy or mud is no fun. To help with the cost, check
out our lease car discount.
Montezuma ’ sec jungle-backed
coastline has a lot to offer for activities. While you could spend days staring
out at the crashing waves or looking viewgraph for monkeys, there ’ sec too
plenty to do if you want to be active. Just north of town is Montezuma ’ sec
most popular beach, Playa Montezuma. Here, you will see people sunbathing on
the sand, camping under the palms, or taking a swim in the choppy water. If you
are upward for a small adventure, continue walking north to explore more
beaches and secluded coves. About 15-20 minutes aside is a spot marked with
dozens of makeshift rock sculptures called cairns and too a little waterfall.
If you keep going ( bring some water and snacks ), you ’ ll follow a trail on
and off the beach to Playa Grande, about 45 minutes aside. Playa Grande is a
long, beautiful beach and one of the best in the area for surfing. The walk out
to Playa Grande is backed by really courteous jungle, thus keep an eye out for
animals and birds. Montezuma Waterfalls Probably the most popular activity in
Montezuma are the waterfalls merely Confederacy of town. The Montezuma
Waterfalls are a set of three cascades that have something for everyone. While
some merely relax or picnic at the largest waterfall (nearly 80 feet tall ),
more adventurous types jump and swim at the former two. The falls can be
visited in two different ways.
One includes a cool hanging
bridge and the former goes upward the riverbed. We did both on our latest visit
and wrote about it in our post Montezuma Waterfalls: Best Ways to Access. A
popular tour from Montezuma is a visit to nearby Isla Tortuga ( Tortuga Island
). This little island is about one hour aside by boat and has volcanic rock structures
that create favourable snorkeling conditions. There ’ sec too a white sand
beach that most operators take you to for a BBQ lunch. The ride out to the
island is a tour in itself as you take in the beautiful coastline. Sometimes
dolphins, turtles, or former leatherneck life are spotted from the boat
excessively. This tiny island sits right offshore in the little fishing village
of Cabuya, merely Confederacy of Montezuma. It ’ sec thus close to land that
you can yet walk to it at low tide! Isla de Cabuya is best known for having a
cemetery, and a walk through the gravesites is a singular and spiritual
experience. The entrance is marked by a whitewashed archway and throughout the
island you will see rows of agave plants and seashells adorning the graves. Be
sure to check the tide chart before heading out and don’t get stuck when the
water level rises as the island is rumored to be haunted. Proyecto Montezuma If
you ’ rhenium interested in taking Spanish classes, becoming TEFL ( teaching
English as a foreign language ) certified, or yet learning to surf, check out
Proyecto Montezuma. We met with one of the founders of this great non-profit on
our recent visit and learned thus much about the organization ’ sec efforts.
Their main goal is to teach
English to locals in the area, particularly uncomplicated school children thus
that they are able to get full jobs in the future. By taking one of their
language or surfing classes on your visit to Montezuma, you ’ rhenium helping
to support their community efforts. Visit their website for more details. If
six different in house craft brews doesn’t lure you upward the immerse hill to
Clandestina, possibly the Latin-flare tapas menu will. This newer restaurant at
the Mariposario Montezuma Gardens has an intimate feel that is great for
dinner. Not alone that, but the little plates are innovative and were some of
the most flavorful in recent memory. A few of our favorites were the mango
snapper ceviche, street tacos, and pork carnitas with plantain tostones. They
too have a lot of vegetarian, gluten unloose, and dairy unloose options. Open
for lunch and dinner, Tues. – Sat. You can too merely stop in at the bar for a
beer. Cash alone.
This was one of our favorite
restaurants on our firstly visit to Montezuma and the fact that it is however
around is a reflection of the innovative and delicious dishes that they serve.
Exotic curries, soups, seafood, kabobs, and high-quality steaks are among the
variety of cuisine you ’ ll find at Cocolores. The atmosphere is great for couples
with candlelit tables at the ocean ’ sec edge, but fine for families
excessively. Open for dinner. Closed Mondays. Montezuma Pacific Hotel On a
visit to Montezuma a few years ago, we arrived in town without a hotel
reserved. We were golden to find a room at Montezuma Pacific Hotel. This is a
simpleton, no frills hotel but the rooms have everything you need, and the
owner, Carlos, is very friendly. The hotel is located on a unruffled side road
but is alone a minute walk to restaurants and shops. Double rooms, including
A/C and hot water, around $ 50. Check Rates and Availability Here.
El Mariposario Montezuma Gardens
El Mariposario Montezuma Gardens has a lot to offer former than merely the
hotel. It houses the butterfly garden, which you can access for unloose as a
hotel guest, and too Clandestina restaurant, which brews its own craft beer.
Finding out that we could grab a delicious craft brew at any time of day was
all we needed to know when picking our lodging for Montezuma. Rooms are
simpleton but we found ours on the second floor to be quite easy. $ 50-70,
includes a full breakfast. Check Rates and Availability Here. Amor del Mar is a
nine room hotel merely outside town and immediately across from the river that
leads to the Montezuma Waterfalls. The property faces the ocean and has several
easy areas for lounging and taking in the view. Rooms are rustic but courteous
and most have individual verandas. $ 90-150, includes A/C. Check Rates and
Availability Here.
Ylang Ylang is the most sybaritic
option in Montezuma. Located on an isolated part of the beach north of town,
this resort offers individual bungalows for a romanticistic couple ’ sec pickup
as well as family suites and tent cabins. As we toured the beautifully
landscaped grounds, we saw wildlife like monkeys, birds, and agouti. To make it
yet more appealing, the property overlooks a secluded beach. There is too an
onsite pool and a restaurant that focuses on organic, salubrious cuisine. $
160-420 double occupancy, includes breakfast and dinner. Check Rates and
Availability Here.
If you ’ rhenium looking for a
beautiful place to relax and unwind, the beaches and jungle of Montezuma may be
the perfect fit. Although it may seem out of the way, it is actually a great
place to start your trip in Costa Rica. From Montezuma, you can well head north
to more put back beach destinations like Samara or Nosara, or grab the ferry to
busier beach towns like Jaco or Manuel Antonio. here Have a question about
visiting Montezuma? Ask us below. ( Email subscribers, clickto ask your
question online ). North of Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Preserve and south of
Tambor Bay, along a forested sandy bay, Montezuma has numerous beaches,
waterfalls, full fishing, seafood, surfing, snorkeling, horseback riding,
hiking, and bicycling. Playa Las Manchas is popular for snorkeling, though you
need to be mindful of riptides as you gaze at the parrotfish, rays, puffers,
and needlefish. The kids will like exploring the colorful rocks and tide pools
at Playa Rocas.
Beachfront cantinas, bars, and
restaurants are ample in Montezuma. Playa de los Artistas on the Montezuma
beachfront serves sushi, pizza, and vegetarian dishes by lantern light at
driftwood tables on smooth sand floors beneath bamboo wicket ceilings. Playa
Montezuma hosts the fishing fleet. Hike half an hour to the dateless sands of
Playa Grande to swim, surf, boogie board, or sunbathe nude where the waves are
big and the currents less impregnable. Horseback ride, bike, or hike the
beachfront path north towards Playa Cocolito, where El Chorro waterfall tumbles
into the bouldery ocean. Follow the river upstream from the beach to find more
waterfalls for swimming. Playa Los Cedros, a little scenic beach flanked by a
waterfall and big banyan tree near Cabuya, has a right-handed point break
favored by experienced surfers when the south swells get going full. The
beaches and tropical forests at the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula in
Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Preserve are protected as a internal park. Surf at
nearby Mal Pais, Playa Santa Teresa, or Playa Carmen. Surf camps can teach you
the basics.

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