Montezuma!
 

Hey all! My two best friends and I (20-something females) are heading to Montezuma in April.. we'd love any info you feel like sharing! Couldn't be more excited about this trip.. we want to know everything from people who've been there. Thanks much!!

montezuma! what a fun place! there are a bunch of options for places to stay, ranging from funky cheap cabinas to really nice hotels. one thing you have got to do is hike up to the huge waterfalls and jump in... one of them even has a rope swing. just ask the locals and theyll tell you how to get there... its a rigorous hike but definitely worth it. one of the coolest things i've ever done in costa rica!

I am far past the 20 something age, but we still very much enjoyed Montezuma!

It is a cool, funky little town. Several good restaurants, a couple of bars that looked like they were hopping. We didn't try them, as we enjoy a good cold Imperial but not a lot of partying anymore.

We enjoyed a day of snorkeling at Tortuga. An afternoon horseback ride through the jungle and on the beach. I very much enjoyed some quality hammock time! And lying and reading on the beach. Walking on the beach in a full moon.

El Sano Banano's in town restaurant showed movies each evening, have to say that was unusual for CR and we enjoyed it, and laughed alot. Actually the night before our Tortuga trip, we watched Pirates of the Caribbean! I couldn't help thinking that I should be searching for buried treasure rather than snorkeling and lying on the beach!

It is a fun place and I am sure you will enjoy it. Just be cautious of one another, use your common sense and stick together - sorry the Mother coming out in me!

Type Montezuma in the search area and search Costa Rica, you will find lots of good recs and ideas. I even have a trip report somewhere back there!

Ah, nice. Wonderful natural surroundings. The town itself is fun and convenient with its restaurants, bars, lodgings and shops all within 100 meters of each other, but its gringolandia so don't expect tooooo much Tico culture there.

I agree with Tara that the waterfall hike isn't to be missed. Do be careful, though -- some people have died jumping from the waterfall. Blech, I hate sounding like my mother... Okay, moving right along then :)

Another rigorous hike is at the Cabo Blanco reserve nearby. A "collectivo" runs a few times a day to the park entrance. From there you can take a 2hr+ rigorous hike through incredible hilly jungle terrain to an isolated pelican-filled beach. The trail is marked and actually has cement blocks embedded in the mud to prevent erosion, but it's still quite muddy in places (especially if it's been raining) and you have to negotiate some treefall. But it's well worth part of a day... Really a special place so long as you realize that it's going to involve some effort. You can easily time it so you can meet one of the returning collectivos for the ride back.

When facing the water, the nicer swimming beaches are down to the left a bit. Ask around -- there's much to explore there, including other waterfalls. Also good exploring of the waters to the right by following the road toward Cabo Blanco.

Also not far away is Malpais/Santa Teresa, worthwhile to explore a bit. The same collectivo that runs to Cabo Blanco continues there, or if you're so inclined rent ATVs and drive on over.

The waterfalls, Cabo Blanco, and many other things (horseback riding, snorkeling, etc.) can also be done through the handful of tour providers in town, so if you don't want to go independently, there are other options.

If after flying into San Jose, you're not taking a domestic flight to Tambor (and then a taxi or shuttle), the fastest way is to catch a 5am public bus from San Jose to Herradura (Jaco) and then catch a $30/pp 45 minute speedboat that leaves ~7:30am straight to the Montezuma village beach. Otherwise a ground transfer involves a ferry crossing and will take 6-8 hours depending upon whether you go by private shuttle or public bus.

Where are you staying?

Thanks so much for the info!! This is our first trip to Central America. We are staying at Amor De Mar the whole time. Is Playa Grande within walking distance? Montezuma sounds right up my alley, I'm a little bo-ho and very laid-back myself.. a little disappointed to hear there's not much tico culture there though. My goal for this trip is to run on the beach in the morning..go to the markets and get fresh food to cook, snorkel, see the waterfalls, all the other activities (horseback riding, canapy tours, surfing.. etc.) and catch reggae and salsa at night. Heaven to me...