12 Amazing Things to do in Montezuma, Costa Rica

Montezuma is a magical place located in the jungle on the Nicoya Peninsula. Sometimes it gets overshadowed by its close neighbor, Santa Teresa but they both offer something the other doesn’t.

There is so much adventure in and around this town. We fell in love once we turned down the main street and saw the vendors all lined up. It’s a quaint town with that loving hippie vibe to it.

We stayed at the Luz en el Cielo hostel and absolutely loved it. It came with the best Costa Rican breakfast I have eaten throughout my trip to Costa Rica.

After breakfast each day, we had multiple choices of what adventure we wanted to go on that day, like visiting waterfalls or going snorkeling around Isla Tortuga!

We ended up staying in Montezuma for 10 days and we didn’t regret it one bit. I’ll go over everything we did and what you should make a priority when visiting.

My Top 5 Activities

Quick Overview:

• Montezuma Waterfalls
• El Chorro
• Cabuya Island Cemetery
• Isla Tortuga
• Eat at a local soda

1. Spend the Day at the Montezuma Waterfalls

By far the most popular activity to do while visiting Montezuma is to spend the day at the Montezuma Waterfalls.

These waterfalls are a combination of 3 different-sized waterfalls all in succession with each other. Most of the photos you see will be of the main (lower) waterfall.

The first waterfall is the largest one but you can hike up to the other two pretty easily. Some routes cost you money but only around 1000 CRC.

There are also a few different ways to enter the waterfalls; some have activities with a tour company and others are free of charge.

The main entrance that you will most likely take is free of charge and begins right past the bridge in Montezuma.

It gets super crowded, so if you want to have less of a crowd, then I suggest going as early as possible.

Either way, you will have no shortage of fun here and can easily spend multiple hours just hanging out and swimming.

2. Hike to El Chorro Waterfall

El Chorro waterfall, also known as Cocolito Falls, is one of the most unique waterfalls in the world. It is 1 of 7 in the world that falls straight from the jungle into the ocean.

There are a few ways of getting here but I would suggest you take the hike from Montezuma.

It is a 4-hour out & back hike, so be prepared. Along the way, you will pass by Piedra Colorada, Playa Grande, and many different national refuges.

You will see many monkeys and other animals along the way. El Chorro waterfall is located right next to Playa Cocolito, so you can relax before and after the hike.

Another alternative to hiking is taking a cab to the town next to the falls and making a 10-minute trek down to it.

This is an option but the adventurer in me tells you to do the hike instead. It also makes for a cooler story when telling others of your adventures.

3. Visit the Island Cemetery in Cabuya

Just a short 10-15 minute car ride away is the small fishermen’s town of Cabuya. This area is home to a very unique cemetery.

We took a local shuttle or bus close to Cabuya before heading to the ocean. This cemetery is on an island and can be walked to during low tide.

Bus Schedule:

• Departing times from Cabuya: 7:20 AM, 9:20 AM, 11:20 AM, 3:20 PM
• Departing times from Montezuma: 8:15 AM, 10:15 AM, 12:15 AM, 4:15 PM

You can find the bus stop here and check their website for more info.

Isla Cabuya is a fascinating area to explore. It is said that people have been buried there since the 1700s. To get to this area from Montezuma, there are daily shuttles to this town for 1000 CRC.

You might see some people try to walk through the ocean to get to the island, I would not suggest this. The water can get up to your knees and it is around a 400-meter walk to the island.

Below are some amazing shots of the island while my girlfriend and I took the walk during low tide.

4. Take a Day Trip to Isla Tortuga

Another very popular activity when visiting this part of Costa Rica is taking a day trip to Isla Tortuga.

You’re able to visit this island when staying in other places like Santa Teresa or Jaco but it is cheaper when doing it from Montezuma. It costs $70 if leaving from Montezuma and $15 more when leaving from Santa Teresa.

Tortuga Island is beautiful as it is full of white sand beaches and clear water. All the tours you go on will offer snorkeling and it is the best I have done so far.

The fish are plentiful and you will definitely be hungry afterward. While you are snorkeling, they will be cooking your food on the island.

I was very impressed with the meal they gave us.

If your budget allows for it, I highly suggest adding this to your itinerary!

5. Eat At The Local Sodas

Eating at ‘Sodas’ in Costa Rica is where you want to be if you’re looking for cheap and authentic meals. The farther away you are from the city center, the cheaper they get.

We tried all of them in Montezuma and the best one by far was Soda Tipica Las Palmeras. The only downside to this one is it is around a 10-15 minute walk from downtown.

The menu has anything you would want and all meals are placed on a banana leaf. The presentation value was an A+.

A bonus was that this was half the price of the other sodas in downtown Montezuma. Overall, it is very worth the walk, especially if you are visiting the popular Playa Manchas.

Things to Know

How To Get To Montezuma

We bought a plane ticket to Liberia and then took a shuttle down to Santa Teresa. This cost us $55 USD and then after a few days, we took a taxi to Montezuma.

If you want more details on how to get to Santa Teresa from Liberia, you can check out my in-depth article on that here.

Liberia to Montezuma

Booking a shuttle from the Liberia airport is the easiest and most stress-free way to get down to this beach town. Using Bookaway is a great tool to finding shuttles during your travels.

The shuttle will cost you $60 USD. This might seem expensive but it takes away the stress of knowing where to go right when you land at the airport.

How Many Days to Stay

There’s a lot to do in here and Costa Rica in general. I get that. There are other things to see, especially on a condensed itinerary.

I think you should stay at least 2-3 nights in Montezuma to really take it all in. What you could also do is do five days max and split it with Santa Teresa. Seeing both is a must!

Best Time to Visit

If you’ve already started your research, then you’ll probably have heard about the “dry season”. This time period typically lasts from December through April. If you want sunny skies with minimal rain then this would be the best time to visit.

Keep in mind that the dry season is also peak season and thus will be more expensive/crowded.

The rainy season is perfect for those who want lower prices and to see more wildlife. The more it rains, the more the beauty of Costa Rica and its nature comes alive.

Other Activities in Montezuma

Explore the Massive Beach of Playa Grande

Playa Grande is easily one of my favorite beaches in Costa Rica. The vastness, coupled with it being a 30-minute walk to get to it, makes it so special.

There will be barely anyone around which makes you feel like you are on a deserted island. What really adds to this beach is that it is surrounded by a national refuge, so you will see plenty of wildlife.

On our multiple trips to this beach while we were here, we saw manta rays, anteaters, and a ton of white-faced monkeys.

Just make sure to watch out for your belongings! The monkeys have been known to steal people’s items.

To get to this beach, all you do is follow the main beach in for around 30 minutes. This is mostly all on the beach but towards the end, it goes more on a trail through the woods.

I loved this aspect of it as it really feels like you are going to a magical beach. This is a popular spot for a lot of the local surfers, as there is no one around to take your waves because of the hike.

Stack the Rocks at Piedra Colorada

If you decide to head to Playa Grande, then you will pass this section of the beach called Piedra Colorada.

This is just a short walk away from the main beach and as such, is an easily accessible area to come lay out and hang out if you want to get away from the crowds.

The most popular and well-known part of this area is the many rock stack sculptures you will see there. It is a tradition that has been kept alive for many decades.

This section of the beach might look small but there is actually a lot more here than you think. The river comes straight out of the forest and flows into the beach.

You are able to hike back into the forest and find some swimming holes to go in if you’d like. There is also a good section of trees with shade if you don’t want to lie in the sun.

Related Blog Post: 10-day Itinerary in Costa Rica

Relax at Playa Cabuya

Playa Cabuya isn’t the most popular beach in the area but it has its perks. There are many great lodges around the beach line here that give your backyard as the beach.

We weren’t really planning on coming here for too long but ended up staying for a few hours.

It is a perfect area to relax and wait for the tide to go down so you can visit Isla Cabuya. The best thing to do here when visiting this beach is to find a good couple of trees to set up a hammock and read a book.

There won’t be many people walking to disturb you and you will have a constant view of the ocean.

We also went to a nice little coffee shop called Panaderia Cabuya Cafeteria. It’s right on the corner of the same street we followed to the beach to reach the island.

This whole area at Playa Cabuya is rather rocky, as you will see when it becomes low tide. So some of the spots are more like swimming holes.

Being that this town is so close, it’s easily accessible as a daytrip from town.

Explore the Neighboring Town of Santa Teresa

Santa Teresa, along with Montezuma, has grown in popularity throughout the years. Santa Teresa’s beaches are world-famous for a reason.

If that isn’t the case, it is very easy to go for a day trip there. My suggestion would be to rent ATVs and make the 20-30 minute ride through Cabuya to Santa Teresa.

Once here, you can explore the multiple beaches there all by ATV. We had a blast stopping at each and even got to ride on the beach for a little bit.

One of our favorite beaches in this area is Playa Hermosa. This is very close to the main beach of Santa Teresa but is a completely different vibe.

The beach is much wider and far less crowded. If you are looking for a more laid-back, quieter scene, then staying in this area when visiting Santa Teresa is a great idea.

Spend the Day at Playa Manchas

Another popular beach in town is Playa Manchas. This isn’t the biggest beach but it’s a little bit quieter than the others. Mainly, locals come here and have some good shade to lie in.

If you have your own snorkeling gear, it is great for that. We saw a few people doing it but unfortunately didn’t have any gear of our own.

If you do end up going to this beach, it is very close to Soda Tipica. You can enjoy the day here at the beach and then go to this soda for sunset. We went after dark so we couldn’t see the beach but we could hear the waves while we ate dinner.

These two activities are a great way to relax while visiting this special town.

Visit the National Park of Cabo Blanco

Cabo Blanco is located on the corner of the Nicoya Peninsula between Santa Teresa and Montezuma. It is the first-ever national park in Costa Rica, thanks to Olof Wessberg and Karen Mogensen.

This area is home to many different species of wildlife and plants. There are a couple of main trails to follow in Cabo Blanco, one of which leads to the secluded beach.

After walking through this national park, you realize why this area was trying to be saved from deforestation in the first place.

The cost of entry is $12 and is open from 8 am-4 pm, Wednesday-Sunday.

Have a Few Drinks During the Downtown Party

Every Saturday is a party downtown. Many people flock to the streets to have beers with friends. It is a good time to meet the locals and see the downtown explode with energy.

It probably started earlier than in previous years because there was a 10 pm curfew for businesses. One time, there was even a fire dancer who came and the whole crowd watched in awe.

The only place to get food here after the stores closed was street food. It was the best chicken I’ve had and was only 1000 CRC.

FAQs

Can you visit Montezuma without a car?

Yes, we visited Montezuma without a car. We arrived here by taxi from Santa Teresa but you can also take a shuttle, bus or ride an ATV from Santa Teresa for the day.

Once you’re in town, you won’t need a car and there isn’t much parking either.

Is the Montezuma waterfall free?

The first main waterfall is free, which is where the majority of people will be hanging out.

If you want to access the other waterfalls, you’ll have to pay a small fee because you’re entering someone else’s property.

Montezuma vs Santa Teresa: which is better?

Which one is better depends on what you’re going to this area for. There are a lot more surfing spots, bars, restaurants, and people at Santa Teresa.

If you’re looking for a more laid-back vibe without all of the noise, then Montezuma is probably the best bet for you.

Final Thoughts

This has been my favorite town so far on my visit to Costa Rica and I really hope you get a chance to see it yourself. It is so different than any other town in the country. The vibe is amazing and you won’t want to leave. We stayed for 10 nights and still felt like we had some things we wanted to do. I would suggest visiting this area to everyone that wants to go to Costa Rica.