Guarantee for Hotels, Transport and other Businesses

Playa Montezuma Beach

Yellow marked beaches have Surfing Information: A Avellanas Azul B Bahía Ballena Barco Barrigona Bejuco Black Blanca Bonita Boca Barranca Boca Damas Brasilito Buena Vista C Cabuya Cacao Camaronal Carbón Caribbean North Carmen Carrillo Chiquita Cocalito Cocles Conchal Corozalito Coyote Cuajiniquil D Danta Del Coco Dominical Doña Ana Drake Bay E El Rey Escondida Espadilla Esterillos Este Esterillos Oeste F Flamingo G Garza Grande H Hermosa (Guanacaste) Hermosa (Jacó) Herradura I Iguanita Isla Uvita Islita J Jacó Junquillal L Langosta M Mal País Manuel Antonio Manzanillo Matapalo Montezuma N Nacazcolo Naranjo Negra Nosara O Ocotal Organos Ostional P Panamá Pan de Azúcar Pavones Pelada Penca Piñuela Playas Del Coco Playita Manuel Antonio Pochote Portete Potrero Potrero Grande Prieta Puerto Caldera Puerto Soley Puerto Viejo Punta Guiones Q Quepos Quizales R Rajada Roca Loca S Sámara San Josecito San Miguel Santa Teresa Sugar Beach T Tamarindo Tambor Tivives Tortuga V Valor Ventanas W Westfalia Z Zancudo (Yellow Beaches with Surf Information)

Puntarenas

This little village near the tip of the Peninsula Nicoya has beautiful beaches, welcoming residents, and plenty of hotels. It wasn't always like this though.

Once a remote fishing village, Montezuma gained popularity in the 1980s and early 1990s with younger Gringo travellers who enjoyed both the beautiful surroundings and the laid-back atmosphere. Accommodations were very cheap, and the village became a party beach on the Costa Rican part of the Gringo trail. In fact, there seem to be more gringos than locals in town (which one reader nicknamed Gringolandia).

Montezuma remains one of the most popular destinations on the coast, and many people like to stay for at least several days (which is a good way beyond the hippie-frat-party aspect of the place) to enjoy not only the beaches and village, but also the nearby nature reserves and various activities. Readers fall into two groups: those who absolutely love the place, and those who claim that there are too may tourists. If you want a remote little coastal village to get away from other travellers, this is not the place for you.

To get to Playa Montezuma beach, one has to drive around the Peninsula of Nicoya on gravel roads: Nicoya - San Pablo - Jicarol - Playa Naranjo - Paquera - Cóbano - Montezuma, or take the Paquera ferry-boat from Puntarenas and continue from there: Paquera- Cóbano- Cabuya- Montezuma. If you are already in the Nicoya Peninsula you can take the route.

Montezuma is part of the Gulf of Nicoya. Rivers and streams crisscross the wide but rocky beach, which extends eastward to the solitary and beautiful Cocal, Cocalito and Quizales beaches, and westward to the Cabo Blanco Strict Nature Reserve. All of these coastal sites possess very special features and can be explored on foot mainly at low tide.