Montezuma, Costa Rica is located on the southern shores of the Nicoya Peninsula. With jungles and hills creeping right up to the beaches, along with beautiful beaches, this is a popular place for Costa Ricans and international travelers to visit. Playa Montezuma, also known as Montezuma Beach, is the most popular spot for a good reason: it has white and soft sand. People will sunbathe on the sand, sleep underneath the palm trees, or swim in the water. It is also possible to surf at this beach, but the waves are typically significantly better at Playa Grande - a 1-mile-long (1.6 kilometers) beach.
Playa Grande is less than 1 mile (1 kilometer) away from the town of Montezuma. This beach is also home to the Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Romelia (called the Romelia Wildlife Refuge in English). It’s a turtle hatchery and sanctuary! Many sea turtles will nest along the shoreline for months. Furthermore, there are more than 120 species of trees, along with dozens of species of exotic animals. This wildlife refuge borders the Reserva Natural Absoluta Nicolas Wessberg (called the Nicolas Wessberg Natural Reserve in English). Unfortunately, the 150-acre (61 hectare) reserve is “absolute reserve,” meaning that no one except park rangers are allowed to enter.
4 miles (6.5 kilometers) to the south is the Reserva Natural Cabo Blanco (Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve). It covers a total of 7,560 acres (3,060 hectares), with 3,140 acres (1,270 hectares) of it being on land and the rest being marine. This nature reserve is home to the San Miguel Biological Station. There are 140 species of trees in this area; the reserve has both a dry and wet forest, increasing the amount of biodiversity in this small mountainous region. Furthermore, there are many monkeys, mammals, birds, and marine mammals (like orcas, fish, mollusks, and crabs). You can also book a hotel near the Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve, some of which are listed below.
Montezuma Waterfalls is just on the edge of the town of Montezuma, Costa Rica. The top waterfall is only 15 feet (5 meters) tall, but the tallest waterfall is 80 feet (24 meters) tall! You can jump into a pool from the top of a waterfall, or use a rope swing if you want to be safer. People have been injured after jumping from the waterfall, so I would not recommend doing it. The middle waterfall is 40 feet (12 meters) tall. I highly recommend going during the wet season - there is not much of a waterfall during the dry season, and the water can be very murky. The Riverbed Trail or the Canopy Tour Trail are the best ways to hike to Montezuma Waterfalls. El Chorro is another waterfall a few kilometers east of Montezuma where the waterfall falls off of a cliff onto a beach.
There are plenty of hotels and lodges in Golfito, Costa Rica, including many next to white beaches, some surrounded by dense jungles and forests, and others in beautiful towns nearby. The options listed below are separated by luxury, moderately priced, and cheap. Unlike some other towns in Costa Rica, there are dozens of great options to choose from. Prices can range from $30 to $150 a night during the wet season (May - November), and $40 to more than $225 a night in the dry season (December - April) if you are interested in the beautiful Aves Hotel Montezuma with a garden view. Some amenities include a pool, free breakfast, bars and lounges, a restaurant, a wonderful view of the beach and rainforests, a balcony, and much more!
Montezuma Hotels and Lodges - Luxury
Montezuma Hotels and Lodges - Moderately Priced
Montezuma Hotels and Lodges - Cheap
