The Village and Around
It's Montezuma's atmosphere, rather than its activities, which draw visitors, and other than hanging out and sipping smoothies, there's not much to do in the village itself, Despite the inviting palm-fringed white-sand beaches, swimming isn't very good on the beaches immediately to the north of Montezuma - there are lots of rocky outcroppings, some hidden at high tide, and the waves are rough and currents strong. It's better to head north along the lovely nature trail (1.5km; 30min) which dips in and out of several coves before ending at Playa Grande . There's reasonable swimming here, decent surfing, and a small waterfall at its eastern edge; some people also come here to sunbathe topless or nude, though this isn't particularly appreciated by local people. Montezuma and its environs are laced with a number of waterfalls , the closest of which is about a one-kilometre walk down the road towards Cabo Blanco and then another 800m on a path through the dense growth (signed). Always take care with waterfalls, especially in the wet season, on account of flash floods , and under no circumstances try to climb them: many people have been injured - or even killed - in the attempt. Local tour operators lead horse-rides to falls that are otherwise difficult or impossible to reach on foot. Isla Tortuga , off the coast of the peninsula near Curu, is a popular place to snorkel, swim safely in calm, warm and shallow waters, and sunbathe. Local boatmen can take you there and back for quite a bit less than you'd pay with one of the "cruise ship" companies doing the run from San Jose or Puntarenas, although tours from Montezuma are less posh - drinks, for instance, may be included, although lunch is usually not. It's best to stock up on supplies in the village and ask the boatmen if they have a cooler you can use. The single most popular excursion in town, however, is probably to the Cabo Blanco reserve for a morning's walking. Although you can do this independently if you have your own (4WD) transport, most people take a tour. If you like mountain biking you could ride the 9km down to Cabo Blanco, walk the trails and bike back in a day. Mind the height of the two creeks en route, though, as you might not get through them on your bike at high tide.
Your Tip for Montezuma
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