Montezuma

Montezuma is a quick 30 minute ride from where the ferry drops you off on The Nicoya Peninsula. This intimate beach town is set around a small cove, with calm waters. This is one of the few places you can still enjoy decent meals at a good price on the beach or pay for a hammock as your bed for the night. There is a mix of small hostels and mom and pop hotels, and the number of luxury hotels in the area is on the rise. There is a very artsy atmosphere here with shop, hotel and restaurant owners from all over, with a European majority. The buildings are colorful and condensed to a very small area. If you continue past the center of town, you will find more hotels littered about and the entrance to a simple hike over a river to a beautiful swimming hole and a steep waterfall. Despite the easy access, you will feel as if you own the place, especially if you wake up early enough to beat the crowds.

At night the bohemian hippies come out to play at the two main bars in the village. On a recent visit, the town drug dealer and town cop seemed to be getting along quite well as a woman performed a fire show in the street and two rivals on ATVs pulled wheelies and mini races up and down the road.

If you are into early mornings, a tour company has set up a 1-hour water taxi that departs quite early to take you back to Playa Herradura, a few minutes north of Jaco for about $30 -- quite the time saver if you are on a tight schedule.