Most of the roads between the bigger cities are not paved and make for a slow, bumpy ride. The way to Montezuma is no exception. The views are incredible. Driving through the lush green mountains, you can look through the clouds over miles and miles of valleys. There are a number of ways to get to Montezuma. You can come down from the North (Nicoya, Libera, Nicaragua) via car or you can take a ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera and then drive for a short time to Montezuma. Don’t waste your time in Puntarenas — there is nothing to do or see there. The ferry isn’t cheap but will save a lot of time if you’re coming from central Costa Rica. Make sure you check the schedule of ferries. You will need to wait in a line of cars before boarding. While you are in line, the locals may come up to you and offer to give you advice and/or food and drink for a price. It is a sad scene to watch, but it is to be expected in some of the more touristy spots. The ferry ride is quick (about an hour and a half) but there are some beautiful views. Once across the strait in Paquera, you can drive to Montezuma.
Montezuma is unlike anything you’ll ever see. The penninsula is very different than central Costa Rica. So much so that you may feel like you are no longer in Costa Rica. It’s almost as if you are on an Island in the middle of nowhere. In Montezuma, there is one main road and a couple of other road that intersect it. You can walk from one end of the town to the other in about 5 minutes. It’s a surfer’s town for sure. It seems like there were people who came here many years ago to visit and just never left. There are also a few crazy people, who look like they’ve been here for 20 years without a shower, shave, haircut, or change of clothes. They talk to themselves, talk to us and others, laugh a lot, and smoke a lot. The owner of the Hotel Lys is an older Italian guy who spends all day in a hammock watching the Discovery Channel on an LCD flat screen TV. He doesn’t move. Quite lethargic. He also forbids Imperial beer in his hostel because the black hawk on the front resembles the black hawk of the German military during WWII. The guy at the desk is an American who definitely looks like he moved down here to surf. The hotel is about 100 ft from the beach, with the waves crashing on the surrounding rocks. It’s a really beautiful place, but really doesn’t feel like you’re on Earth and certainly not connected to any civilization. The only thing that makes one realize that he is still on Earth is the number of American tourists here. There aren’t a ton, but it seems like the only people here are locals who own shops and Americans who are visiting. It isn’t really a ‘functioning’ town.
A very nice restaurant called Cocolores is on the other side of the town — about a 10 minute walk from Hotel Lys. The restaurant is known for its Ceviche, which on Dutchman says is the best in Costa Rica. Be careful eating the seafood in Costa Rica. While delicious, be skeptical of its freshness. Visitors, including myself, are prone to get food poisoning. There are a lot of small cafes around that offer good meals throughout the day. Be prepared to spend a lot more on lodging and food here than in the central part of the country. It’s remote and touristy, thus more expensive.
Things to see: There is a very nice waterfall down the road. It is the main attraction here so most people will be able to point you in the right direction. The sunsets are unbeatable. Also check out the monkeys that hang out around the town. They bite and aren’t supposed to eat bananas, but that doesn’t stop Americans from getting withing a dangerous distance.
Hotel: $10/night
Food: $8-$15
Tags: Ceviche, Costa Rica, Montezuma
Leave a Reply