Muy Tranquilo in Montezuma and Tortuga Island

Coffee plantation on the way to Jaco
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Montezuma is a beautiful oasis on the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica. It's a short trip from Jaco, which, in turn, is a short trip from San Jose. Most people enter the country through San Jose and if you only have a few days' vacation like we did, Montezuma is the perfect way to relax in this gorgeous country.

Everything about Montezuma reflects the Pura Vida ("Pure Life") slogan of Costa Rica. The "Ticos" you meet here are very relaxed and there is a definite sense of community. Our taxi driver to Jaco, once we all got over our mutual distrust of one another, was happy to discuss his impressions of the country, his life history, and explain in detailed Spanish how to make one of his favorite Costa Rican dish. My Spanish is at a Lower Intermediate level, so I had to work hard to identify what he was talking about, but my husband, Zach, was able to translate a lot for me. It was a great way to be introduced to the beautiful country and we got to see a lot of nice countryside on the way. Halfway to Jaco, we stopped at a small coffee café overlooking a vast valley of coffee fields. It was a great view, with the green sloping hills and the clouds and fog floating over the serene landscape.

I've been on a LOT of beaches and this was by far the closest I have come to my version of paradise.

A church in Montezuma
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Once we got closer to Jaco, we couldn’t help but be slightly depressed about the many billboards advertising land for sale. They were in English because most of the Costa Rican land it being bought up by enterprising gringos who convert the beautiful property into condominiums for retiring Americans. This is one very frustrating aspect of paradise being so close at hand. As a traveler, it was important for me to express to the Costa Ricans I had a chance to talk to that I didn’t approve of this and that I recognized the uncomfortable situation they are in. How can they pass up all this money? This is a huge challenge many people in Central America face…cheap land and gorgeous scenery draws much-needed foreign investment, yet this puts their culture and environment at stake. Luckily, the government is trying to preserve as much space as they can in order to reduce the environmental impact that all this building creates. My concern is that Ticos will become a minority in their own country!!

On the boat ride to Tortuga
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Once we got on the boat to Montezuma, though, we were surrounded by open water with not a billboard in sight, so I was able to momentarily put these musings aside and just enjoy my vacation. The tour boat ride from Jaco was slightly terrifying because of the choppy seas and blazed skippers, but we made it to shore safe and sound (albeit a little sore from gripping the bottom of our seats for dear life). We were more than a little wary when these same men took us snorkeling later in the week, but by then we were relaxed enough to go with the flow. The boat ride took about an hour and we got to the peninsula before dark, as we had jumped on the last boat of the day.

Tortuga Beach
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It was pretty easy to begin our search for the right hotel, as they are all clustered a short walk from the shore the boat dropped us off on. There are a number of nice places to stay on the peninsula and we looked at a few before settling in. We weren't as willing to rough it as we usually are, as this was such a short break from our busy LA lives, so we opted for one of the nicer options at $60 per night (Hotel Aurora). If you want to be on more of a shoestring budget, we found sparse rooms for as cheap as $15. You won't find Southeast Asia prices as plentiful in Costa Rica, but it is still a steal compared to any Western vacation.

A bending palm tree in the palm grove on Tortuga Beach...fun climbing for my monkey husband!
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Our trip's goal was to relax, so we spent most of our time on the beach or in the cafes. The beaches here aren't as gorgeous as we expected, but the water was clear and nice. The best beach at Montezuma is Playas Las Manchas, which is about a twenty-minute walk from the main drag. If you need a cool drink after your swim, there is one cafe in the area owned by a German couple and you can get some drinks and European food here (although Tico food is so delicious, you won’t be craving anything from home). It's very quiet and nice place to relax for the day, away from the majority of tourists. The walk is nice, on a paved road through a canopy of trees with Tico homes hidden in the lush vegetation.

Jaco Beach
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The most beautiful beach I have ever seen in my life was a short boat ride away at Tortuga Island. If you do anything while you are at Montezuma, you MUST go to Tortuga. It is gorgeous! No one actually lives there, but each day different companies bring their boats of tourists to have a meal, snorkel, Jet Ski, and relax. We went with Cocozuma Tours and had a great time and a delicious lunch of fresh BBQ fish, potatoes, soda, and Imperial beer! After snorkeling, we enjoyed swimming in the crystal blue water and sunbathing on the white sand beach. I've been on a LOT of beaches and this was by far the closest I have come to my version of paradise. Just be careful about getting what you paid for. The whole thing is a steal at $35, but we were supposed to snorkel twice in the day and they only took us once. It had become cloudy and we personally didn't care to go again, but make sure to ask them if you want to!

Strange sight in the middle of the ocean on our way to Montezuma from Jaco...the sailor was on his cell phone, but his companions, of course, were not!
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In the actual town of Montezuma, there isn't much to do, although there are a number of really great cafes and a few that sell tasty cocktails. There is also a market where you can stock up on snacks and beer for the day. In terms of shopping, you will find a number of kitschy souvenirs, but nothing that will make your heart stop. Your best bet is to check out the handmade silver jewelry at the artisan booths set up on the main drag. There is one store that does sell books and many hotels have a book trade. For spa treatments, many hotels offer these services, but they aren't Thailand cheap. For adventure seekers, there are plenty of activities, such as horseback riding and canopy tours. All of the tour companies include deep-sea fishing and naturalist excursions, as well. If you have time, you should check these out, as adventure activities are what Costa Rica is known for.

The rocks and tide pools at Plyas Las Manchas, the best beach in Montezuma
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Our favorite place to go for breakfast was the Hotel Montezuma. It has the best view of all the cafes, since it is situated right on the main beach where all the boats come in. They make a toasty breakfast (we especially enjoyed the omelets and crepes) and have a full bar. For drinking, we tended to go right next-door, where the prices were a bit cheaper and selection greater. Most of the places have some sort of happy hour special, although it's not going to be on the best drinks (think screw drivers). The best "sodas" (traditional Costa Rican meals) were at Soda Naranja. The food was delicious and affordable, with great service and a relaxed family atmosphere. Their meats were incredibly tasty and the beans and rice were, of course, delicious. Each day they seemed to have a unique special, so check out their board outside. Right next door is a tasty dessert place that has a lovely indoor air-con relaxing room as well as a nice outdoor seating area. Homemade ice cream and vegan/non-vegan treats to suit everyone's needs make this a nice stop after a long day traipsing about the town!

Again, my favorite palm from Tortuga
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Sano Banano Cafe is really nice and has natural/organic foods, but expect to pay more. You can't beat their tables for people watching, especially at night when the town's old men drink beer, play guitar, and sing. In fact, one such evening was probably the cultural highlight of my trip because of a surreal impromptu performance by a man who was clearly the town drunk. I had seen him wandering around for a few days, smelling of alcohol and very unkempt and dirty. He often had muttered to himself as he strode down the beach and his eyes glared at anyone who dared to glance at him. He looked like Leo Tolstoy. Anyway, I was sitting at the Sano Banano and all of a sudden, this man, accompanied by a local, burst into beautiful operatic song for over half an hour. He performed, directing flirtatious glances to the women sitting around the tables and ignoring the cats and dogs of the town that ran around his feet, as if they were dancing to the music. When his performance ended, everyone burst into applause—which he deserved—he was quite talented!

Our nice hotel, Hotel Aurora, just off the main drag in Montezuma
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It was after this concert that I realized that being on the tip of the peninsula, while relaxing and fun, had been a bit too touristy for me. Since I was on a vacation, not a backpacking trip, I was OK with that, but five days of sun and cerveza was enough for me and I began to long for a more unique cultural experience. I wanted to see the REAL Costa Rica. As a backpacker, I'm not accustomed to "vacations" so much as "journeys." If a journey is your goal, you won't see the real Pura Vida here, as Montezuma is designed for people who are getting away for a few days to enjoy themselves. The Ticos live and keep to themselves and there won't be many opportunities to have cultural exchanges beyond general trade.

The main road in Montezuma where all business is conducted.
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What we wished we'd had time for was a trip into the interior of the country, to Arenal Volcan. It is an active volcano that apparently has great hot springs and awesome lava night views (although these can be tricky to always catch). It sounded great and was recommended to us by tourists and Ticos alike...our taxi driver said that it is where he takes his family for vacations. So, I suggest that you add that to your trip and maybe we'll see you there when we go back!