Best spots to surf in Montezuma, Costa Rica

Surf Montezuma Spots !

What is it like to surf in Montezuma, Costa Rica?

Well, let’s start with its location: Montezuma is located on the tip of the Nicoya peninsula facing 270 degrees of open ocean, the Pacific Ocean. Montezuma and its neighboring town Cabuya, are part of the same coastline. And the beaches of Montezuma and Cabuya face south, which means that:

1. During the rainy season (May through November) there are bigger waves in Montezuma and Cabuya because we get the waves coming from The South, and
2. There are surf-able waves all year round in Montezuma

Where to surf in Costa Rica?

If you are a beginner, you want:

1. A big sandbar, as it’s important to be able to wade out and catch the lines of whitewater at the beginning, and
2. Knee to waist-high water.

Playa Grande in Montezuma has it all and more to start to Surf in Costa Rica. Playa Grande is a super beach break, perfect for beginners. There is one headland on each side of the beach resulting in no strong currents, because the swells break way offshore. Playa Grande in Montezuma also has a big and solid sand bar, and plenty of whitewater, up to 60 meters or 200 feet approximately.

But that’s not all. There are also good days for intermediate and advanced levels of surfing in Playa Grande. In fact, many schools from the Nicoya Peninsula come to Montezuma and Cabuya to teach intermediate and advanced levels of surfing. One good tip is that when the waves get big in Playa Grande -the waves tend to curl/close so it’s best for whitewater, but when the waves are big in Playa Grande, that’s when you want to go surf in Cabuya, because that’s when the point break waves start there. And when the waves get too small in Cabuya, there are for sure good waves to surf in Playa Grande. There is always sunshine and waves to surf in this area.

Best Spots in Costa Rica

The surf in Costa Rica, and especially in Montezuma, is great for a couple of reasons: one being that there are surf-able waves all year round, and the second is that driving on the beaches in Montezuma is not allowed. This translates onto a less exploited, less crowded and more preserved beaches. To surf in Playa Grande, which is a natural reserve, you need to walk there for about 15-20 minutes (which is worth it, since you get to see the diverse and amazingly beautiful landscapes that Montezuma, Costa Rica, has to offer).

Thanks to Nicoya Surf for the insight! And here is a tides chart you can use to start planning your surfing!

Ready to book your trip? Grab your Montezuma Essentials checklist, book your surf lessons through our Directory page.

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The Ultimate Montezuma Beach Essentials Checklist

As you’re packing for your trip to Montezuma beach, Costa Rica, don’t forget these essential items. This is a list of absolute must-haves, from the basics (like swimsuits and books) to beach essentials.

1. Best mineral sunscreen

2. All-terrain sandals or water-shoes to explore

3. Natural mosquito repellent

4. Sunglasses & hat

5. Flashlight

6. A good pair of sneakers to explore more

7. Sarong (multi-functional)

8. Rain jacket / poncho (May through October on the Central Pacific of Costa Rica)

9. A couple of swimming suits,1 long dress, 1 short dress, a couple of shorts, 3-4 T-shirts. Pack light and stick to cotton & linen!

10. Reusable bag for shopping and your own water bottle to refill.

11. A good book / journal / camera

 

That's it. This is the absolute Montezuma Beach Essentials.

Montezuma is a tropical paradise full of paths to hike (intensity medium to high) and rivers to explore (also medium to high intensity).

In Montezuma Beach, Costa Rica, the sun rises around 5.20am and sets around 5.30pm and it gets dark early.

To discover all the amazingly magical spots Montezuma has to offer, you’ll need to hike, explore and in some parts even climb. The temperature, on this corner of Costa Rica, varies between 30°C to 40°C, so comfortable and light outfits are a must.

The supermarkets in Montezuma, Costa Rica do not have plastic bags to hand out (yes, a huge environmental success!) and we encourage tourists to refill their water bottles instead of buying plastic bottles.

The book/ journal / camera will allow you to disconnect from your phone and everything it represents. After all, wasn’t it the reason you traveled all the way to Costa Rica? It’s sad to see couples and families all dining “together” but each one glued to the screen of their devices, missing the gorgeous natural beauty of Montezuma.

Grab your Montezuma Beach Essentials checklist

Grab your Montezuma Beach Essentials checklist, book your trip and come explore this gem of Costa Rica in a new and more sustainable way!

Montezuma: a place to disconnect & reconnect!

Discover the 10 best activities in Montezuma

Diving in Montezuma

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Are you looking for activities in Montezuma ?

Here we present to you some of the best activities you can do in Montezuma. Montezuma is located on the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, facing the Pacific ocean where numerous rivers, creeks and waterfalls make their way from the jungle to the sea. In other words, Montezuma is surrounded by and cut through with water, and this strategic location offers a wide range of things to see, do and experience.

What are the best activities and attractions in Montezuma?

LIST OF THE 10 BEST ACTIVITIES IN MONTEZUMA

1. Surfing
2. Fishing
3. Sun-soaked beaches and beautiful rivers
4. Hiking
5. Zip-line
6. Butterfly garden
7. Diving
8. Volunteering
9. Birdwatching, whale watching
10. Yoga and Wellness

1. Surfing

Montezuma was the first surfing spot in the peninsula, and is one of most common activities around here. For beginners, a good beach to start is Playa Grande, or a couple of beaches close to Cabuya. For the experienced surfers Los Cedros beach is a great option.

Photo credit: Esmeralda Donovan

2. Fishing

Artisanal fishing is one of the most common activities in Montezuma and Cabuya. Going through the beach and carefully choosing your perfect fishing spot is in itself a meditation.

There are also sport fishing tours available for the more experienced and adventurous fishermen.

Photo credit: Montezuma Life

3. Sun-soaked beaches and beautiful rivers

What makes Montezuma different from any other place is the vast number of rivers and creeks you will find here, and the fact that in every beach on this side of the peninsula you will always find a nice shade under the trees or palm trees. Just be careful not to lay directly under a “loaded” coconut tree. Besides walking or tanning, there are a lot of activities you can enjoy at these paradisaical beaches: from volleyball (at the new volleyball court), soccer (also a new addition), or even participate in one of the massive and fun beach cleanups organized by the community.

4. Hiking

If hiking or running are your activities of preference, you will love this place. You can hike through the beach from Montezuma to Cocalito waterfall (2 hours each way), passing by the Romelia Wildlife Refuge and the Nicolas Wessberg Absolute Natural Reserve, or you could walk or run from Montezuma to Cabuya, which is about 7km (4 miles). For a more challenging hike you can go to the Cabo Blanco National Park, the first national park created in Costa Rica.

Another good hike is the one to the famous Montezuma Waterfall, some people say that swimming in the Montezuma falls rejuvenates you. And for those training hard, there’s the many hills through Montezuma and Delicias, and from Cabuya towards Malpais.

5. Zip-line

Flying through the canopy is always a beautiful and fun experience, and it is definitely one of the more fun activities in Montezuma to do with the whole family. The Ziplining Tour takes around 1.5h.

From above, you get to see the Montezuma jungle in all its splendor.

Photo credit: Zuma Tours

6. Butterfly garden

Another great plan for families. One of the most relaxing and beautiful activities in Montezuma.

There you will learn a lot about the life and cycles of the butterflies. Fascinating!

Photo credit: Montezuma Gardens

7. Diving

For divers and ocean lovers we have good news. From Montezuma you can access great diving spots. You can rent the equipment in town or book a guided diving tour. For experienced divers, the rainy season is the best time to do it because there is a lot more sea life to see. 

Diving is for sure one of those activities you try! And you could even get your CMAS certification in Montezuma!

Photo credit: Montezuma Crew

8. Volunteering

There are a few volunteering programs where you can make your contribution and learn about conservation of the environment and wildlife: ASVO, WidSun, and Romelia Wildlife Refuge.

Either for a couple of days or even weeks, you will learn a lot from the different activities that the volunteers get to help with among turtles, monkeys, macaws, parrots and squirrels.

9. Birdwatching, whale watching

Costa Rica holds 5% of the world’s biodiversity, and Montezuma, certainly, has been privileged with an amazing and abundant flora and fauna. Therefore, Montezuma is a true paradise for birdwatchers. As for the whales, between December and April the whales from the Northern
hemisphere visit Costa Rica, and from July to November we have the whales from the Southern hemisphere. 

And the turtles! During November-March, you can see the leatherback see turtle, and from July to February you can spot the The olive ridley sea turtle, among other species. ASVO, in an effort to create awareness about the importance of protecting sea turtles, makes it a public event the baby turtles release at the beach.

Photo credit: Costa Rica Guide

10. Yoga and Wellness

Montezuma offers spectacular landscapes and peaceful places. It is, above all, an ideal place to reconnect with yourself and with nature. You can come to Montezuma and do yoga everyday at the many different yoga places throughout town and combine it with other activities of your liking such as Spanish, surf, Zumba or belly dance lessons, and delicious spa treatments. Or you could enroll in one of the many yoga retreats offered in Montezuma to find direction and inspiration, or to heal your body and soul.

Photo credit: CirqueTrainCation

In conclusion, Montezuma is a small beach town with endless possibilities for happiness and wellness. Read more information about tour operators of these 10 best activities in Montezuma.

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April 21, 2021. Adhering to a strict sanitary protocol and with a strong conviction to turn Montezuma into a sustainable tourist destination, several community organizations carried out this Thursday, April 22, a campaign to clean up rivers and beaches to commemorate World Day from the earth.

The activities began at 8:00 am with the cleaning of all the beaches and rivers between the communities of Playa Grande in Montezuma to the Rio Lajas in Cabuya. 

The activities ended at noon with a lunch for participants as well as an official presentation of the Sustainable Montezuma strategy. This strategy was promoted by the Montezuma Integral Development Association. We also had the support of the CRUSA Foundation, within the framework of its Rediscover Costa Rica program. This particular program supports the economic recovery of tourist communities in the country.

During this activity, the first Eco-turtle certification was delivered to ASADA Montezuma, for its excellent work in caring for the water resource in the area.

All Montezuma tourist businesses and services were invited to participate in this program to obtain their award Ecoturtles for the application of sustainability criteria in their operation.

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Guided by a dream, Nicolas Wessberg and Karen Morgensen left their birth countries of Sweden and Denmark in 1954 and arrived in Montezuma after living in several countries in America looking for the place they dreamt of. In 1963, they developed the first protected area in Costa Rica, establishing the Cabo Blanco Natural Reserve. Raising the first $ 30,000 needed to purchase the land took the Wessbers three years, with the support of environmental organizations from Sweden and Denmark. Because Doña Karen Olsen de Figueres, wife of former President Don Pepe Figueres, and Karen Mogensen were both born in Denmark, they established a great friendship and this resulted in the partial funding of the beginnings in environmental conservation.

Some felt their economic interests were threatened by the conservation actions and this is why Don Nicolas met his death in 1975, during the initial land purchase for the creation of the Corcovado National Park. His assailant has never been found.

Doña Karen’s economic situation was very precarious even though a lot of money was channeled through her management to support the Cabo Blanco Absolute Natural Reserve.

She converted her little house in the center of Montezuma into a place of lodging. She rented her two rooms while she slept on a bench in the back of the house in the storage area because the Local Government began to charge her hundreds of thousands of colones for her farm.

Before Karen died in 1994, she put all her efforts to leave the farm that they called home as a heritage of absolute conservation, in the hands of the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE). The Nicolas Wessberg Absolute Natural Reserve was established in his honor after becoming one of the first martyrs in nature protection. Her life legacy was to make sure that the extraordinary richness of the biodiversity that is enclosed there was not disturbed.

Karen’s dream, in 1963, is today a wonderful reality that provides Costa Rica with invaluable natural wealth and also a source of economic resources.

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Conceptual development
Indigenous symbols of the region were the inspiration to generate the typeface that represents this magical town in an artisanal way.

The Colors
Montezuma is colorful. From warm orange sunrises through intense red and purple, expressions of the bohemian culture, to the vibrant greens and turquoise of the jungle and the ocean.

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Welcome to Montezuma. Whether you are already here or planning your visit, there is always something to look forward to doing in this slice of paradise. Montezuma, located on the southern coast of the Nicoya Peninsula, is known for its scenic landscape and bohemian beach vibes. The town’s remote location makes it the ideal getaway to disconnect and tune in to the abundance of flora and fauna surrounding the area. Here you will find a fun-filled, 3-day Itinerary that will give you an experience of a lifetime and fill your wildest travel dreams.

Day 1: Hike the Waterfalls

Featured in most influencer hashtags and travel blogs on the area are Montezuma’s cascading, three-tier waterfalls. This waterfall consists of several falls and swimming holes to enjoy all year round. The main entrance of the waterfall is located about 1 km away from the center of town. There is a parking lot and free access to a hiking trail where the river flows into the ocean. After a 20 minute hike through the jungle across the river, you will find the first and tallest fall. This is an easy to intermediate skilled hike depending on water level and season. During the rainy season, the water tends to have lower visibility due to the movement of silt through the river. Therefore, if you visit Montezuma during the rainy season, be aware of flash-flooding at the waterfalls and avoid visiting them after heavy rains. 

You can swim in the refreshing pools at each waterfall or continue your hike up to the top two falls. It is a wonderful place to spend the morning or afternoon cooling off from the sun. While visiting the falls, you will have the opportunity to admire the wildlife and mingle with locals. Then, head into town afterward for a few drinks, a nice meal, live music, and shop along the Artisan’s row. 

Day 2: Go Surfing

Montezuma and its surrounding areas are home to some of the best surf spots in the country. The town offers several options for renting surfboards or booking a surf lesson with an instructor. Next, take a nice walk along the coast through a protected nature reserve leading up to Playa Grande. This trail cuts through the jungle and beaches. For the extra adventurous types, you can continue walking past Playa Grande to the El Chorro waterfall, a natural fall that drops down a cliff into the ocean. On your way back, you may even be able to catch baby turtles making their way into the ocean outside of ASVO, the local turtle conservation project located in Montezuma. Baby turtles are released each day between 3-4 pm and open for public viewing most of the year.

Day 3: Take a tour of Tortuga Island

Tortuga Island, famous for its white-sand beaches and clear waters, is one of the most popular places on the Nicoya Peninsula. Many local companies offer tour packages that directly leave Montezuma Beach and include an all-day experience with boat rides to the island, food, drinks, snorkeling, and more. Once you arrive on the island, there is a multitude of activities to relish in such as; renting kayaks, jet-skis, or banana boats, playing beach volleyball, petting a wild pig, hiking up the mountain to explore the trails, eating and drinking at the oceanfront restaurant, souvenir shopping at the gift shop, swimming in the crystal waters, or relaxing on the beach. The tours return to Montezuma around 4 pm, leaving plenty of time to enjoy your last night in town. You may even stumble upon a fire show and drum circle put on by local town artisans.

The magical town of Montezuma is filled with spectacular sights and a plethora of fun activities. Our suggested itinerary includes just a few of our favorite things the area has to offer. And if 3 days is not enough, don’t let it stop here. Take your time to further connect with the community and explore the environment. We invite you to extend your 3-day stay to check out the endless beauty and adventures Montezuma has to offer. There is something new to discover here each day, and Montezuma is waiting for your arrival!

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