4 Must do unique activites in Montezuma Costa Rica

Wheter you are doing a day trip or full week vacation to this sceneric beach town you are going to love it! Montezuma is the perfect place for travellers who enjoy the laid back vibe of coastal beach towns. I visited Montezuma for the first time in 2022 on a two week long vacation and needless to say I fell in love with the place. Now over a year later I am living in Montezuma and decided to gather my top picks for activities to make your vacation in Montezuma unforgettable!

1 Snorkel and enjoy the white sand beaches in Tortuga Island

Starting off strong with one of the absolute crowd’s favorites: day trip to Tortuga Island. This picture perfect island is located in the Southerneast coast of the Nicoya Peninsula which is accessible by boat from Montezuma beach. Boat ride from Montezuma to the Tortuga Island is roughly around 50 minutes.

On the way to the island, few stops are made to show more of the beauty and richness of the Costa Rican nature and also to hear more about the history in the area. If you are lucky, you might spot a group of dolphins jumping next to the boat or a friendly hello from the humpback whales of the area.

Once arrived to the Tortuga Island area, your tour company will take you snorkeling to two unique spots close to the main island. Here you have the chance to explore the most amazing wildlife under water such as: many different kinds of tropical water fish, starfish, sea turtles, eagle rays, octopuses and even whitetip reef sharks!

After a few hours of snorkeling you head back to the main island where your tour company provides you a delicious lunch followed by freshly brewed coffee with the Costa Rican coffee maker called chorreador. Rest of the day you have free time to enjoy the beautiful white sand beach and crystal clear waters of the island while sipping on piña coladas straight from a pineapple! What could possibly be better than that?

I have already done a few day trips to Tortuga Island and I still just can’t seem to get enough of this beautiful excursion.

Tour companies operating Tortuga Island day tours from Montezuma:

• Blue Line https://bluelinecostarica.com/
• Zumatours https://zumatours.com/
• Cabo Blanco Travelers https://www.caboblancotraveler.com/

I have had such great experiences with doing my tours with Blue Line, so personally I can more than recommend booking with them! Their tour guides, captains and chefs do such amazing work to make sure the clients get to have the most special day for their vacations. And no I am not getting paid for this, just wanted to give a shoutout to this 100 % local and hard working company!

2 Hike to the Montezuma Waterfalls

Montezuma waterfalls is probably the most famous activity of the town, so it is a must do when visiting here, and its also completely free! Many people come to Montezuma for a day trip from surrounding towns and cities just to hike these waterfalls, and for a good reason!

Montezuma waterfalls consist of three different waterfalls which are all hikeable. The entry to the hiking path is a little less than 1 kilometer from the main street of Montezuma town, so about 10-15 minute walk away. If you are on the road by car or ATV, there is a parking lot next to the start of the hiking path.

On your hike to the first waterfall, you will be crossing a small river with wet rocks above the surface, so make sure you wear shoes that are not too slippery for this type of nature. The hike to the first waterfall will take about 15-20 minutes. The first waterfall is the biggest and the most popular one as well. After a sweaty hike it is the best feeling to dive into the refreshing fresh water of the waterfall. If you are up for it, you can continue hiking up the hill to reach the next waterfalls.

I recommend going to the waterfall as early as possible to beat the crowds because it can get very busy during the early afternoon, especially during the high season from December to March.

3 Take a surf lesson in Playa Grande

Now, this is also one of the top things to do while in Costa Rica which is SURFING! Wheter you are a beginner or a pro, you can find incredible waves suitable for your surfing level in Playa Grande. Playa Grande is a beautiful beach located about 20-30 minute walk to the Southerneast from Montezuma. There are few surf schools operating from Playa Grande. You can either book a surf class with them or rent a board and go by yourself. I would highly recommend booking a surf class especially if you are beginner and even if you are a skillful surfer already because there’s nothing bad getting a few new good tips from the local surf instructors!

Surf schools offering lessons in Playa Grande:

• Surf school By The Wave https://www.surfbythewave.com/
• High Tide surf school https://hightidesurfschoolcr.wordpress.com/
• Nicoya Surf https://nicoya-surf.com/

4 Swim in the breathtaking bioluminiscence at night time

Last but definitely not least, the magical tour of bioluminiscence. This is something that should be in everyones’ bucket list because it is that amazing. This tour kicks off from Montezuma and takes you to the beautiful beach of Playa Muertos in Tambor Bay. Boat ride here takes about 20-30 minutes and while you enjoy the amazing scenery of Costa Rican coast line, you might be able to see some wildlife also! If the tide is high at the time you arrive to Tambor Bay, it is possible to enter by boat in the estuary of Pochote to see some more of the impressive nature that Costa Rica has to offer.

Once upon arrival to the beach, you will be greeted with fresh drinks and snacks provided by your tour company to enjoy the sunset. After the sunset it is time to get to the best part of the tour: bioluminiscence! Your tour company will take you by boat to a sheltered part of the bay to observe the bioluminscence safely. You also have the chance to jump in the water and admire the bioluminiscence first hand, which I would definitely recommend. Swimming in the bioluminiscence really makes you feel like you are in the Avatar movie! The peacefulness of the calm ocean and a sky filled with stars makes the experience even more magical.

Here were my top picks for adventurous days in Montezuma! Hope you find something that caught your eye and will be added to your list for Costa Rica. Keep enjoying and exploring!

Pura vida!