Playa Quesara near Montezuma

Our travels to Cabuya, Montezuma, Santa Teresa, and Mal Pais began with one of the most entertaining means of transport in the country: the Puntarenas Ferry. The hour-long journey departed from the shores of Puntarenas, passing by seagulls and stunning vistas en route to the Nicoya. The three-tiered boat boasted three distinct atmospheres. The lowest level was quiet, the middle somewhat social, and the highest an all out party – complete with music, dancing and plenty of beer flowing.

Horseback to El Chorro Waterfall

After disembarking, we began the drive to the tranquil town of Cabuya. It was so sleepy that Vincent and I might have thought we had stumbled upon a ghost town had we not found signs of life at the hotel. The beach was a bit rocky, but immaculate and inviting, and the sunset proved to be a stunning affair of orange and purple lights playing on the horizon. Cabuya’s cemetery is found nearby on an island just offshore, which I found to possess an otherworldly feel.  At low tide I bravely walked across the sandbar and explored the deserted graveyard solo.

Our next stop was the hippie community of Montezuma, one of the most popular beach towns in Costa Rica. Here we rode horses for four hours (round trip) to El Chorro Waterfall, which empties directly into the Pacific Ocean. Back downtown, yoga classes were held in an outdoor pavilion overlooking the ocean, and the local butterfly garden rivaled Atlanta’s gigantic Callaway Gardens in beauty. Curu Wildlife Refuge provided opportunities to get up close and personal with motmots, monkeys, deer, and even baby raccoons, and a snorkeling trip to Isla Tortuga unveiled a rainbow of wildlife just under the surface of the sea.

Snorkeling at Tortuga Island

The highlight of the trip was the quad tour beginning at Tambor and ending at La Florida waterfall, near Montezuma. Here I fell in love with a machine called the All Terrain Vehicle (ATV). The guide let me zip his lightning fast jet ski around Bahia Barrigona, which was quite an adrenaline rush.

At the sister towns of Santa Teresa and Mal Pais, I took a surfing class among some of the best waves in the world. It was hard to keep my eyes off of the professionals long enough to focus on my own improvement. Toward the end of the week, I had my first experiences with kite surfing, and later on with acupuncture.

Amazingly enough, I accomplished all of this in one week. Have a look at my adventure blogs for photos and details:

Day 1: Liberia to Puntarenas to Cabuya
Day 2: A Montezuma Horseback Ride
Day 3: Butterflies and Yoga
Day 4: Cabuya Cemetery and Curu Wildlife Refuge
Day 5: On an Island in the Sun
Day 6: Frowning on a Waverunner
Day 7: Montezuma Waterfalls and Cafe Buen Provecho
Day 8: Surfing and the Sunset
Day 9: Cabo Blanco Reserve and the Beach
Day 10: Tadpoles, Surfing and Yoga
Day 11: Kitesurfing at Playa Hermosa
Day 12: Pins and Needles