Things to Do in Montezuma

A myriad of adventure sports awaits travelers to Montezuma: canopy tours zoom above the treetops, boat excursions ply the turquoise waters, and hiking trails provide unforgettable escapes into nature. Because of the area’s tranquility and isolation, every excursion brings an opportunity to view Costa Rica’s enchanting wildlife.

 
Explore Montezuma on our travel blog

Air Activities:

Canopy Tour
Montezuma’s exhilarating canopy tour zooms through the rainforest, passing by several tumbling waterfalls. It features nine cables and eleven platforms, covering 3,937 feet and ending at the Montezuma Falls where visitors can stop for a refreshing swim. Read more about Canopy Tours

Superman Canopy Tour
This tour is much like the regular canopy excursion in that participants glide through the air via zipline. What sets this adventure apart is the Superman-style harness, allowing guests to lie on their stomachs with arms outstretched. Thrill-seekers soar parallel to the ground, like super heroes, across a single cable 2,280 feet in length.

Land Activities:

ATV Tours
The best way to explore Montezuma’s beaches and back roads is on an all-terrain vehicle. They are fairly inexpensive to rent for a half or full day’s solo adventure, but consider hiring a guide to show you the best trails in the area. A notable tour includes an exhilirating ride from Tambor to La Florida Waterfalls in Montezuma.

Bird and Wildlife Watching
Cabo Blanco Reserve and Curu Wildlife Refuge are not the only guaranteed bird and wildlife watching spots. Even stumbling around downtown Montezuma can provide opportunities to see fascinating creatures such as red and yellow river turtles, vine snakes, Jesus Christ lizards, bare-throated tiger herons, motmots, and magpie jays.

Massage
Treat yourself to a long, relaxing massage in one of the town’s day spas. An extensive treatment menu includes Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, and somatic bodywork.

Hiking
Cabo Blanco Absolute Reserve offers some good hiking trails, but Montezuma’s most popular path leads to the beautiful Montezuma Waterfall. The hike is at times steep and strenuous, but only lasts about 30 minutes each way. Wear sturdy shoes, as there are several fun river crossings en route. There have been reported injuries from jumping off the 80-foot falls; heed local advice and stick to swimming in the pools below. Keep in mind that the nearest clinic is miles away in Cobano.

Horseback Riding to El Chorro Falls
Horseback riding to this waterfall takes about two hours there and an hour and a half back. El Chorro is one of the few freshwater falls that empties directly into the ocean. Tours leave daily at low tide.

Mountain Biking
Explore the area’s paved roads and nearby towns in style on a mountain bike, available for rent in downtown Montezuma for $10 per half day and $15 per day. Unfortunately, it is impossible to take these bikes near the water, as they are not beach combers and sand will clog the gears.
 
Shopping
Shopping in Montezuma is addictive. There are a number of wonderful hippie shops, colorful tattoo parlors, and homey mom and pop stores located downtown. Street vendors set up shop at various times of the day, selling handmade crafts, from macrame jewelry to coconut candle-shells. 
 
Yoga
Relax the body and the mind with Montezuma’s enlightening yoga classes. Many studios are located on spacious outdoor pavilions, just a stone’s throw away from the Pacific Ocean. Classes run $12 for a one and a half hour session, but prices drop if bought in packages of 10 or more.

Water Activities:

Kayaking
Kayak tours around Montezuma beach and out to Cabuya Island are soothing and fun. Sometimes dolphins, sea turtles, and whales glide by, seemingly posing for photographs. A fascinating mini-whirlpool near Cabuya Island is well worth the trip.

Day Trip To Cabo Blanco Island
Along Cabuya’s main road sits a little red house that has the freshest raw fish and seafood in town. The family who runs the operation is incredibly friendly, offering boat and fishing tours to the nearby bird island of Cabo Blanco. They also take visitors past a bubbling underwater whirlpool, and all around the reserve. Fruit, water, snacks and fishing supplies are included in the affordable rate.



Day Trip to Turtle Island (Isla Tortuga) 
Isla Tortuga offers some of the most phenomenal snorkeling and scuba diving in Costa Rica, and this day trip should not be missed. A 45-minute boat ride departs from the main beach at Montezuma, and passes El Chorro waterfall, allowing glimpses of dolphins along the way.

Once you reach the island, you’ll find crystal clear waters, colorful fish and other interesting sea life. Above ground, parrots, peccaries and monkeys inhabit the island’s palm-fringed beaches. A gourmet barbeque with beer and soft drinks is served before another round of snorkeling and the scenic boat ride back to the mainland.

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving
Snorkeling and scuba diving at Isla Tortuga and at Curu Wildlife Refuge are unforgettable experiences. A wide variety of fish, moray eels, turtles, lobsters, octopus, and sea urchins inhabit the area. PADI certified instructors offer SCUBA certification classes on Turtle Island.

Sport Fishing
Inshore and off shore fishing excursions are offered on comfortable 26 to 35 ft. boats. Guests are in the hands of experienced captains who know the best spots for big game fish. Common catches include yellow and black-fin tuna, red snapper, grouper, striped and black marlin, snook, and mahi mahi. Anglers have the option of cooking their catch on the boat (or sampling the freshest sushi in town), or saving their prize for later. Read more about Sport Fishing in Costa Rica.

Surfing
With a decent south swell, Playa Los Cedros offers surfers an impressive right point break. While not as consistent as nearby Santa Teresa, surfers can catch this break on either side of high tide, but should look out for the area’s many jagged rocks.

Seasoned surfers are better off trying their luck at the nearby beaches of Santa Teresa and Mal Pais. Buses run to Cobano frequently, and from there it is a 20-minute ride to Santa Teresa and Mal Pais.


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