A month ago we visited the country of Costa Rica for the second time.
In typical DBH fashion, this time, we made sure to try and discover a different part of the country. We were now headed to the Nicoya Peninsula to spend 48 hours in Montezuma.
Montezuma is a town in the Puntarenas Province which began as a remote fishing village and has since gained popularity among tourists and travelers alike. It is located along the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, 41 km southwest of Paquera and 8 km south of the town of Cobano.
Getting there is no easy task. We first landed in San Jose and made sure to rent a 4×4 from the best car rental company in Costa Rica, by far. Vamos Rent-a-Car. Make sure to rent a 4×4. A normal car will not get you all the way to the Nicoya Peninsula and we recommend driving as this is the best way to see the country and really immerse yourself.
From San Jose it was an hour and thirty minute drive to Puntarenas, where we boarded a ferry with our Vamos Rent-A-Car. This ferry can take you to two different towns. Paquera, and Naranjo. We made sure to take it to Paquera in order to make it down to Montezuma as quick as possible. The ferry ride is about an hour long and has a strict schedule. Make sure to click here to see the ferry schedule. If you miss this ferry, depending on the time, you may be stuck in Puntarenas, or possibly even find yourself arriving too late to Paquera and driving in the darkness all the way to Montezuma which I do not recommend.
We took the 2:00pm ferry. The drive was rough but amazing! We drove through farms, small towns and even made friends with a horse on a pasteur. We cant thank Vamos Rent-A-Car enough for providing us with this transportation. It was a life saver, and not that expensive compared to rates from their competitors.
After a little more than an hour of driving, we finally made it to our hotel in Montezuma, Ylang Ylang Beach Resort. I cannot stress enough how amazing this resort was. There is no other place in Montezuma where you can be as secluded and still have the best hospitality money can buy. Truly five stars.
Being Montezuma’s only Tropical Resort located right on the beach, there is no other place to relax. This hidden retreat is everything you need once leaving the madness of the urban cities of Costa Rica.
The bungalow’s here are very spacious and comfortable. They come equipped with warm water and air conditioning. Don’t forget theres also a shower outside so you may wash yourself off after coming from the beach!
Finally, the staff at Ylang Ylang Beach Resort was on top of every little detail and most importantly, the restaurant was amazing. That first night we made sure to eat at the Ylang Ylang Restaurant and we were NOT disappointed. I recommend you order the fish, of course, as the fish is caught fresh, daily.
Waking up in Ylang Ylang was a treat as we finally had a chance to see this resort in all its glory. The views are nothing short of amazing. If you decide to go in March, like we did, we recommend waking up at 5:00am to watch the gorgeous sunrise.
After breakfast we were off to Montezuma Falls! The entrance to the falls are about a 20 minute walk from Ylang Ylang. Make sure to grab water on the way, and to wear a good pair of shoes. DO NOT WEAR FLIP FLOPS! To get to the waterfall you must hike for about 10 minutes from the entrance and the rocks are wet and slippery. Prepare yourself for a wonderful experience, this is a great place to spend an afternoon. You can even jump from the rocks.
We started getting a little hungry so we wanted to head back. On the way back to town, we stopped by B-Bar, a local bar/restaurant serving amazing burgers. We tried a few different things here, but we definitely recommend ordering the burgers. And a craft beer of course!
After our wonderful meal, we walked around town for a bit and relaxed by the local beach right behind the restaurants in town. While you don’t get to see the sun set here, it is a great place to regroup and plan the rest of the night together with your friends. Lots of great photo opportunities too!
The next morning we were on to the second half of our 48 hours in Montezuma. This day we got up early to attend a surf lesson with the best surf school in Montezuma, Young Vision Surf School. Our guide Manuel took us along a 30 minute walking tour to the beautiful beach “Playa Grande”.
Manuel and his team were expert surfers. The lesson lasted about an hour and a half with a 10 minute break in between to hydrate and rest. Make sure to bring water! We made a huge mistake and forgot to bring water, so we were left to drink from warm coconuts.
That concluded our 48 hours in Montezuma. The town of Montezuma is a must-see! Please do not miss this place if you find yourself in the Nicoya Peninsula. We cant wait to go back and do it all over again.
Thank you to Ylang Ylang Beach Resort and to Vamos Rent-A-Car for making this all possible. Until next time..!
Photos by Carlos de Varona from Chromahouse.
What did you think of the 48 hours in Montezuma? Any other recommendations in Montezuma? Leave us a comment below!
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