Montezuma through American Eyes

By Noelle M. Steele

It took me four buses, two taxis and a ferry to reach Montezuma from my home in Santa Barbara, Heredia but it was worth the long ride.

For a North American journalist, every Costa Rican destination has a special story to tell. In Montezuma, with my two fellow travelers (also from the United States), I discovered a sleepy little town with locals who were ready to lend a helping hand with whatever I needed.

We stayed for three days in the Montezuma Pacífico Hotel, and in the room that cost $35 a night, we had everything we needed: two full size beds, a private bath, and air conditioning (a must in a town where the humidity feels like you’re breathing water). Free coffee and tea was also offered each morning.

An advantage for guests at Montezuma Pacífico is that the hotel owner, Carlos Chacón, is very accessible and quick to offer advice throughout your stay. First, of course, he told us that though we were “joven y bonita” young and pretty our room was ours and ours only; no visitors allowed.

Once we promised that we would be well behaved guests, Carlos was there for anything we needed. We could never get past him without him reminding us to wear our insect repellent or asking if there was anything he could do for us.

Understandably, much of Montezuma’s attraction to tourists is its beautiful beaches, one of which was just two minutes walking from our hotel.

The beach we visited our first morning was a white sand paradise, with waves perfect for playing in, regardless of your age. With few tourists, it provided an excellent opportunity to bask in the sunshine while getting to observe local activity. There was a family fishing for their supper off to one side, and much to my delight, I was shown where they were guarding the fish in water holes between the rocks that line the beach.

What was most interesting for me, however, was the man splitting open coconuts for his two children, who waited eagerly to drink the water inside. Being from a small town in the United States without a palm tree in sigh, I’d never tried coconut water before. I watched, fascinated, and minutes later, the youngest girl trotted across the hot sand to give me a coconut of my own.

I asked her if the sand was burning her feet, but she only laughed at my accent in response. Minutes later, she was back with two more coconuts, one for each of my companions.

Because there weren’t many people, the beach made for a relaxing afternoon. Before we headed in for the day, a man passing by suggested we visit the waterfall, just south of the beach. We put it down in the plans for the next day.

The following morning, Carlos gave us directions to the closest waterfall, and told us to eat a hearty breakfast before attempting the hike. We ate at Las Gemelas Restaurant, which offers great food at low prices. My breakfast, a plate of fresh fruit with yogurt and toast cost just $3, and the fresh fruit milkshakes ($2) were also excellent.

The journey to the water fall, which turned out to be a gorgeous 20 minute hike, much of which involved walking right through a river. Besides the teeth like rocks that we had to avoid, the walk through the jungle was beautiful. Though the waterfall hike isn’t recommendable for children, it’s perfect for the adventurous (and agile!).

Once we reached the water fall, we were greeted by a sign that warned against swimming anywhere near the 100 ft. cascade.

“No climbing or swimming,” it said. “People have died here.” Its frankness made us laugh, but we heeded the warning and enjoyed the view’s photography opportunity.

Once we had returned to the town, we checked out the local shops, which have a variety of souvenirs, though like in most beach towns, are pricey. If you enjoy window shopping, however, it’s a good time. In conclusion, if you’re looking for a romantic weekend away, or just an escape to a tropical beach, Montezuma is the destination for you.