The Nicoya Peninsula boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica. The southern part of the peninsula especially has a reputation for both gorgeous beaches and fewer crowds. This is due in part to the effort it takes to reach this region, but it is definitely worth it!
Santa Teresa and Montezuma, while relatively close together, each have a very different feel. Santa Teresa is on the far side of the peninsula, while Montezuma is on the closer side of the national reserve that occupies the corner of the peninsula. Santa Teresa is basically one very long stretch of gorgeous white sand beach where you can walk for miles. The waves there are perfect for surfing, if not as much for swimming. The town is spread out all along the main road along the coast, meaning there are plenty of beach side hostels and restaurants, though getting between them without a car or a bike can be tiring. The sunset from the beach is absolutely stunning though, you don’t want to miss it.
Montezuma has a much more hippie/bohemian vibe to it. The town is concentrated in a much smaller area, with plenty of restaurants, shops, and people selling handmade jewelry and knick-knacks. There are several beaches in the area, most being smaller coves and inlets rather than one long beach. In addition to the beaches, Montezuma has some nice waterfalls for a short hike/refreshing swim. There are events nearly every night in town, with live music and open mic nights at a restaurant called Organico. I stayed at a hostel a bit outside of the town directly over the ocean, which was absolutely incredible. It was called Proyecto Montezuma (no, I’m not getting a commission, I just really loved this hostel). It was a very peaceful and relaxing spot, but still not too far to go into town at night. I liked that nearly everyone I met (including locals) made me feel very welcome in the town and took time to talk to me. That can be a bit rare in touristy places.
Most of my time in Montezuma I spent just enjoying the beach, waterfalls, and overall vibe, but I did also take a bio luminescent plankton kayaking tour that was pretty cool. The tour actually leaves from Paquera, where there is a phenomenon among the plankton in the ocean that causes them to produce a bio luminescent glow at night. It was awesome to see.
I enjoyed both Montezuma and Santa Teresa. I did feel they were less over-crowded than some of the other beach locations I’ve been to in Costa Rica. Part of the fun in having to take a ferry to reach the peninsula is the feeling of remoteness and just getting away from it all.
Montezuma and Santa Teresa take a little effort to reach. If you’re headed from San Jose or from the south coast, your best bet is to head to Puntarenas to the ferry port. You’ll want to take the ferry for Paquera, a town on the southern part of the Nicoya peninsula. The ferry runs several times throughout the day, but if you want to get a bus directly from Paquera to Montezuma or Santa Teresa, the last ferry you should take is the 5p.m. (buses don’t meet the 8:30p.m. ferry).
Once in Paquera, there will be buses headed for Cobano and Montezuma. If you’re headed for Santa Teresa, you’ll need to get off the bus in Cobano and switch to a bus headed for Mal Pais and Santa Teresa. There are no buses direct from Paquera to Santa Teresa. Similarly, for getting between Santa Teresa and Montezuma, you’ll always need to change buses in Cobano.
If you’re trying to get from the north part of the Nicoya peninsula to the Montezuma/Santa Teresa, there are currently no public buses that run this route. The options are to arrange a private shuttle transfer (there are companies offering this but for a steep price) or to rent a car, though the roads in this area are notoriously bad.
Santa Teresa:
- Don’t miss the sunset! It’s spectacular every night as the entire beach faces westward. You can walk for miles along the beach or perhaps grab a drink at one of the multiple beachfront bars.
- If you’re into surfing, Santa Teresa is the place for you. Good waves, an open coastline, and plenty of surf shops make it easy to enjoy the days surfing.
- Choose the location of your hotel/hostel carefully. Santa Teresa is very spread out, so unless you rent a bike, it takes a lot of time to get between areas. You’ll probably get most familiar with the area right around your accommodations so take a look at what is nearby before you book.
Montezuma:
- Unlike Santa Teresa, Montezuma doesn’t have just one broad coastline, but rather pockets of pretty sea coves. Make sure to get out and explore some different ones as they all have a unique charm.
- The Montezuma waterfalls are worth a visit (and they’re free!) though be warned that in wet season the path to reach them may be impassable.
- There is a lot of live music and events happening nightly in the village – it’s worth dropping into Café Organico on Monday nights to catch the open mic night – a mix of locals and tourists performing.
