Costa Rica: Spend a significant event in Jaco and Montezuma.
For my 40th birthday, I got the wild idea that I wanted to try surfing for the first time in my life. I had always heard that Costa Rica was a surfing hot spot that is suitable for beginners, and that it is also just a great place to visit. With that knowledge, I began looking into where I could take surfing lessons, do some inland excursions, and enjoy some time traveling in Costa Rica. As I started planning for the trip, my dad decided to come too, so we got to take a neat father/son trip to Costa Rica. These are some of my travel recommendations if you want to visit Costa Rica and spend some time in Jaco and Montezuma. This nine-day itinerary for Jaco and Montezuma includes waterfalls, crocodiles, surfing, snorkeling, monkeys, and more.
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Arrive in San Jose, Costa Rica and spend the night by the airport
Unless you find a flight that arrives early in the day in Costa Rica, you will probably want to spend a night in San Jose before beginning the trip to Jaco. The flight my dad and I found arrived after nightfall since the sun sets consistently at around 6:00 pm year-round in Costa Rica. Since it was already getting late, we ended up staying at the Hampton by Hilton San Jose Airport, which was quite enjoyable.
This is also where we stayed prior to our departure back to the US when our trip was over. They had a free airport shuttle, decent continental breakfast, good food and drinks for dinner, and what looked to be a nice outdoor pool. We did not have time to visit the pool on either end of our stay, but our rooms were nice, and the property was clean and well maintained. For your stay, you can find Hampton by Hilton rates and availability here.
Travel to Jaco and catch your bearings the rest of the day before taking in the beautiful sunset
The trip from San Jose to Jaco will take you around two hours depending on what day and time you make the journey. The actual time can vary since traffic backs up a lot when Crocodile Bridge is busy. This bridge over the Tarcoles River lets people view crocodiles from above, and the traffic on a weekend really backs up for a long way. There are multiple options for travel from San Jose to Jaco including taking a commercial bus, which is very cheap but makes many stops along the route. My dad and I took a private van that was arranged for us through Hotel Ibiza, which was the hotel where we stayed in Jaco.
Once we arrived in Jaco, we checked into our room and booked a crocodile river tour through the hotel concierge. You can find rates and availability for Hotel Ibiza here. We then spent the afternoon walking around Jaco, walking down the beach, and then settled into a restaurant for happy hour and to watch the sunset. If you like to have your expeditions planned before you even arrive at a destination, check out Tripadvisor’s top tours here. You can book waterfall tours, crocodile viewing tours, zip-line tours, ATV tours, horseback riding tours, and more.
Viewing the sunset and watching a local use a cast net to catch some baitfish for fishing
Sunset along one of the rivers that leads to the ocean
See crocodiles on a Crocodile Man River Cruise
One of the expeditions you can undertake while staying in Jaco is riding a boat up the Tarcoles River to see American Crocodiles. You can reserve this tour yourself from several sites, but my dad and I booked our tour through our hotel and got picked up from and dropped back off right at the hotel. The Tarcoles River has an estimated population of 2,000 crocodiles, so I thought we would see a lot of them on this tour.
We actually did not end up seeing all that many crocodiles, but some of the ones that we did see were massive and are thought to be over 80 years old. This is definitely a fun and family friendly tour that does not require much exertion of any type other than walking down the boat ramp and getting on the boat. If you have a few hours to spare while in Jaco, you should consider taking one of the river tours. You can book your Crocodile Man tour tickets directly through Tripadvisor here.
Taking the Crocodile Man Tour up the Tarcoles River
The heads on some of the crocodiles were massive
A couple of crocodiles just hoping a tourist falls out of the boat
This crocodile is estimated to be around 80 years old
Take the 10 hidden waterfalls and local cuisine tour
If you are in moderately decent shape and do not mind some physical exertion, you should take the 10 hidden waterfalls and local cuisine tour. If you read about this tour online, you might not get a fair understanding of how challenging certain aspects of the tour are. You will hike over 4.5 miles roundtrip through the jungle and will have to pull yourself up several stretches of rope climbs that run vertically next to the waterfalls. If this sounds like your kind of adventure, you will have an absolute blast. If this sounds like something out of your wheelhouse, I definitely recommend bypassing this trip for something easier.
My 70-year-old dad completed this hike with me, but he is quite fit for his age and always up for a challenge. We had some amazing guides on our trip that helped him out on the more challenging sections and who were also just really nice to talk with throughout the tour. To make reservations for this tour, you can find pricing and availability here. The tour finishes up at a local restaurant where you get a hearty helping of delicious local cuisine.
A few of the amazing waterfalls on the tour
Most of the waterfalls have pools at the bottom where you can swim and cool off
Another one of the amazing waterfalls along the tour
This waterfall even had a ledge below it that you could stand on and take a waterfall shower
Take surfing lessons with Tortuga Surf Camps
My main reason for visiting Costa Rica this time around was to take surfing lessons for my 40th birthday. I have been an avid scuba diver and snorkeler for a long time, but had never tried surfing, so I figured why not attempt to surf for my birthday. I was immediately humbled by how challenging surfing is and how physically demanding it is to try and catch a wave. Although I had a two-hour private tour, I honestly was completely gassed after 30 minutes. It was so much more challenging than I thought it would be. My private guide was great though and he kept giving me cues and encouragement to catch some waves and ride them. I wound up catching quite a few waves during my lesson but definitely realized I have to increase my cardiovascular capabilities if I ever try to surf again.
The company I used is slightly more expensive than some of the other schools in the area, but I quickly realized the extra expense was worth it. Some of the other companies let you pick what time you want your lesson to take place, but Tortuga Surf Camps actually tells you when the lesson will be based on tide levels and your level of surf experience. If I had booked another company, I would have selected a morning time for lessons and would have ended up taking lessons at low tide when there were not any waves. Tortuga Surf Camps takes ocean levels into consideration when they schedule your lesson, which is something I had not even considered when I decided to take lessons. To book a session with Tortuga Surf Camp, click here.
Stay in a cylinder room at Socialtel Jaco
One of the big drivers for me to go to Costa Rica and Jaco, aside from surfing lessons, was to stay in a super unique hotel for a couple of nights for my 40th birthday. I wound up discovering that Socialtel Jaco had some one-of-a-kind cylinder rooms that I decided I had to check out for my birthday. I left my dad to continue his stay at Hotel Ibiza while I checked into one of the cylinder rooms at Socialtel Jaco for a few nights. This was such an enjoyable stay. The cylinder rooms are very small, so the air conditioning unit is quite ample for keeping yourself cool.
This property has shared bathrooms and sinks, so you do have to walk to the closest restroom to brush your teeth and take a shower, but the cylinder rooms are so neat and quiet that it is definitely worth checking out for your visit to Jaco. They also have private rooms and shared dorms, so they are worth looking into even if the idea of staying in a cylinder room does not excite you as much as it did me. The property also features a beautiful pool, a reading library, a bar, a pizza kitchen, breakfast options, and oceanfront views. To check rates and availability of Socialtel Jaco click here.
My cylinder room on the bottom left of the photo was a great place to stay for a few nights
The room might be small, but it is certainly unique
The large ac unit might be overkill for the room, but it sure kept me cool while I slept
A look at the outside of the property at night
Hike up to El Miro
El Miro is the mansion/resort/something else that never was. I heard multiple iterations of what this abandoned structure was meant to be while in Costa Rica. Most of them revolving around a rich person building a beautiful building with a breathtaking view of the ocean and beach, but they passed away before it was complete and the construction was abandoned. Now it is a free to the public hike to see the ruins and the local graffiti that has accumulated since the building was abandoned.
It is a short but fairly steep hike to the ruins. I cannot imagine how difficult it was to get all the concrete and construction materials to the site to ultimately never complete the project. This place is definitely worth a visit, and the good news is that there is a brewery at the bottom of the hill, so you can grab a refreshing craft beer after making the trek to El Miro and back.
El Miro is such a cool abandoned site and the graffiti is really impressive
Another look at the double staircase at El Miro
A panoramic view of the main level of El Miro
One of the many impressive pieces of graffiti at El Miro
Travel to Montezuma aboard a water taxi
Once our visit to Jaco was over, my dad and I took a water taxi across the Gulf of Nicoya to Montezuma. The trip takes approximately one hour by sea and shaves off a ton of time if you tried to take a vehicle from Jaco to Montezuma. We booked tickets through Zuma Tours, which even included pickup from our hotel. This was especially convenient since the water taxi actually leaves from Playa Herradura north of Jaco and not actually from Jaco. One of the interesting aspects of the water taxi is that they do not pull up to a dock since there not any in the area. Instead, the boat crew hauls all of the luggage for the passengers out to the taxi and the passengers have to wade through the water to board the boat.
This is the same procedure in Montezuma as well since there is not a boat dock there either. You can book your tickets for the water taxi directly through Zuma Tours here. Montezuma is a completely different vibe that Jaco. Montezuma is very quiet, small, and surrounded by jungle. It is a great place to visit if you are looking for a more secluded and quieter beachfront town. When we departed Montezuma, we used a shuttle company to give us a ride to Playa Naranjo, where we caught the ferry to Puntarenas. The shuttle company then picked us up at the ferry terminal in Puntarenas and brought us to our hotel in San Jose. To book your ride from Montezuma back to San Jose, check out Tropical Tours Shuttles here.
The water taxi crew loading all the passengers’ luggage onto the boat
A block art installation along the beach reminding you that you are in Montezuma
Hike up to the waterfalls and do some cliff jumping at Cascada Montezuma
Once you arrive in Montezuma, one of the fun things you can do that is walkable directly from town is hike up to Cascada Montezuma. This waterfall is a relatively short hike from town and is very beautiful. The rocks and trail to the waterfall are quite slick and challenging in some places, so be prepared for some scrambling and to take your time walking across the slick rocks to reach the waterfall.
Once you are there, the falls are pretty breathtaking and offer all sorts of neat opportunities. The pool below the falls is deep enough to swim in and there are multiple areas where you can jump off some boulders into the pool. You can even swim behind the waterfall and hang out for a cool perspective of the area. The falls are very busy like many other attractions in Costa Rica, so do not expect a serene environment, but they are still worth the visit.
Go snorkeling and relax on the beach at Isla Tortuga
One of the expeditions you can do in Costa Rica from either Jaco or from Montezuma is take a boat to go snorkeling and hang out on the beautiful beaches at Isla Tortuga. The snorkeling tour takes you to two different stops that are really close to each other, and you get to spend around 45 minutes to 1 hour at each stop before heading to the beach for a delicious lunch and then getting some time to just relax in the surf or hang out on the beach.
On our way to Isla Tortuga, our boat saw a sea turtle and, on the way, back, we saw a few dolphins. Depending on the time of year that you visit, whale sightings are also possible in the area. While snorkeling, you can see a lot of different sea life including large schools of fish, possibly a moray eel, sea urchins, and all sorts of corals. To make reservations for the snorkeling tour from Montezuma, click here.
Some of the large schools of fish visible while snorkeling
A really neat tall ship was offloading passengers to Isla Tortuga
The boat ride to Isla Tortuga from Montezuma is also very picturesque
Stay at El Sano Bano Beachside Resort so you can also visit Ylang Ylang Beach Resort to swim and see monkeys playing in the jungle canopy
When you book your stay in Montezuma, I would absolutely recommend staying at El Sano Banano Beachside Hotel (click here for rates and availability). This place is a nice budget friendly hotel that has amazing breakfasts, delicious smoothies, and a great dinner menu. It was definitely a great place to stay for a few nights. One of the neat parts of staying at El Sano Banano is that you also get access to the swimming pool at Ylang Ylang Beach Resort, which is a sister property to El Sano Banano. It is a little bit of a walk to Ylang Ylang Beach Resort, but the walk along the beach is worth it.
The pool is very quiet and secluded and there are monkeys all over the place that you can watch playing in the jungle canopy while you lounge around by the pool. Watch your possessions, however, as the monkeys steal things that are left unattended. One of them stole a whole bag of potato chips from a lady who took her eye off her chips for just a few seconds. I did not see any howler monkeys while I was there, but I was told they also frequent the resort and make quite a racket. If you are not travelling on a tight budget, Ylang Ylang Beach Resort would be an amazing place to say as well. They have a spa for massages, private cabins, and beautiful suites. You can view rates and availability for Ylang Ylang Beach Resort here.
One of the many monkeys we saw in the canopy around the pool at Ylang Ylang Beach Resort
Some of the hammocks you can lounge in around the pool
The pool at Ylang Ylang Beach Resort surrounded by the jungle
The neat shower for rinsing off before getting into the pool
Take in some live music and watch fire dancers
On Thursdays and Saturdays, Montezuma hosts fire shows with live drumming at the town center. This fun event is free to the public, but you are encouraged to tip to support the performers. Food and beverages are also available for purchase at the show. As the fire show winds down, there is a DJ or live band that keeps the beats going for a couple more hours into the evening. I did not know about these events prior to getting to Montezuma, but I am glad my stay lined up with one of these performances, because it was quite enjoyable to experience.
If you go to Costa Rica:
Staying in San Jose
If you do not have an early arrival into San Jose, you should check out the Hampton by Hilton San Jose Airport. They offer a free airport shuttle, have an on-site restaurant and bar, and a swimming pool. You can find rates and availability for the Hampton by Hilton here.
Staying in Jaco
I would recommend staying at each of the places my dad and I stayed at. If you are on a mid-range budget, you should check out Hotel Ibiza. This property has two swimming pools, breakfast options, a poolside bar, and a concierge that can help you book many tours and expeditions around Jaco. You can find rates and availability for Hotel Ibiza here. If you are staying on a low budget and want a unique hotel experience, the cylinder rooms at Socialtel Jaco are some of the coolest rooms I’ve ever seen.
Even if you do not want to stay in the cylinder room like I did, this property also offers shared dorms and private rooms with either a shared or private bathroom depending on your budget. To check rates and availability of Socialtel Jaco click here. If an all-inclusive resort is more your vibe, there is also a Best Western in Jaco that offers all-inclusive stays. You can check out rates and availability here.
Staying in Montezuma
In Montezuma, I would suggest looking at the El Sano Banano Beachside Resort. This resort is just a short walk from where the water taxi drops you off on the beach, so you do not need to carry your luggage very far or take a taxi to another property. El Sano Banano also offers live music certain nights of the week, has breakfast, lunch, and dinner options and allows you to use the pool at their sister property Ylang Ylang Beach Resort.
If you are looking for a resort more off the beaten path and at a higher price point, then you should also consider staying at Ylang Ylang Beach Resort. This property was absolutely beautiful and nestled between a pristine shoreline and a jungle backdrop. You can find rates and availability for El Sano Banano here. For rates and availability at Ylang Ylang Beach Resort, click here.
