I always consider going over to the Nicoya Peninsula to be a Costa Rica adventure. I feel as if I am entering some strange, exotic and remote area. And indeed there are places over there that do fit that bill. But it is also home to some gorgeous beaches, fantastic boutique resorts, super waves and lots of natural beauty. It is certainly worth consideration if you are trying to figure out what to do on your Costa Rica vacation. You see, the problem with Costa Rica is not finding something to do, it is choosing what to do from this overwhelming panoply of choices.

Once again, Costa Rica Guy comes to the rescue with this list of 10 cool things to do on the Nicoya Peninsula.

Cool Thing #1: Take the ferry

There’s more than one way to cook the goose and likewise to get over to the Nicoya Peninsula. You can take a water taxi from Jaco (pretty cool). You can drive up and around (long, but still cool). Or, you can take the ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera. The ferry is super cool. For one thing, it is relaxing. There is a bar (and for me, that’s always good). The views and photo opts abound. And once you get over to the Peninsula, you have a relatively short drive to places like Tambor, Montezuma or Mal Pais (relative, in Costa Rican terms). The ferry is cheap, but make sure to check the schedule, especially during busy periods.

2013 Ferry Schedule

Cool Thing #2: Or the bridge

Used to be that the ferry was the only real choice because driving meant having to go way north and then come back down. But that was until the generous government of Taiwan decided to build us a bridge over the Tempisque river. I believe it is the largest bridge in the country. Driving over this way isn’t too bad and very scenic. You will pass through some cool places. It is also the preferred way if your Nicoya destination is Samara beach, or points northwards such as Nosara. Stop and have a cold one at one of the “chicheros” (little bars) that are ubiquitous across the Costa Rican landscape. They are one of my personal joys of traveling in Costa Rica and a cool way to get cultured.

Cool Thing #3: Stay at Ylang Ylang in Cool Montezuma

Montezuma is one of the coolest little beach towns in the country. It has a decided bohemain (maybe “hippy” is a better word) flare to it. Some even refer to it as “Monte-fuma” as you will find that “Montezumians” (tourists and locals alike) do like to take a toke once in a while. The area offers a gorgeous beach and tropical ambiance. There are many places to stay, but none quite as cool as Ylang Ylang. This place features cool bungalows right off a beautiful beach. To get there you generally have to walk down the beach (unless the hotel staff comes and gets you in their quasi-amphibious 4×4). I don’t know about you, but a hotel that I have to walk down the beach to get to, now that’s cool. The bungalows are super nice and their rates feature breakfast and dinner….also way cool.

Ylang Ylang Beach Resort

Cool Thing #4: Take a Panga to Tortuga Island

The Tortuga Island tour has been a popular one in Costa Rica for decades. From Puntarenas you can get on a big luxury catamaran, fully equipped with a wet bar and Jacuzzis. You’ll be doing the tour with a bunch of crazy Spring Breakers. Hey, it’s fairly cool, I’ll admit. But a far cooler way, is to take a little “panga” (small motorized boat generally used for fishing) with a couple of locals out to the island and have them cook up some lunch for you while you frolic on the beach or snorkel in the schools of brightly colored fish. You can do such a tour from a place like Montezuma, which is very close to the island.

Cool Thing #5: Yoga at Nosara

Nosara is Costa Rica’s yoga mecca. It features many Yoga focused hotels and is home to the Nosara Yoga Institute. So if you are in to the ohms, then Nosara is probably a place you will want to consider.

Nosara Yoga Institute

Cool Thing #6: Surf!

Surf on the Nosara Peninsula is damn cool. The entire coastline is littered with great breaks. Top choices include Santa Teresa, Mal Pais and Nosara. I especially like Nosara for its consistent and usually medium-sized waves with long super fun rides (a long-boarder’s dream). The coastline of the Nicoya Peninsula was surely handcrafted by God for surfing exploration.

Cool Thing #7: Stay at Punta Islita

Another one of those super sustainable, yet ultra-luxurious boutique resorts that Costa Rica is famous for. You can even fly into the airport there, as the drive is a little harrowing. You will also enjoy The Islita Art Museum, which is the flagship of Hotel Punta Islita’s sustainability model. This innovative program pairs established Costa Rican artists with local counterparts, transforming Islita village into a living museum featuring colorful murals, installations, and sculptures.

Punta Islita Sustainable Resort

Cool Thing #8: Cultural Tour at Isla de Chira

Another really cool thing to do is a stay over at the Posada Rural la Amistad eco-lodge on Isla de Chira in the Golfo de Nicoya. This rural tourism opportunity was established by local women to promote tourism to the island and a better quality of life for the islanders. Spend the days biking around the island, take a boat to explore the mangroves in search for the rare salt-water crocodile, go searching for Piangua clams, visit the local artisan shop where women help support their families by making jewelry from local materials, and learn how to fish with traditional hook and line (bring back your catch for dinner). All really cool stuff.

La Amistad Isla de Chira

Cool Thing #9: Nature Tour of Curú Wildlife Refuge

Costa Rica’s first established private wildlife refuge, Curú National Wildlife Refuge and Hacienda is located on the southern end of the Nicoya Peninsula. The area is teaming with abundant wildlife and hosts one of the most beautiful beaches and protected bays on the Nicoya Peninsula. In the refuge you can find species such as diverse as white-faced monkeys, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, scarlet macaws, white-tailed deer, collared peccary, coati, raccoons, coyotes, iguanas, and hundreds of species of tropical and migratory birds.

Curú Wildlife Refuge

Cool Thing #10: Hike to Montezuma Waterfall

I already mentioned above the coolness of this place called Montezuma. Well, wouldn’t you know it, but there is a waterfall too. The hike to the fall is an easy 30 minutes. It is gorgeous and a great place to plunge in for a cool swim.

It is hard to write these lists and not feel remorseful about the things that I neglected to mention. But I am trying to pare them down to a manageable level. If I tried to list all the cool things to do on the Nicoya Peninsula, or any of the other cool places in Costa Rica for that matter, these posts would go on and on forever. Yes, Costa Rica really is that cool!

Post by CRG

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