Destinations
Montezuma: The Waterfall, the Jump, and the Enforcement Case
Guanacaste Experiences editorial team
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6 October 2026
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5 min read
Hero photo: Vlad Podvorny / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
In this guide
The falls are under a suspension orderThe deaths follow a patternWhat the town is likeThe boat nobody tells you aboutWhat else is within reachMontezuma sits 15 km and about forty minutes from Santa Teresa, at the bottom of a steep road, and it has the best-known waterfall on the Nicoya Peninsula. It is the standard detour from the southern peninsula and it is usually worth making.
Two things about the waterfall are missing from almost every "things to do in Montezuma" page, and both are current.
The falls are under a suspension order
On 20 July 2026 a SINAC inspection at the Montezuma waterfall — recorded in oficio CARTA-SINAC-ACT-OSRC-284-2026 — found land-use change over roughly one hectare, illegal logging, earthworks and damage to the water resource. The ACT regional director ordered a total suspension of the works and the case was referred to the OIJ.
The citizen complaint behind the inspection also reports that rocks have fallen onto the bank of the Río Montezuma beside the trail, below newly built gabions, and remain there partially obstructing it — and that the Municipality did not respond to a second warning.
We are not telling you not to go. We are telling you that the trail you will walk was the subject of an enforcement action two months before this was written, that part of it may be obstructed, and that you should look at the ground rather than assume somebody has signed it off. If it looks unstable where you are standing, it may well be.
The deaths follow a pattern
People die at this waterfall, and the mechanism is specific enough to be worth stating plainly: it is the jumping, not the swimming.
In the best-documented case, a man entered the water at the falls and did not resurface; the Cruz Roja de Cóbano located him at 12:30pm about 20 metres away and the OIJ recovered the body at 2pm. Reports differ on his age — one gives 28, another 22 — and one says witnesses saw him jump. The discrepancy is not resolvable from the published accounts, which is itself worth knowing when you read confident retellings online.
Do not jump, and do not climb to find somewhere to jump from
Plunge pools have submerged rock, variable depth and recirculating water, and all three change with rainfall. The upper falls are reached by scrambling, and that scramble is where people get into trouble before they are anywhere near the water. Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death among international visitors to Costa Rica — the safety guide has the wider picture.
For contrast: Llanos de Cortés near Bagaces has a roped swimming area watched by lifeguards and prohibits climbing under the falls. Montezuma has none of that. Both are waterfalls you can swim at; only one is supervised.
What the town is like
Small, scruffy in a way its regulars defend, and much quieter than Santa Teresa. A short main street, a beach that is better for walking than swimming, cheap places to eat, and a long-standing alternative streak — it has been attracting that crowd since well before the peninsula became fashionable.
It is a good half-day and a reasonable overnight if you want the peninsula without the scene. It is not a base for a week unless slowness is the point, in which case it is excellent. If you are weighing the southern peninsula against the Guanacaste side generally, our Santa Teresa and Nosara comparison covers the trade-offs.
There is surf, and it is gentler than the Santa Teresa strip. The listed two-hour lesson is from $73, and the operator states its instructors are certified lifeguards holding ISA Level 2 — which is the kind of thing worth checking anywhere you put a beginner in the water, and which most listings do not say.
The boat nobody tells you about
The most useful practical fact about Montezuma has nothing to do with the waterfall. There is a taxi boat that leaves Montezuma at 8:30am and reaches Herradura at 9:30am, with a shuttle on to Jacó by 10am, from $55. The same boat continues to Manuel Antonio by 11am for $80.
That matters because the alternative is driving around the Gulf of Nicoya, which takes most of a day. If your itinerary has the southern peninsula and the central Pacific in it, this hour-long crossing replaces a five-hour drive, and almost nobody plans for it because it is not on the route-planning apps.
What else is within reach
One-way driving estimates from Santa Teresa, by OpenStreetMap routing.
| Where | Distance | Drive |
|---|---|---|
Cóbano | 9.7 km | 27 min |
Montezuma | 15.1 km | 40 min |
Cabuya | 15.2 km | 38 min |
Cabo Blanco entrance | 15.4 km | 38 min |
Cabo Blanco is the one to pair with Montezuma. It was established in 1963 and began Costa Rica’s protected-area system, it is open Wednesday to Sunday only, and it is quiet by Costa Rican standards. Montezuma in the morning and Cabo Blanco after lunch is a better day than either alone — the day trips guide has the opening hours and fees.
See what else is near Montezuma
With honest drive times rather than routing-app estimates.
Is the Montezuma waterfall safe?
The swimming is ordinary; the jumping is what kills people. At least one documented death involved a man entering the water at the falls and not resurfacing, with one report saying witnesses saw him jump. There are no lifeguards. Separately, a SINAC inspection in July 2026 found illegal works at the site and ordered a total suspension, with a citizen complaint reporting fallen rock partially obstructing the riverbank beside the trail — so look at the ground rather than assuming it has been checked.
How far is Montezuma from Santa Teresa?
About 15.1 km and forty minutes by road. Cóbano is 27 minutes, and the Cabo Blanco reserve entrance is 38 minutes, which makes Montezuma and Cabo Blanco a natural pairing for one day.
Is Montezuma worth visiting?
As a half-day or an overnight, yes — it is quieter and cheaper than Santa Teresa, with the peninsula’s best-known waterfall and a long-standing alternative character. As a week-long base it only suits people who specifically want to slow down, since there is not much to do beyond the beach, the falls and Cabo Blanco.
Can you get from Montezuma to Jacó or Manuel Antonio by boat?
Yes, and it is the best-kept practical secret in the area. A taxi boat leaves Montezuma at 8:30am and reaches Herradura at 9:30am, with a shuttle on to Jacó by 10am from $55; the same service continues to Manuel Antonio by 11am for $80. Driving around the Gulf of Nicoya instead takes most of a day.
Is there surfing in Montezuma?
Yes, and it is gentler than the Santa Teresa strip, which makes it reasonable for beginners. A listed two-hour lesson starts from $73, and that operator states its instructors are certified lifeguards with ISA Level 2 certification — worth confirming wherever you book, because most listings do not mention instructor qualifications at all.
Sources
Facts in this guide were checked against these references on the dates shown.
Semanario Universidad (UCR) — "Autoridades ordenan paralizar construcción en catarata Montezuma" — Published 13 August 2026. A SINAC inspection of 20 July 2026, recorded in oficio CARTA-SINAC-ACT-OSRC-284-2026, found land-use change over roughly one hectare, illegal logging, earthworks and damage to the water resource at the Montezuma waterfall. ACT regional director Nelson Marín ordered a total suspension of the works and the case was referred to the OIJ. The filed citizen complaint also reports that rocks have fallen onto the bank of the Río Montezuma beside the trail, below newly built gabions, and remain there partially obstructing it, and that the Municipality did not respond to a second warning. (accessed 23 September 2026)
La Nación — "Joven de 28 años fallece ahogado en Cóbano" — Published 1 April 2015. A 28-year-old man from Grecia entered the water at the Montezuma waterfall and did not resurface; the Cruz Roja de Cóbano located his body at 12:30pm about 20 m away and the OIJ recovered it at 2pm. Teletica covered the same death, gives the age as 22 and says witnesses saw him jump; the discrepancy is not resolvable from either report. (accessed 23 September 2026)
Tropical Tours Shuttles — published route times and the Montezuma taxi boat — The Montezuma to Jacó taxi boat departs Montezuma at 8:30am and reaches Herradura at 9:30am, with a shuttle on to Jacó by 10am, from $55; the same boat continues to Manuel Antonio by 11am for $80. (accessed 23 September 2026)
OpenStreetMap routing via the OSRM public routing engine — One-way driving estimates from Santa Teresa: Montezuma 15.1 km/40 min; Cóbano 9.7 km/27 min; Cabuya 15.2 km/38 min; the Cabo Blanco entrance 15.4 km/38 min. Montezuma to Cóbano is 7.9 km/14 min. (accessed 23 September 2026)
Guanacaste Experiences — tour listings for Montezuma — A two-hour surf lesson in Montezuma is listed from $73 per person, with the operator stating its instructors are certified lifeguards and hold ISA Level 2 (International Surfing Association) certification. (accessed 6 October 2026)
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