Montezuma and Cabo Blanco

Cabo Blanco was established in 1963, before Costa Rica had a national park system at all, on the initiative of a Swedish and Danish couple who had settled at the tip of the peninsula and watched the forest being cleared around them; it is the country's oldest protected area and effectively the start of the conservation policy the country is now known for. It is small, about twelve square kilometres of regenerated forest running down to the sea, with a trail to a beach and a seabird colony offshore on the white rock the reserve is named for. Montezuma nearby has waterfalls behind the village and a countercultural reputation going back decades.

What you actually see

• Cabo Blanco reserve - the country's first protected area, from 1963.
• The trail to the beach - through regenerated forest to the shore.
• The Montezuma waterfalls - a chain behind the village, with pools.
• The seabird colony - on the white rock offshore.

When to go

December to April is the dry season. The reserve closes on Mondays and Tuesdays. The waterfall trail at Montezuma is dangerous after heavy rain. Getting here means a ferry crossing and a slow road, so allow a day either side.

Honest expectations

The Montezuma waterfall trail has a serious accident record: people climbing the wet rock beside the falls have died, and the upper falls should be reached by the proper trail rather than scrambled to. The road down the peninsula is rough and the ferry queues in season. Montezuma itself is small and its scene is not to everyone's taste.

Nearby

Santa Teresa and Mal País are on the other side of the tip; the ferry runs to Puntarenas.