Montezuma, Costa Rica

The popular beach resort of MONTEZUMA lies about 40km southwest of Paquera, near the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. Some three decades ago, a handful of foreigners seeking solitude fell in love with Montezuma and decided to stay. In those days it was just a sleepy fishing village, largely cut off from the rest of the country. Today Montezuma draws tourists galore, including backpackers, spring-breakers, honeymooners and tour groups. Virtually every establishment in town offers gringo-friendly food and accommodation and sells tours. Nevertheless, Montezuma still feels like a village because large-scale development has been kept to a minimum – and it's still a bit of an effort to get here.