So Much for Mass Tourism

With a nearly 2 billon dollar tourism industry and an estimated 1.9 million foreign tourists a year (2007 figures excluding domestic tourism) there is almost 1 visitor for every 2 locals in Costa Rica. So needless to say, i didn't really expect any alone time as i headed to one of the more popular backpacker beaches in the Pacific coast, Montezuma. But sometimes even i'm surprised.

It may forever remain a mystery where only the left socks go. But i think i've found where all the hippies went in case anyone was looking. Well maybe not all the hippies, but a healthy herd none-the-less. Before the Costa Rican tourist explosion, that opened the flood gates to the hungry masses, the village of Montezuma was a "cool" place. The kind of place where everyone knows everyone and finishes every sentence with the word "Man" or "Dude" or "Bro". The kind of place where you can't remember if you've showered this week and dreadlocks are an official requirement for town membership. The sort of place where people say "Screw all you 9-5 drones, I'm doing my own thing, Dude! I'm selling jewellery on a beach just like everyone else. I'm different, Man!"

Even with the exponential increase of tourism in the small village, it hasn't lost none of it's charm. It's still a super laid back place with the faint sense of special herbs in the air that Colonel Sanders never thought of using in his "special" spices. But the town isn't the really people are coming here. Without question the beach is the star here. And not just 1 but a happy little quintet of beaches looking to make up their own boy-band. The best part of being in Costa Rica for the rainy season is at least one of these beaches is completely empty at any given time. There's a killer rip tide, so it ain't great for swimming, but it's wild and wonderful and reminds me of Tofino, Canada. Except there are palm trees instead of firs, monkeys instead of bears and both air and water are 20 degrees warmer.

Even if it's raining, which it tends to do in a rain forest, there are other things to keep you occupied. There's plenty of wildlife to see and even more to hear lurking in the trees and shoreline. That's usually something guidebooks write if there is nothing more interesting to do. But the animals here are unique and easily identifiable as "tropical". Howler and white faced monkeys, squirrel and birds (it's cooler than it sounds). There are even a couple of waterfalls to check out, some with a pool for swimming. Plus there talking to the "locals", just practice saying "dude" and "man".

Montezuma is not usually the kind of place i like, but if you manage to find the right accommodation, and there's plenty of choice, then i say this hippies magnet of a beach can be quite pleasurable. Remember... No Shirt? No Shoes? No Problem!! Pura vida, dude!