From Montezuma an unpaved road continues to the small village of Cabuya, a very smooth dirt road running parallel to the seashore..... all the way to Cabo Blanco Absolute Reserve.
A very scenic experience!
Walk or hire a bicycle in Montezuma and spend the day along the shores of Cabuya.
On the way to Cabuya you can stop at one of the many secluded beaches for a quick swim or better still.....take a refreshing dip by the small estuaries of the two rivers you will cross along the way: Rio Miguelon and Rio Lajas.
Bring along your binoculars, the area is a bird sanctuary!
Cabuya is also known for its little island that can be reached by foot in 5 min. on low tide. The island is the village cemetery and also the home of hundreds of birds, mostly cattle egrets. During the dry season the island is one of the best snorkeling spots of the Nicoya Peninsula.
There is also a minibus "buseta" service running four times a day from Montezuma to Cabuya and Cabo Blanco Absolute Reserve.
Cabuya map...click here
From the notes of a resident.....
"......the reserve, the sea, the island of Cabuya, its rolling hills, the colorful flowers, the wild life, offer the visitor a true natural delight. Horse riding, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, bike, kayaking, surf board rentals are amongst some of the many activities available in Cabuya and in the nearby villages".
You can hike the wonderful trails of the area ... visiting several waterfalls, beaches and natural pools or be lazy on your hammock by the beach.... keep away from the noise.... dine in a typical restaurant by a fresh water pool or spend a crazy night in nearby lively Montezuma .... bank in Cobano (where you can also find supermarkets, a gas station, car mechanics, a clinic and a pharmacy) or ask the friendly locals to provide fresh fish for you, nothing is impossible!!! You can get fresh eggs, fruits and and poultry too. Elvin, known by the locals as Vin has the best fresh fish in Cabuya, he will also take you out fishing or for a boat tour to the place he knows best: the sea!
Visit Jenny's internet café and restaurant. While you wait for your meal to be served you can write an e-mail home about your Cabuya experience. Jurgen and Vicky will serve you a "fria"(beer in tico Spanish) at the one and only official watering hole "The Higueron" or generally known in Costa Rica as "La Cantina", the bar. They have satellite TV too so chances are that you can get a glimpse of your favorite super bowl team (except when a Costa Rican soccer team is playing!).
Across the road Doña Lila at her "soda" called "El Delfin de la luna" will keep your mouth busy with her local platters and your ears filled with the latest news of Cabuya.
The local minibus to Montezuma and Cabo Blanco stops right at this crossroad and if you just missed your bus then.....sit down, have a drink and snack and she will be on the alert to point out an eligible car or truck that will give you the "ride" you just missed. Do not forget in this case to offer your monetary contribution at the end of your ride; it is customary to do so among Ticos too!
There are also 3 grocery stores in Cabuya, the largest being about a mile before the Cabo Blanco Absolute Reserve offering a choice of local and foreign products.
Note that Cabo Blanco National Park is closed on Monday and Tuesday so take a walk or, better still, hire a horse and ride around the park perimeter taking the road (follow the sign) from "la cantina" up to the hills, round the Reserve and all the way down to Malpais.
Every fortnight or so on Sundays Cabuya gets very crowded at la "cancha de futbol" or "la plaza de futbol". Cabuya has a long standing tradition for soccer. It all started with an all women team some 17 or so years ago. The club then changed into a men's team slowly moving up to more important categories. A soccer game always gathers a nice "steaming" crowd where good local food, beer and the occasional goal are among the best ingredient to enjoy a "Domingo a la Tica".
"Pueblo pequeño, infierno grande!"
(Small village, big hell!) Edo Duzzi