In June 2013, we met a couple in Atlanta and the discussion turned to our mutual love of travel. We were trying to decide where to spend a nine-day break for Mauricio's birthday. They offered to rent us their second home in Cobano, Costa Rica. We were up for an adventure and jumped at the chance. Three weeks later we landed in Liberia.
The Nicoya Peninsula — the road to Montezuma
After four hours of driving on mostly dirt roads, we found the property tucked into the trees. Our location was remote and a perfect place to unwind — inside the jungle hills, with rambunctious spider monkeys, but very close to the water. We found beaches where there wasn't a soul in sight. At others, people had set up makeshift bars where you could buy a cold beer.
We were about a 20-minute drive over some mountains from Montezuma — with some exciting moments on flooded dirt roads.
Beaches with nobody on them — a different kind of vacation
Montezuma is considered the happening place in this part of Costa Rica, full of surf camps, fishing villages and yoga retreats. It is not your run-of-the-mill vacation spot. You have to want to go there.
It's a good three-hour drive from anything related to Liberia. But a great steak doesn't care how remote the location is — and Cocolores proved that. Click the photos below for the reviews.
Cocolores · Montezuma, Costa Rica
Habanero · Playa Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
Explore more of our steak journey across the Americas — or follow the full adventure on ReviewTrip
Originally published 2018 · Redesigned 2026