Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Soda Marvin
SODA
(mains US$4-10; 7am-9pm; )
Here's your local family-run
soda
, offering all your Tico favorites. Non-meat-eaters will be
surprised and delighted by the excellent vegetarian
casado
, but there's also seafood pasta,
fish fajitas, filling breakfasts and ever-important, strong, dark coffee. You'll find this de-
lightful place set under a thatch roof across from Super David.
Reserva Natural Absoluta Cabo Blanco
Just 11km south of Montezuma is Costa Rica's oldest protected wilderness area. Cabo
Blanco comprises 12 sq km of land and 17 sq km of surrounding ocean, and includes the
entire southern tip of the Península de Nicoya. The moist microclimate on the tip of the
peninsula fosters the growth of evergreen forests, which are unique when compared with
the dry tropical forests typical of Nicoya. The park also encompasses a number of pristine
white-sand beaches and offshore islands that are favored nesting areas for various bird spe-
cies.
The park was originally established by a Danish-Swedish couple, the late Karen Mo-
gensen and Olof Nicolas Wessberg, who settled in Montezuma in the 1950s and were
among the first conservationists in Costa Rica. In 1960 the couple was distraught when
they discovered that sections of Cabo Blanco had been clear-cut. At the time, the Costa
Rican government was primarily focused on the agricultural development of the country,
and had not yet formulated its modern-day conservation policy. Karen and Nicolas, as he
was known, were instrumental in convincing the government to establish a national park
system, which eventually led to the creation of the Cabo Blanco reserve in 1963. The
couple continued to fight for increased conservation of ecologically rich areas, but, tragic-
ally, Nicolas was murdered in 1975 during a campaign in the Península de Osa. Karen con-
tinued their work until her death in 1994, and today they are buried in the Reserva Abso-
luta Nicolás Wessberg, the site of their original homestead.
Cabo Blanco is called an 'absolute' nature reserve because prior to the late 1980s visit-
ors were not permitted. Even though the name hasn't changed, a limited number of trails
have been opened to visitors, but the reserve remains closed on Monday and Tuesday to
minimize environmental impact.
