Geography
The Pacific Coast is a tortuous coastline of 1.016 km, with various gulfs and peninsulas. It is bordered by tropical dry forests wich receive almost no rain for several months each year, as well as by mangroves, swamps and beaches. Tidal variation is quite large and there are many offshore islands. The two most important peninsulas are the Nicoya, separated from the mainland by a gulf of the same name, and the peninsula de Osa. The Peninsula de Nicoya is hilly, dry and dusty. It is known for its cattle farming and also its beach resorts.

Ecology
Costa Rica has a huge variety of habitats, each with particular associations of plants and animals. The country's extensive and ambitious national park system is an attempt to protect them all. The system begun in the 1960s and now there are about three dozen National Parks, wildlife refuges, biological reserves, and recreation areas in Costa Rica. Montezuma is situated within a wildlife corridor, which is used to enable wildlife to range over larger areas, preserving life in two different ecosystems.

Climate
Like many tropical countries there are two season: the wet and the dry. The dry season is generally from about late december to April and this is called verano (or summer). The rest of the year tends to be wet, and it is called invierno (or winter). In the north and central Pacific coast the dry season really is dry, with only one or two rainy days per month. Temperatures vary little from season to season and the main influencing factor is altitude: the Pacific averages are 23°C at night and over 32°C during the day.