cocolito falls is the waterfall that is a 2.5 hour hike up the beach. it is AMAZING. you can hire a guide and horse to go there which might be easier but we hiked early in the morning. it was very nice to see the early morning hours as the animals scurried back to the jungle. its a challenging walk as it is in the hot sun. you will want to bring plenty of water. but totally worth it. especially if you leave early just before sunrise. you can see so much! you walk along many beautiful empty beachs and eventually come to a huge turquoise lagoon. then when you reach the falls you can fairly easily climb to the top for a dip. it was a long day but one of the most amazing things we did. also montezumas upper falls with the rope swing is great. playa grande is the most beautiful beach! ylang ylang has some of the best food we had there. curu and cabo blanco are both nice. if you check out the montezuma beach website they have a pretty good list of the different beachs and waterfalls that you can hike to. most of the wildlife we saw was just wandering around on our own and not on specific trips. im sure you will love it!

and definitely pay attention to the theft warning. i had no problems but met many people who did. even when within a few yards of their car. i like to travel with my camera gear too but try to remain stripped down to one mirrorless camera, one decent lens, 1 waterproof/shockproof point and shoot and one small otterbox to put the good camera in and an ipad to dump photos onto. its not fun to have to carry tons of gear everywhere either!

I just re-read the original posting - and realised we haven't addressed 1 point - dangerous animals.

There are way more dangerous animals in North America (if that's where you are from.)

We have tarantulas & scorpions, so shake out your clothes & shoes before putting them on, their bites are painful, and may mess up your day but not your life. Keep an eye out where you are stepping for coral snakes, they are deadly, but in my 3 years here I have never even seen one, although my husband has seen many. My cat has killed one or two, so my neighbours tell me. .

Monkeys are lovely to look at, but don't try to pet them and avoid standing right underneath their positions (they have been know to poop on people : )

I would tell your finacee not to worry - just take reasonable precautions

So for Zuma tours, do we have to book in advance? or has anyone just contacted them a few days ahead and been able to get a spot?

Yep, easy, just email or call them a day or two in advance. They do answer emails regularily throughout the day

The Montezuma waterfalls are a must-see for sure, and Tortuga Island is a great day trip. Zuma Tours can take care of everything for you, ask them about surf lessons too. They work with Young Vision Surf School - the best! Check them out on Trip Advisor too. Playa Grande is a fantastic beach and a great place to learn to surf, or just hang out. You will love Montezuma for your honeymoon. Lots of activities, beautiful beaches and wildlife. Enjoy!

If it's just the two of you, Zuma tours should be able to squeeze you in on a tour a day in advance (but if you have to wait an extra day, no big deal). You should try Cocolores restaurant as well as Playa de los Artistas. Also highly recommend Cabo Blanco National Park/Reserve. If you are able to carry in a picnic on your back ( a 2-hr hike in and 2 hrs back), I would recommend a beach picnic at Playa Cabo Blanco. It's a fantastically beautiful beach and you will most likely be the only ones there (since most folks only do the shorter two-hour loop through the park).