Monteverde

Monteverde, set 4,500 feet above sea level, is a cool and heavily forested region. The downtown area is actually the city of Santa Elena. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, located about 3.5 miles east of Santa Elena, is just one of the options to see a cloud forest in person.

(see the map above to get oriented)

We had a wonderful time in Monteverde. We were surprised at how many fun things there were to do and also pleased with the dining choices in the area. Here are some of the highlights.

Monteverde Lodge and Gardens. We stayed 2 nights here. I heard it was the nicest place to stay in town and after having been there I would have to agree. Visitors are welcomed with a brief but very helpful "orientation session" where you are given a list of activities and overview of the area. The reception staff is also very knowledgeable and acts as a local concierge. The large indoor jacuzzi next to the lobby is a highlight of this property. Just one warning: Do not stay in the "Garden Rooms" if you are at all sensitive to noise - these are small rooms below the dining area that are unusually noisy - they are subject to noise from the kitchen early in the morning and also late at night.

Selvatura Canopy Tour. We chose this zipline adventure because many considered it the best one for the following reasons: it has the most lines, the platforms are actually attached to trees and in the cloud forest (as opposed to way above the forest like SkyTrek), it is reasonably priced and shuttles will pick you up from your hotel and drop you off afterwards. This adventure was definitely one of the highlights of our trip. Warning: wear clothes you would just as soon discard because you may get very dirty - the cables are oiled and most people get oil splattered on them over the course of the tour. [Check out some video highlights of the experience here]

Ecological Farm (formerly called Finca Ecologica). For $15 you can get a 2 hour guided night hike (starts at 5:30pm) where you can see a variety of creatues in the wild. We saw: leaf cutter ants, a sloth, owls, insects, a frog, a porcupine and a snake. If you stay at the Monteverde Lodge, you can get here by taking a 15 minute long trail. However, you probably won't want to walk back afterwards in the dark. No worries, there is a shuttle that will take you home for a couple dollars - or drive yourself like we did. [Check out some of the video highlights of this excursion here]

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (and neighboring Hummingbird Pavillion). Just outside of the entrance to the Monteverde Reserve is the Hummingbird Pavillion: a small gift shop/art gallery with a bunch of hummingbird feeders outside. There is no admissions charge and it's worth a look to see all of the hummingbirds that are attracted to the feeders.

When buying your admissions ticket to the Monteverde Reserve, the attendant can give you a map and suggested hiking route (for if you're not on a guided tour). We did a loop that took about 2 hours. Most of the trails are paved with cinder blocks, which makes for easy hiking. There are some elevation changes - which can be a bit strenuous.

[Check out the video highlights of the Hummingbird Pavillion and the Monteverde Reserve]