October 8th, 2009
Visiting Monteverde, Costa Rica
Monteverde, Costa Rica is a place where everyone needs to visit for many reasons. It’s in the mountains and offers breathtaking views. Monteverde is also home to many tours that range from horseback riding to zip lines.
A highly recommend thing to do is to experience zip lining while in Monteverde. At Extremo the staff will teach you a few tricks, attach you to the cable and send you on your way. By zip lining you can see above the canopy and fly 600 meters like superman.
Another way to see the canopy from above is by walking on the suspended bridges. Selvatura offers a great set views of the canopy. At Selvatura, you can also enjoy the hummingbird garden. Get ready, they will come within inches of you.
Maybe you already know this, but Costa Rica is a very bio-diverse country and every area is different. Spend some time hiking either the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve or the Santa Elena Reserve. You might see a monkey or even a toucan.
There are guides available for hire at each reserve. Some enjoy having a guide along so they can learn more about the plants and trees while having someone identify the animals. The guides have training in spotting animals that most can never see.
In Santa Elena, which is one kilometer from Monteverde, there is a Frog Pond Exhibit. They have the famous Red Eyed Tree Frog and Poison Dart Frog. Inside, there are 28 different species of frogs.
Many people enjoy horseback riding. La Estrella is one company that is highly recommended in Santa Elena. You can spend an afternoon riding through the forest, along the tops of the mountains and even catch the sun setting over the Gulf of Nicoya.
When you are ready to eat make sure to try a local Costa Rican dish like a casado. A local spot is Donde Henry or try out Don Juan or Morphos. If you enjoy pastries, visit Stellas Bakery for desert.
Lastly, another great place to stay or just for an afternoon tea is Hidden Canopy. The tree house hotel offers opportunities to sleep in the trees amongst the cloud forest, all the while in luxury. Why not treat yourself to a waterfall shower while in Costa Rica.