Monteverde

Many consider Monteverde to be the second most popular destination in Costa Rica. This is, no doubt, due to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Monteverde is regarded as having the most beautiful cloud forests in all of Costa Rica. Combine the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve with the neighboring Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve and you are blessed with miles and miles of picture perfect scenery.

Location

Monteverde is located about 94 miles from downtown San Jose. Travel time in either a bus or car will usually run around four hours and thirty minutes.

How to Get to Monteverde

If you are traveling to Monteverde to spend a few days, you will actually be staying in Santa Elena. The town of Santa Elena is located just a few kilometers from the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. This is the closest town to stay in near Monteverde.

Weather

The Monteverde area is located high in the mountains and the weather certainly reflects this. Days are usually warm, but have heavy to light winds. Nights are much cooler and will require pants and a jacket.

What To Do

Because Monteverde is the second most popular destination in Costa Rica, there are plenty of things to do.

The most popular activity in Monteverde has to be the jungle tours, zip lines, and canopy tours.

Quakers settled the area in the 1950s and began dairy farming. There are a number of tours to local dairy farms.

In addition to the dairy farm tours, you can also visit some local coffee plantations for world class coffee.

Horseback tours to and around the Monteverde Cloud Forest are also a popular way to spend the day.

Where to Stay

As mentioned before, you will more than likely be staying in the nearby town of Santa Elena. For more information on the city of Santa Elena, please visit our city guide.

Photo By popsarmchair