Monteverde and Santa Elena are two towns within walking distance of each other. Very touristy, but definitely worth going to. Be advised that this area of the country is a cloud forest among mountains. Even for the most athletic people, walking just a half mile at a 40 degree incline can be exhausting. Pension Santa Elena is considered to be one of the best hostels in Costa Rica. It costs only $6 a night and attracts dozens of foreigners. It’s owned by a couple from Austin, TX named Shannon and Ran who moved here cerca 2003. I talked with Shannon for awhile while listening to Norah Jones on the stereo and drinking two cups of Costa Rican coffee which is delicious. They grow it right around the corner. The people who work at the pension are extremely hospitable and will answer any and all questions about activities in the area and around the country. This area is known for canopy tours, which consists of strapping yourself into a series of zip lines and flying tens and hundreds of feet above the cloud forest. The longest zipline was about 400 feet long and a couple hundred feet above the ground. All of the tours cost somewhere around $50 and don’t distinguish themselves all that much. Some tours will have a tarzan swing, some will have elevated bridges, but they all essentially offer the same thing. The Extremo Canopy Tour, costing $50 (including transportation) was well worth it. The “Tarzan” swing consisted of standing on top of a platform on a tree about 100 ft up, harnessing in to a rope, and jumping off. Once off the platform, you drop down about 20 feet until the rope catches you in swing. Then you go flying on the rope up to the trees far opposite from the platform. There wasn’t a whole lot of open area and I’m amazed that no one hit any of the trees.
There are also opportunities for canyoning, which consists of rapelling down a series of waterfalls in the forest. We walked through the woods to a little shack where a man, young boy and other young boy gave us harnesses, helmets and gloves. They also told us how to repel. The other boy was probably 15 or 16 years old. This kid and the middle-aged man were our guides. Thankfully the 8-10 year old was only a translator and NOT our guide. We then walked through the forest to a river and walked through the river for aways. Then came the crazy stuff. One at a time, we hooked into a rope and repelled DOWN THE WATERFALL. The first waterfall wasn’t bad. It was probably about 30 feet but towards the end, the water fell far from the rocks so in order to get footing, I had to tolerate the gush of water in my face. The next one was a little bit shorter and easier to get down. The third one was wild. The waterfall was 114ft high. At the bottom of the waterfalls are typically large basins of water so the end of the repel typically resulting in jumping into a pool of water. The next waterfall was easy and small but was followed by a 50ft waterfall which was a lot of fun to go down. By the end, we had repelled down 6 waterfalls. Absolutely amazing experience, though I was sore both from muscle exhaustion as well as some bruises. On my hip, I had a pretty nasty looking bruise that I think was the product of wearing harnesses for 6 hours during the day. On the way back, we had an amazing view of the valley, which had rolling green hills and mountains, all of different contrasting shades due to the haze. Canyoning is a great experience, even for people who have never done it before. However, it is not for everyone — I would compare it to going on an extreme roller coaster. If you’re a daredevil, it’s right up your alley.
In Costa Rica, be sure to visit plenty of “sodas”. Sodas are little snack shops that offer good food for a great price. You will often be able to eat lunch or dinner for less than $5 (USD). A good, cheap soda is located right next door to Pension Santa Elena. Amigos, the bar nearby, offers cheap drinks and a lot of space to chill. Definitely go for an Imperial Beer. It’s the local brew and is better than most American beer. I’d compare it to an Amstel Light. Moon Shiva, an Israeli-Costa Rican restaurant is located about a 15 minute walk from Santa Elena and is known for the nightlife and Mediterranean food. The food was way overpriced and was no better than Mediterranean food I would expect to eat in Alaska. However, the lounge downstairs was really chill with a cool ambiance. A good selection of beer and liquor as well…despite being overpriced.
Monteverde is home to a lot of food. One of the largest cheese factories is here. You can find unique cheeses in the local markets. Coffee is grown nearby. The coffee here is fantastic, as all of the hostels provide it for breakfast each morning.
Don’t miss Monteverde/Santa Elena. But consider your logistics before you come here. Bus trips may take you half a day, given the town’s location in the mountains and far from the cities. Consider taking the jeep-boat-jeep arrangement from La Fortuna. It’s less than $25 (USD) per person and will save you a lot of time. Also, consider renting a car. It will allow you to travel fast and will allow you to avoid dependance on public transportation.
Average bus ride: <$5 USD
Meal at a soda: $5 USD
Meal at a sit down restaurant: $10-$25 USD
Noted hostel cost: $6 USD
Tags: Canopy Tour, Canyoning, Cloud Forest, Costa Rica, Monteverde, Santa Elena
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