Monteverde and Santa Elena

Costa Rica is a place of contrast. Leaving the hot and humid Pacific side, we travelled to the Northwest highlands and a region called Monteverde. The altitude here makes for a pleasant climate. Warm in the sun, but a little chilly at night, I enjoyed the chance to wear jeans, shoes and socks!

We timed our visit to Santa Elena very well. The day we arrived there was a Christmas festival taking place. By evening the streets were lined with people and a procession of bands, dancing girls wearing santa hats, and floats went through. What with it being a little chilly, you could actually get into the Christmas spirit!

One of the main attractions of the area is the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. In complete contrast to our experience at Ometepe, we had an excellent guide called Adriano. He knew every detail of the forest, from the smallest orchid flower in the world, to knowing where to find birds high up in the trees. He had a great eye for it and we managed to see the Quetzales bird, a prize everyone in the reserve looks for.

At the end of the walking tour, you have the opportunity to get close to dozens of Humming birds. I took hundreds of pictures while they stuck their long beaks into the suspended feeders - later having to sort through them all! You could sit on a bench and watch them for hours. It was magnificent!

For breakfast many Cara Blancas joined us - the entertaining white faced monkeys watched us eat from the trees outside and waited for the odd banana to be passed out the window. It was an added feature to an already lovely hotel - the staff must feed them every day!

Helped by the fact that we stayed at one of the nicest places in town, I wish we could have stayed in Santa Elena longer.