EVERYTHING WHAT YOU NEEDTO DREAM...
Monteverde
KNOWLEDGE OF Monteverde
Monteverde (Spanish for 'green mountain') is a small town in Puntarenas, Costa Rica. However, the name has come to represent a much wider area around it - at least to (eco)tourists, for whom this is one of the better known destinations in the country. Since the town itself is too small for an article and there is no proper name for the wider area, which deserves to be treated as a whole, this article is about that wider area, which includes the nearby Tico town of Santa Elena (which has also started to cater to (budget) tourists and is closer to some of the attractions).
Founded by Quakers from the USA who evaded the draft for the Korean War in 1949-50, and who found a safe haven in this country without an army, it still retains a North American feel yet is less of a town than a spread of dwellings couched off the main through-road. It was chosen by its founding fathers for its cool climate in aid of dairy farming. The town is now moving towards eco-tourism as a more sustainable income source.
Quakers still form a considerable population alongside the native 'Ticos' - in fact, they run a medium-sized bilingual school. There are currently two main Quaker families - the Guindons and the Rockwells.
The region lays claim to some of the best-kept cloud forest in the entire country and is a paradise for bird watchers. Several nature preserves have sprung up to make sure this stays the case. Because of the beauty of the area, it is only natural that Monteverde has become a major part of the Costa Rican tourist trail - despite the poor roads leading up to and through it. This being a cloud forest of course one has to count with the possibility of continuous fog and/or light rain.
There are many types of animals including howler and white faced monkeys, non-venomous and venomous snakes, frogs and toads, and thousands of beautiful birds, including hummingbirds that are lured to places where they can be easily observed with sugar water feeders (posing for flowers with nectar). Here, one can expect to be surrounded by swarms of all sorts of hummingbirds.
The main attraction is Reserva Biológica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde at the Southeastern end to the East of Monteverde proper, which is an enormous nature reserve. But usually only the area around the park entrance is visited. There are trails further inland though, where one can also stay overnight on platforms in the trees. It is even possible to cross the entire park to Volcán Arenal, though this needs good planning and for those who are not used to jungle trekking it is advisable to go with a guide. If only because they tend to spot much more and will point out animals that one would likely never have spotted. Of course this also goes for other nature areas here and elsewhere (provided the guides are experienced, which they generally are here).
To the West of Monteverde proper lies the Bosque Eterno de los Niños, a project in which schoolchildren from all over the world protect this area that is not really in the cloud forest and therefore better for some animal-observations. Guided night-walks can be done here.
Farther North, nearer Santa Elena, are a butterfly garden, a serpentarium and a ranarium (frogs).
Founded by Quakers from the USA who evaded the draft for the Korean War in 1949-50, and who found a safe haven in this country without an army, it still retains a North American feel yet is less of a town than a spread of dwellings couched off the main through-road. It was chosen by its founding fathers for its cool climate in aid of dairy farming. The town is now moving towards eco-tourism as a more sustainable income source.
Quakers still form a considerable population alongside the native 'Ticos' - in fact, they run a medium-sized bilingual school. There are currently two main Quaker families - the Guindons and the Rockwells.
The region lays claim to some of the best-kept cloud forest in the entire country and is a paradise for bird watchers. Several nature preserves have sprung up to make sure this stays the case. Because of the beauty of the area, it is only natural that Monteverde has become a major part of the Costa Rican tourist trail - despite the poor roads leading up to and through it. This being a cloud forest of course one has to count with the possibility of continuous fog and/or light rain.
There are many types of animals including howler and white faced monkeys, non-venomous and venomous snakes, frogs and toads, and thousands of beautiful birds, including hummingbirds that are lured to places where they can be easily observed with sugar water feeders (posing for flowers with nectar). Here, one can expect to be surrounded by swarms of all sorts of hummingbirds.
The main attraction is Reserva Biológica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde at the Southeastern end to the East of Monteverde proper, which is an enormous nature reserve. But usually only the area around the park entrance is visited. There are trails further inland though, where one can also stay overnight on platforms in the trees. It is even possible to cross the entire park to Volcán Arenal, though this needs good planning and for those who are not used to jungle trekking it is advisable to go with a guide. If only because they tend to spot much more and will point out animals that one would likely never have spotted. Of course this also goes for other nature areas here and elsewhere (provided the guides are experienced, which they generally are here).
To the West of Monteverde proper lies the Bosque Eterno de los Niños, a project in which schoolchildren from all over the world protect this area that is not really in the cloud forest and therefore better for some animal-observations. Guided night-walks can be done here.
Farther North, nearer Santa Elena, are a butterfly garden, a serpentarium and a ranarium (frogs).
Chapi