Monteverde – Best Things To Do

Monteverde is one of my favorite places in Costa Rica, I don’t know what it is, I just feel at peace every time I visit Monteverde. Surrounded by nature sounds and amazing fresh weather, you can just chill out and rest in Monteverde. However, there are amazing things to do in this place besides being at peace. Hikes in the middle of the cloud forest, the Monteverde night tour, amazing sunsets, and much more.

Here is my list of top things to do in Monteverde:

1. Canopy on top of the trees

   There are several places in Monteverde where you can do canopy zipline. The most popular places are Selvatura Adventure Park, Treetopia Park (formerly Sky Adventures), and 100% Aventura. If you have a car, I recommend going on your own and buying your tickets directly at each of the places.

   In case you don’t have a car or you are not in the mood to lose your hotel’s parking spot, I recommend you take The Original Canopy Tour  I believe this is a good deal since it offers almost the same price for adults as Selvatura ($69) and 100% Aventura ($68) but with transportation. 

2. Hike in the cloud forest

   Like the canopy option, for the hike, you can also pick and choose from different places. I personally recommend going to Santa Elena Reserve, this place offers 5 different trails, the longest being 3 miles and the shortest being 0.3 miles. There is also a tower where you can even see the majestic Arenal volcano if the weather allows it.

   Other places you can also hike include Reserva Bosque Nuboso Monteverde and Curicancha. All these places are very similar, look at them like different access points to the Bosque Eterno de los Niños. A national reserve home to several animals like jaguars, pumas, monkeys, frogs, quetzals, and many more animals and plants.

   You can visit these places by yourself, have a nice hike and if you are lucky, you’ll see one of the animals I mentioned. But in case you would like to do these hikes with a guide and increase your chance of seeing animals and learning about the reserves, I recommend taking the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve Tour or the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Tour.

   

3. Gastronomical experience in a chocolate tour

   I haven’t done this activity yet. I did something similar near Rincón de la Vieja volcano but it was more focused on sugar cane production. A cousin of mine, Juan José, was recently in Monteverde and he recommended this experience. He told me he booked this experience here: Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane experience. 

   Juan and his girlfriend learned a lot about the production of coffee, chocolate, and sugar cane. They also produced some hot chocolate, coffee, and “agua dulce” (a typical Costa Rican drink made from sugar cane).

4. Watch nocturnal animals during the Monteverde night tour

   I experienced a night hike in Monteverde a few months back, which was a great surprise. I was with my girlfriend making a road trip in Costa Rica and we stopped for a couple of days in Monteverde. We did a hike in the cloud forest during the day but she was bummed she didn’t see any animals. So, we decided to take a Night Tour to see some!

   The meeting point was close to our hotel but the tour operator took us from the hotel to the tour’s meeting point. We received a headlamp and a walking stick and we began our way to find some animals! There were several guides with different groups (the groups were small, with a maximum of 10 people). It was nice seeing how all of them helped each other to find the most animals possible. At the end of the tour, we were able to see frogs, snakes, spiders, tucans, sloths, and owls. It was a great experience overall!

   

5. Increase your adrenaline

   Besides being known as the home of one of the best cloud forests in the world, Monteverde is also known as the capital of extreme activities in Costa Rica. Monteverde offers a great balance between extreme and chill vibes. During the day you can go bungee jumping and during the night you can take a hike on the Monteverde night tour. Things can change fast here!

   I am not a fan of bungee jumping, but I went to Monteverde once with my friend Manuel. He bungee jumped at Extremo Park. You can go on your own and pay there, but if you feel more comfortable going with a tour, I’ll leave you a link to a tour with them here: Extreme Bungee Jumping Monteverde. That tour goes to the same place where Manuel jumped. His jump looked very cool from the safety of solid ground where I was perfectly happy to stay!

   That time I went with my friend Manuel, we also took a buggy tour that took us to some amazing landscapes. We could pass by Tilaran’s wind turbines, rivers, and mountains. Unfortunately, I haven’t found that tour anymore, I recommend asking your hotel or the tourism office in the center of Monteverde if you are interested.

6. Enjoy the amazing Monteverde sunsets

   You don’t have to pay for everything in Monteverde—one of my favorite activities is completely free! The sunsets here are absolutely stunning. Being in the mountains, surrounded by plains, gives you an incredible vantage point. My favorite view is of the Gulf of Nicoya, where you can see all the islands. The view of Arenal Volcano is also impressive, though it’s often obscured by clouds.

   My favorite spots to watch the sunset are: In front of Escuela los Llanos, where you will find a sort of parking lot. You’ll be able to park your car and enjoy the view from there. From there, you’ll enjoy a great view of the Pacific Ocean. Another option is Cerro Pinocho, this is a nice place too. It is located 25min by car from Monteverde’s center. And lastly,  a place that my girlfriend discovered the last time we went there, Mirador Valle Escondido. This is within walking distance from the center of Monteverde and usually gets crowded towards the end of the day. Here is the view of the first spot I mentioned:

   

7. Visit El Tigre Waterfall

   If you are staying for two days in Monteverde, I recommend you experiment with the hike in Santa Elena Reserve, the hanging bridges/zip lines, and the Monteverde night tour. But, if you are staying for more than two days, I would add to the itinerary visiting El Tigre Waterfall. El Tigre Waterfall is not as magnificent as other waterfalls in the country like Nauyaca Waterfall for example but around Monteverde, it is the best waterfall to see.

   This waterfall is located just 30 minutes away from Monteverde’s center. You can pay for a fee and have access to the property, make the hike, and see the waterfall. Or, you can also book a 3-1 tour that includes access to the waterfall, the hike in the cloud forest, transportation, and horseback riding.