Nature, Birding, and Other Wildlife
Despite a recent surge in tourism, Monteverde remains at the top of the list of birders and nature lovers who come to Costa Rica each year. After all, it is one of the best places to spot the elusive Resplendent Quetzal, a mythical bird in Costa Rica and other Central American countries. Monteverde Reserve is one of the most popular places for a guided nature hike, with nearby Santa Elena Reserve nearly as frequented. Curicancha Reserve offers more to explore. Aside from birds, travelers can try to spot agoutis, coatimundis, and even the occasional sloth crawling around these high elevation cloud forest reserves. At night, the cloud forest comes alive with reptiles, owls, spiders, and other nocturnal wildlife on the Monteverde Reserve Night Hike.
Coffee and Chocolate
Thanks to the elevation, Monteverde is perfectly situated for growing world-class coffee. And, like many tropical countries, Costa Rica is also a great place to harvest cocoa and produce quality chocolate. See how it’s done at Don Juan’s place, where the agricultural traditions of coffee and chocolate production live strong today.
