Costa Rica, Puntarenas province, Monteverde, Butterfly Garden

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Monteverde & Santa Elena

Strung between two lovingly preserved cloud forests, this slim corridor of civilization consists of the Tico village of Santa Elena and the Quaker settlement of Monteverde, each with an eponymous cloud forest reserve. The cloud forests are premier destinations for everyone from budget backpackers to well-heeled retirees.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Ladys Slipper (Cypripedium calceolus) orchid.

    Jardín de Orquídeas

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    This sweet-smelling garden in Santa Elena has shady trails winding past more than 500 types of orchids. On your guided tour, you’ll see such rarities as…

  • Costa Rica, Puntarenas province, Monteverde, Butterfly Garden

    Butterfly Garden

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    Head here for everything you ever wanted to know about butterflies. There are four gardens representing different habitats; they're home to more than 40…

  • Eyelash Viper, Bothriechis schlegelii, in tree, Costa Rica

    Herpetarium Adventure

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    For those who prefer their reptiles under glass (or at least behind it), a guide will show you around and introduce you to more than 50 species of…

  • Friends Meeting House

    Friends Meeting House

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    This simple meeting house in Monteverde is the ‘church’ of the American Society of Friends, or the Quakers, who first settled this area and committed to…

  • El Arbol Hueco

    El Arbol Hueco

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    There's no sign, no website, and last we checked, nobody was collecting any money for this delightful roadside attraction. It's simply a hollowed-out fig…

  • Bat Jungle

    Bat Jungle

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    The Bat Jungle in Monteverde is a small but informative exhibit, with good bilingual educational displays and a habitat housing almost 100 free-flying…

  • Ranario

    Ranario

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    Returning to its former glory as the Ranario, or Frog Pond (it's changed names a few times), this place also features an insect house. The frogs are still…

  • Iglesia

    Iglesia

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    A local landmark in the center of Santa Elena. The adjacent roasted-chicken shack apparently has no religious affiliation.

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