The tiny town of Santa Elena is the gateway to Monteverde and the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, 6km (3 3/4 miles) outside of town along a windy road that dead-ends at the reserve entrance. As you approach Santa Elena, take the right fork in the road if you’re heading directly to Monteverde. If you continue straight, you’ll come into the little town center of tiny Santa Elena, which has a bus stop, a health clinic, a bank, a supermarket, and a few general stores, and a collection of simple restaurants, budget hotels, souvenir shops, and tour offices. Heading just out of town, toward Monteverde, is a small strip mall with a large and prominent Megasuper supermarket. Monteverde, on the other hand, is not a village in the traditional sense of the word. There’s no center of town—only dirt lanes leading off from the main road to various farms. This main road has signs for all the hotels and restaurants mentioned here, and it dead-ends at the reserve entrance.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
