The telephone number for the local clinic is (tel. 2645-5076; for the Red Cross, (tel. 2645-6128; and for the local police, (tel. 911 or 2645-6248. The Farmacia Monteverde (tel. 2449-5495) is right downtown. A Banco Nacional (tel. 2645-5027) is located on a prominent corner in downtown Santa Elena, and has a 24-hour ATM.

City Layout -- The tiny town of Santa Elena is the gateway to 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 center of tiny Santa Elena, which has a bus stop, a health clinic, a bank, a supermarket, and a few general stores, plus 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 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.

 

 

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.