Costa Rica Guide
The Central Pacific and southern Nicoya
The Monteverde Reserve
Drawing in both Costa Ricans and foreigners in droves, the RESERVA BIOLÓGICA BOSQUE NUBOSO MONTEVERDE (Monteverde Cloudforest Reserve; daily 7am–4pm; $15; 
645-5122, 
www.cct.or.cr ) is one of the last sizeable pockets of primary cloudforest in Mesoamerica. Sitting an an altitude of 1440 metres and straddling the continental divide, the reserve was born out of a desire to protect the country's rapidly dwindling pristine cloudforest. By 1972, homesteading in the Monteverde area had spread to the surrounding forest, and to prevent further destruction a number of local residents along with two visiting American biologists established the reserve. The World Wildlife Fund provided funds to buy an additional five-and-a-half square kilometres and today the park encompasses ten square kilometres of protected land.
Canopy Tours
Canopy tours, pioneered in Monteverde, use techniques developed by cavers and canyon rapellers to let visitors experience the rainforest from a bird's-eye view. You'll whiz from lofty platform to platform via horizontal traverse cables, and while you're moving too fast to see much wildlife it's definitely a thrill. With an office next to the Santa Elena bus station, Sky Trek ( 645-5238, www.skytrek.com ) is one of the most popular operators. They offer the chance to zip along eleven high-tension cables, including one that's a whopping kilometre in length; their two-hour tours ($46) run between 7.30am and 2pm. The same company owns the popular Sky Walk (see below) and buying an entrance to both saves $12. Selvatura ( 645-5929, www.selvatura.com ) features similar canopy tours ($40), while Aventura ( 645-6959, www.adventuremonteverde.com ) offer a Tarzan swing and rappelling on their tours ($40). Extremo ( 645-6058, www.monteverdeextremo.com ) is the newest company on the block, with adrenalin-fuelled three-hour tours through secondary forest ($37).
For a different – but no less exhilarating – forest adventure, try Sky Walk (daily 7am–4pm; $20; 645-5238, www.skywalk.co.cr ), an impressive series of bridges and paths located 5km along the road from Santa Elena towards the Santa Elena Reserve. Here you can experience spectacular views – if not a touch of vertigo – as you walk across the wobbly structures over serious heights. Several bridges take you right alongside the canopy of tall trees, some of which have colonized the bridges, draping their woody lianas over the ramparts. Bring binoculars, for here's your chance to spot birds and howler monkeys at their own level. Selvatura (see above) offer a similar, albeit more stable experience on their eight suspension bridges.
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