Monteverde, Costa Rica, is home to arguably the best cloud forest in the world. With these mystical, almost fantastical, forests comes a tourist hotspot in the country; a true nature-lovers dream. You’ll find some of the highest biodiversity anywhere in the world, complimented with accompanying activities ranging from zip-lining to night tours. Monteverde has everything you could want from a holiday destination and here are my favourite things to do. I hope that you enjoy it.
Top Things to Do in Monteverde, Costa Rica | Your Ultimate Guide
1. Explore the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
Without a doubt, the biggest draw to Monteverde is the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. This incredible habitat is home to some of the most incredible wildlife in the country, including the resplendent quetzal and plenty of hummingbirds. One of the best ways to experience this is on the suspended bridges and viewpoints, which give you panoramic views across the dense forest.
📍 Location: Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
🎟️ Entrance Fee: $25 for adults, $12 for children
2. Walk the Hanging Bridges at Treetopia
One of the top things that we did in Monteverde was visit Treetopia Park. This is home to some of the best suspension bridges in the country and you can immerse yourself in the canopy. From here you can get incredible views across the park, but can also spot some beautiful wildlife such as swallow-tailed kites. The trails around the cloud forest are also excellent here and the guides that take you around know the area well and can point out exciting wildlife too.
📍 Location: Treetopia Adventure Park
🎟️ Entrance Fee: $47.46 for adults, $32.77 for children
3. Go Zip-Lining Through the Canopy
Monteverde is also one of the best places in the world for zip-lining and Treetopia is probably the best place for it in Monteverde. However, it is also the most expensive by a fair amount. Other options include Sky Adventures, Selvatura Park or 100% Aventura. From personal experience, whilst Treetopia is expensive, we felt that it was the best one for us. However, personal preference obviously plays a part so make sure you do your research. Either way, zip-lining is a must-do activity when in the cloud forest.
📍 Locations: Sky Adventures, Selvatura Park, 100% Aventura
🎟️ Prices range from $50–$100 depending on the tour
4. Take a Night Tour to Spot Nocturnal Wildlife
A top thing to do in Monteverde has to be a Night Tour. We actually went with our hotel (Hotel Belmar) and were lucky enough to get a private experience with our friendly guide Daniel to Santa Maria’s. This was an old, working farm and was perfect for spotting wildlife. You can spot sloths, tarantulas, vipers and sleeping birds. There are plenty of other reserves too including Kinkajou and Monteverde Wildlife Refuge. If you want to learn more, check out our blog post about our night walk in Monteverde.
📍 Location: Various reserves (Santa Maria’s, Kinkajou, Monteverde Wildlife Refuge, Curi-Cancha)
🎟️ Entrance Fee: $25–$35 per person
5. Visit the Butterfly Gardens & Hummingbird Gallery
For a more relaxed nature experience, check out the Monteverde Butterfly Gardens and the Hummingbird Gallery. These are perfect sanctuaries for these beautiful animals and allow you to get up close with them, as well as other fun wildlife. The hummingbird gallery is also free to visit and is a great spot for trying to take a photo.
📍 Location: Near Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
🎟️ Entrance Fee: $18 for the Butterfly Gardens, free for the Hummingbird Gallery
6. Discover Curi-Cancha Reserve for Birdwatching
One of my highlights in Costa Rica was all the bird life. I could not get over just how many different species I saw and how each one was just so incredibly beautiful. One place I wish we had visited is the Curi-Cancha Reserve which is a less-crowded alternative to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. It is a hotspot for seeing some of the most impressive birdlife in Costa Rica, including quetzals, toucans and motmots.
📍 Location: Curi-Cancha Reserve
🎟️ Entrance Fee: $20 for adults, $12 for children
7. Tour a Coffee, Chocolate, & Sugarcane Farm
Aside from wildlife, Monteverde is also famous for the range of coffee and cocoa that is grown here. Visiting a local farm is a great way to support the local community and to taste some of the best coffee / chocolate you will ever taste. Some of the best tours are El Trapiche, Don Juan Coffee Tour and Café Monteverde, which each walk you through how these products are made. Of course, tastings are included!
📍 Locations: El Trapiche, Don Juan Coffee Tour, Café Monteverde
🎟️ Tour Prices: $35–$40 per person
8. Hike in Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
If you are looking for something a bit different, but hauntingly beautiful, I would strongly recommend the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve. Whilst not strictly Monteverde, these trails were super enchanting and felt like a forest straight out of a fantasy book. We saw no other people, but the plant life was like nowhere else I’ve ever seen. I would seriously recommend.
📍 Location: Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
🎟️ Entrance Fee: $16 for adults, $7 for children
9. Explore Monteverde’s Local Art & Culture
Within the town of Monteverde you’ll find a buzzing artistic community. The town is geared up towards. tourists and backpackers, and has a really cool, laid-back vibe. I would suggest stopping CASEM (Cooperative of Artisans Santa Elena Monteverde) for handmade souvenirs, or visit Monteverde Art House for unique local artwork.
📍 Locations: CASEM, Monteverde Art House
🎟️ Free entry, varies for workshops
10. Enjoy the Monteverde Cheese Factory & Local Eats
I loved the food in Costa Rica, especially the cheese! This was served alongside most meals, even breakfast, and was almost like a halloumi-like texture, but cold. The roots of cheese making in Monteverde date back to the Quaker settlers and the Monteverde Cheese Factory is the best way to taste this legacy.
On the topic of great dining, make sure that you check out Taco Taco for some incredible (you guessed it!) tacos. Or, if you want a perfect spot for a romantic meal, check out San Lucas Treetop Dining.
📍 Location: Monteverde Cheese Factory & various restaurants
🎟️ Free to visit, cost varies by food selection
Final Thoughts | Top Things to do in Monteverde
When I think back to the most unique things I saw in Costa Rica, Monteverde is nearly always top of the list. Whilst the rainforests of Tortuguero and the Arenal volcano will remain with me for life, I don’t know if I’ll ever find somewhere quite like Monteverde again. I hope that this post has inspired you to visit or, if you are going anyway, given you some great ideas for your trip.
Have you been to Monteverde? What was your favourite experience? Let us know in the comments! 🌿✨
