While making my way across the border from Nicaragua towards San Jose to catch my flight home, I decided to spend a few nights in Monteverde Cloud Forest. It was the halfway point between the border and San Jose about 2.5 hrs, but you have to take another 1 hour bus that took you deep into the cloud forest up a dirt road.

Easy options are taking a taxi for about $40, a shuttle from Liberia or San Jose that can run you average of $35.

I was on a budget so I took a $12 Tica Bus to the intersection of the Pan American highway called SARDINAL, and from there you take a public bus the leaves at 10am, 3pm, or 5pm up to Monteverde for $3.

Once there you can do a lot of tours, hikes, canopy rides (one of the best apparently in Central America), or just relax. The only thing I would do differently would hire a local guide for about $15 who can really point out the flora, reptiles, birds and such hidden in the forest.

Where I stayed:

Pension Santa Elena - a mid-range option $30-$40 for a private room with bath and stone showers, free breakfast and coffee and really good tour guides. Very central and jump off point for all things Monteverde. . Dorms avail.

http://www.pensionsantaelena.com/

Best Coffee:

Beso Espresso - in the main town of Santa Elena.Costa Rican coffee, latte and espresso shot comparable to NYC if you're itching for caffeine.

Best Cheap Eats:

Taco Taco - Long lines, so come early, $6-$8. Fried avocado stuffed burrito and a cerveza, enough said. They close at 8pm every night, quite early!

250 m al Sureste Banco Nacional en el corazon de Santa Elena