Monteverde, Costa Rica: Coffee & Clouds 101
Calling all tree huggers and quality coffee lovers!
I’m just going to come out and admit it; Monteverde is my favorite place in all of Costa Rica! And that’s something hard for me to claim as there are so many beautiful places that I love in this country, but Monteverde stole my heart. Can I admit I was hesitant about writing this post as I want to keep this magic all to myself!?! But I just have to share this with you! I first came to Monteverde in late October for my birthday and instantly fell in love with all of its natural beauty that I came back for a second trip a few weeks later. It’s called a cloud forest because you are so high up in the mountains (4,600 feet above sea level) that you are literally in the clouds. This lush, vibrantly green cloud forest is a refreshing alternative to the hot & humid beaches down below. I almost forgot I was in Costa Rica during my time here!
Monteverde is like a page out of a forest fairytale. It is pure woodsy magic. It is located in the province of Puntarenas in north central Costa Rica. Eco-tourism is big business here and naturalists from all over the world flock to Monteverde to spot some wild life, bird watch, hike in the clouds, visit organic coffee farms and simply spend time in a uniquely untouched, yet semi-accessible part of Central America. But what put Monteverde on the eco-tourism map was a National Geographic article in 1983 describing Monteverde as the perfect place to catch a glimpse of the Resplendent Quetzal, an incredibly beautiful bird of paradise.
Get ready for a 4-hour trek up the mountains from San Jose. The road up to and around Monteverde is purposely unpaved essentially creating a “moat” around this sustainable haven. Basically, only those serious eco-tourists make the trek, but I’m telling you it’s worth every bump on that dirt road because once you arrive you are simply awestruck by its misty dewy beauty.
I suggest at least 2-3 days here, more if you want some time just relaxing in nature. But you can see most of the small town of Santa Elena & the surrounding reserves in just a couple of days. It is home to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, The Children’s Eternal Rainforest & numerous other reserves & national parks. It is also home to a number of organic coffee plantations, which offer tours with, yes, enough coffee tasting for your caffeinated obsessed self! Come hungry for eco-adventure & thirsty for some of the best liquid-crack in the world!
A little history of Montverde & the Quakers:
I have to share this little piece of interesting history! 11 Quaker families from Fairhope, Alabama dodging the US draft founded Montverde in 1951. The Quakers, a religious sect with an emphasis on nonviolence and equality, refused to register for the draft and chose to flee the states. With a recently abolished army and open arms for foreign development, the Quakers chose to call Costa Rica home. They specifically settled in what they dubbed Monteverde (Green Mountain) because of the cool, mountain climate which was ideal for grazing cattle. They lived a simple life of dairy farming and cheese production amid a newfound world of religious freedom.
I had the absolute honor of meeting one of the last living founding Quakers of Monteverde, Marvin Rockwell. Him & his wife own one of the best restaurants in Monteverde, Flormar. I showed up for lunch during my second trip and there he was. We enjoyed cake from his recent 94th birthday celebration and he shared with us a little of his life story. It was one of the coolest, most memorable experiences of my travels here in Costa Rica!
For more about Quarkers visit http://www.quaker.org.
I’m working on a post on where to eat, play & stay in Monteverde and where you can catch a glimpse of this magical sunset. Stay tuned!
