Santa Elena (nr Monteverde Cloud Forest)

Time to move on and into the cloud forest. Our drive took us around Lake Arenal a windy and beautifully scenic route. On the way we tested the off-road capabilities of our SUV (which Mark thoroughly enjoyed) stopping off for lunch at a scenic spot on the banks of the Lake. There were a fair few kitesurfers gathered and were making the most of the wind which had picked up a fair bit. Whilst the distance wasn’t considerable (around 120km), the roads began to deteriorate as we got closer to Monteverde slowing progress. We weren’t in a rush and it enabled us to enjoy the scenery!

Our next hotel was located slightly out of town nestled within the cloud forest, our lodge had a perfect perch for the children to look out of the window and observe the wildlife coming and going in the forest. The hotel was surrounded by a variety of animals, including monkeys, a variety of birds and lots of Coatimundis (a new one on us), but the children enjoyed watching them scavenge and climb nearby trees. Each morning the bird tables outside the restaurant were loaded with fruit which gave us a perfect view of the eclectic mix of wildlife, including toucans with their unwieldly beaks. One morning a white faced monkey entertained the children by climbing up on the feeding table, loading up on bananas, one under each armpit, one in the mouth and making a quick getaway!Read more