When deciding what to incorporate in your Costa Rica itinerary, chances are high Monteverde or La Fortuna are in your record of locations to go. These two locations are among the many hottest within the nation, and their mountainous terrain and abundance of out of doors journey actions trigger many guests to check them. I visited each, and may give some perception on which one to choose if it’s nonetheless a toss-up for you:
Monteverde Highlights
It’s extra reasonably priced
This may be a controversial opinion, however Monteverde is cheaper than La Fortuna when you think about the price of lodging, transportation, and meals. I discovered a really reasonably priced lodging in Monteverde that was only a fast bus trip from the city heart and the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. You can get monetary savings by taking the bus backwards and forwards, with no need to splurge on a rental automobile to get from place to position. I additionally observed that the costs at eating places had been barely decrease in Monteverde than La Fortuna, though not by a lot.
When it involves the worth of actions, each Monteverde or La Fortuna may be costly. It all is determined by what you’re searching for, however general I believed Monteverde had extra budget-friendly choices, like visiting the Orchid Gardens or the Sloth Sanctuary versus the pricier white-water rafting and rappelling which might be extra standard in La Fortuna.
It has one of the best birdwatching
I’m not a lot of a birdwatcher myself, however recognizing so many uncommon and delightful species in Monteverde made me need to take it up as a pastime. From colourful quetzales to spooky-looking owls, I noticed all types of birds in Monteverde. This isn’t to say I didn’t see any in La Fortuna, however I did discover fairly a distinction between the 2, with extra of quite a lot of birds in Monteverde.
Many fascinating species of birds are finest considered at night time, so I like to recommend becoming a member of a Cloud Forest Night Walking Tour. Even should you weren’t tremendous into the birds, the night time tour is nice for seeing different critters like frogs, spiders, snakes, and extra.
The climate is cooler
After being on the seaside in Manuel Antonio, I used to be excited to commerce my bikini for some leggings and a rain jacket. Monteverde was the coldest place I visited in Costa Rica, with chilly evenings dipping into the low 60s. I liked the moody, foggy climate and the excuse to huddle within the blankets at night time, however if you’re hoping for a hotter getaway, this won’t be your cup of tea.
It’s extra laid-back
Since Monteverde is barely much less touristy than La Fortuna, it has extra of a laid-back vibe. There often aren’t large crowds; there have been no traces once I went (in July, throughout the wet season). And the locals had been tremendous pleasant and right down to earth. Monteverde feels extra like an precise city the place individuals reside versus a vacationer lure, which is how La Fortuna felt to me.
Monteverde is right for nature lovers who love peace and quiet. There had been so many moments whereas I used to be climbing within the cloud forest the place I used to be the one particular person round, a sensation that I crave when locations get too busy.
It’s in a cloud forest
Speaking of the cloud forest, my favourite a part of Monteverde was seeing the astounding number of plant species. Here you’ll be able to count on to see vibrant inexperienced moss hanging from the timber, trickles of mist within the air, and thick jungle canopies for so far as the attention can see. I liked the serenity of the forest, in addition to the magical high quality it takes on due to the fog.
The climbing is supreme
The Cloud Forest Reserve is only one of a number of locations in and round Monteverde which might be prime for climbing. Here you’ll discover over eight miles of trails — sufficient to spend a whole day exploring. Other locations that had been incredible to hike had been the Children’s Eternal Forest, the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, and Curi Cancha Reserve.
A quintessential a part of climbing in Monteverde is crossing the large hanging bridges. Compared to La Fortuna, I believed the Monteverde hanging bridges had been higher, as a result of lots of them stretched above the forest cover and provided beautiful mountain views.
Drawbacks of Monteverde
It’s a lot rainier
This isn’t a lot of a shock, contemplating that Monteverde is at the next elevation and surrounded by rainforest, however there was positively extra rain right here than in La Fortuna. There had been uncommon moments when it wasn’t moist, however even when it wasn’t pouring rain, there virtually all the time appeared to be mist or sprinkles. Though this is usually a large turnoff for some vacationers, I didn’t thoughts it, as I used to be ready with waterproof gear. I discover the rain to be charming, whereas others won’t.
There’s not any nightlife
Saying that Monteverde is useless at night time is an understatement. There’s just one bar on the town, and eating places sometimes shut round 10pm, so don’t count on to bounce the night time away right here. If you’re touring solo and need to meet different vacationers, think about staying in a hostel slightly than non-public lodging, because it may be robust to department out in any other case.
You might have a 4×4 car
This varies relying on what you need to do in Monteverde, however simply getting there shall be difficult in case your automobile doesn’t have 4×4 drive. The roads main into city are fairly bumpy, and I even noticed a giant part washed away once I was en route. Obviously, if you’re taking public transportation, you gained’t have to fret about driving — simply count on a rocky journey.
Another purpose why a 4×4 car could also be crucial when visiting Monteverde is that it will get fairly muddy throughout the wet season. If you’re renting a automobile with out four-wheel drive, there’s a danger you’ll get caught within the mud, or what’s worse, injury the automobile.
La Fortuna Highlights
It’s a lot simpler to get to
Since La Fortuna is nearer to San José and fewer distant normally, it’s a lot simpler and faster to get to from most different components of Costa Rica (as compared with Monteverde). The roads main into La Fortuna are smoother as nicely, so that you don’t have to fret about journeying hours on a bumpy street stuffed with potholes. You may even go to La Fortuna on a day journey from San José should you’d like!
Hot springs…dare I say extra?
Another large perk of visiting La Fortuna is the abundance of scorching springs. Heated by geothermal exercise from the Arenal Volcano, these springs are each man-made and pure. The man-made ones are much less spectacular, however nonetheless good to soak in and sort of jogged my memory of an grownup water park with scorching tubs as an alternative of wading swimming pools. The pure scorching springs come from the Arenal River, and there are a few spots the place you’ll be able to take a dip totally free (learn the way right here).
There are extra adrenaline-pumping actions
La Fortuna is legendary for its daring actions. Some embody excessive zip-lining, white-water rafting, canyoneering, and off-roading on ATVs. Sure, Monteverde has a few of these actions as nicely (zip-lining and ATV excursions), however the general vibe in La Fortuna lends itself to having a extra thrilling expertise geared toward getting your adrenaline pumping.
The waterfalls are spectacular
There’s no denying that the waterfalls in and round La Fortuna are completely definitely worth the hype. My two favorites had been La Fortuna and Río Celeste. Both of them had been insanely stunning and about the identical dimension, however you’ll be able to’t swim beneath Río Celeste like you’ll be able to at La Fortuna.
Monteverde has some waterfalls, however they’re not practically as spectacular as these close to La Fortuna, and the one one that might doubtlessly stack up is a 2.5-hour drive away. If you’re tremendous pumped about swimming and chasing waterfalls, La Fortuna may be one of the best choose for you.
There are higher probabilities to see mammals and reptiles
If you need to see sloths within the wild, you’re way more more likely to in La Fortuna, versus Monteverde. There are even excursions devoted to recognizing them of their pure habitat. La Fortuna can also be higher for catching howler monkeys and different mammals, lots of which come out round twilight (see them on this tour).
There are extra eating places and nightlife
La Fortuna is a much bigger city than Monteverde, so there are extra eating places to select from and a much more thrilling nighttime scene. Unlike Monteverde, which appeared to close down at 10pm, La Fortuna stayed awake, with small bars and late-night bites as choices. As a solo traveler, it was simpler for me to satisfy different vacationers in La Fortuna, because the environment was extra social general.
Drawbacks of La Fortuna
It’s far more touristy
This was an enormous draw back for me, as I want extra low-key spots. Even although I visited throughout the wet season in July, La Fortuna was packed. Everywhere I went, it was troublesome to discover a second to easily be in nature with out so many individuals round. Some vacationers don’t thoughts this, however I hoped it will be extra laid-back. If you go to throughout the excessive season (December via April), be certain that to guide your actions and lodging nicely upfront.
Generally, it’s costlier
Overall, I observed that costs had been greater in La Fortuna for nearly all the pieces. The most notable distinction was for lodging, with even essentially the most fundamental lodge rooms beginning round $60 per night time. For reference, my stunning cabin-style room in Monteverde was solely round $30 an evening. Prices at eating places had been barely greater right here, too. Since most of the actions in La Fortuna are extra excessive, they are typically costlier as nicely. An evening tour, for instance, that provided virtually the identical expertise was $55 in La Fortuna in comparison with Monteverde’s $28.
It’s not precisely the “real” Costa Rica
La Fortuna felt extra like a resort than a Costa Rican city. I observed that everybody, from the bus drivers to the wait employees, spoke excellent English and had been nicely skilled to cater to vacationers. I skilled great hospitality throughout the entirety of my journey to Costa Rica, however right here it felt much less genuine and extra compelled. If you’re hoping to find out about Costa Rican tradition, La Fortuna isn’t set as much as provide you with that sort of expertise.
So, Monteverde or La Fortuna?
The reply to this query is determined by a number of key issues: your funds, what actions you need to do, and the way a lot solitude you’d like. If you need to save a pair bucks, do some extra chill actions, and have a slice of nature to your self, go to Monteverde. If you don’t thoughts splurging a bit for some added luxurious otherwise you need to dive into some heart-pounding actions, La Fortuna is your finest wager.
Both of those locations are utterly price visiting, so in case you have time to suit each of them into your itinerary, do it!
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Now that you’ve got all the pieces it’s good to select Monteverde or La Fortuna, which one made the lower for you?
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