Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [151]
This road forms the backbone of a spread-out community, and is lined with hotels and restaurants of varying degrees of attractiveness. About 2km from Santa Elena, the neighborhood of Cerro Plano has a neat nucleus of cute businesses centered on Casem and the Monteverde Cheese Factory. Almost 5km from town, a turnoff leads a steep 3km to the Ecolodge San Luis and research station and San Luis Waterfall. Roads are generally paralleled by pedestrian trails.
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Information
BOOKSTORES
Librería Chunches (2645-5147; Santa Elena; 8am-7pm Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm Sat; ) A bookstore and coffee shop with a fine selection of books (many in English), including travel and natural history guides and some US newspapers and magazines. There’s laundry service (₡3500 to wash and dry up to 4kg) and its bulletin board is a good source of information. Also see Bromelias Books.
EMERGENCY
Police (2645-5127; Santa Elena)
INTERNET ACCESS
Internet access is widely available around Santa Elena and at many hotels.
Hotel & Info Center Camino Verde (2645-6304; www.exploringmonteverde.com/hotel-camino-verde; 6:30am-10pm) Has a busy internet cafe in front, with international internet calling available; across from the Santa Elena bus terminal.
Internet Pura Vida (2645-5683; www.internetpuravida.com; per hr ₡800; 10am-8pm;) Located within a converted yellow American school bus, they also offer computer repair and CD burning. There’s also a laundry service (₡3800 to wash and dry up to 5kg).
Tree House Restaurant & Café (2645-5751; www.canopydining.com; 6:30am-10pm) Has a few terminals downstairs that you can use for free (!) for half an hour.
MEDICAL SERVICES
Consultorio Médico (2645-7778, 8304-2121; 24hr) Across the intersection from Hotel Heliconia.
Red Cross (2645-6128; 24hr) A hospital located just north of Santa Elena.
Vitosi (2645-5004; 8am-8pm Mon-Sat, 9am-8pm Sun) German-run pharmacy and department store, across from the Chamber of Tourism.
MONEY
Euros, US dollars and traveler’s checks can be exchanged at Hotel & Info Center Camino Verde, although you can expect to pay a fairly hefty commission.
Banco de Costa Rica (2645-5519; 8am-4pm Mon-Fri, 8am-noon Sat) Has a 24-hour ATM; located next to La Guarida del Sapo.
Banco Nacional (2645-5027; Santa Elena; 8:30am-3:45pm) 24-hour ATM in the new building behind the parking lot.
Banco Popular A 24-hour ATM.
POST
Correos de Costa Rica (8am-4:30pm Mon-Fri, until noon Sat) Across from the new shopping mall.
TOURIST INFORMATION
Chamber of Tourism (2645-6565; www.monteverdecr.com; Santa Elena; 8am-8pm) Operated by the local chamber of commerce, this office only promotes hotels and tour companies that pay the membership fee, so come in with the understanding that you’ll get biased information.
Hotel & Info Center Camino Verde (2645-6296; www.exploringmonteverde.com; Camino Verde; 8am-8pm; ) Offers maps, hotel and tour bookings, internet access (per hour ₡1600), domestic and international bus reservations and a small hostel (US$8 to US$10 per person).
Pensión Santa Elena A better option than the tourist office, even if you’re not staying at this place. Talk to its friendly staff or check out its comprehensive website.
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Sights
Ecotourism is big business in Monteverde and Santa Elena, so it’s unsurprising that there are a number of ecoriffic attractions scattered around both towns. And if there’s a certain critter you’re itching to see, there are plenty of places where your view won’t be obscured by all those pesky trees.
As places possessed of such sublime beauty are apt to do, the Monteverde–Santa Elena corridor is attracting an impressive art scene, and there are a growing