Surrounded by cloud forests and just a little way from neighbouring Monteverde, Santa Elena is a city with a wide range of activities.

Dangers and Annoyances
Santa Elena-Monteverde is the most popular region of Costa Rica. Because of this you’ll find yourself running into more khaki-clad travellers than natives, and you’ll also find the rapid over-development of the area makes it seem a little bit more like the Jungle Safari at Disney World than the tropical rainforests of Costa Rica.

Sightseeing
Visit the Santa Elena–Monteverde eco-corridor, which includes art galleries that are dedicated to woodworking done by local artists. El Jardin de Las Mariposas is a permanent butterfly exhibition where you can learn about the life-cycle of butterflies, view butterflies in various stages of development and come into contact with hundreds of different butterfly species.