Monteverde guide
What to do in Monteverde when it rains
It is called a cloud forest for a reason. Rain here is not bad luck, it is the point; here is how to enjoy the wet days instead of waiting them out in a hotel room.
When does it rain in Monteverde?
The rainy season runs from about May to November, with the heaviest afternoons in September and October. December to April is drier but windy, with mist blowing sideways through the trees, which locals call pelo de gato, cat hair rain.
Most days, even in the wet season, the morning is clear and the rain arrives after lunch. Plan the forest for the morning and the café, the shops and the museums for the afternoon.
Should I still walk the reserve in the rain?
Yes. The trails are well kept and the canopy takes most of it. The forest is at its greenest, the frogs are out, and the crowds are not. Wear a rain jacket and closed shoes, put your phone in a bag, and walk slowly. Rain usually thins to mist within an hour.
What stays open and dry
The hanging bridges and the zip lines run in the rain unless there is lightning. The butterfly and hummingbird gardens, the frog pond, the bat jungle and the orchid garden are mostly covered. A coffee or chocolate tour spends much of its time under a roof, which makes a rainy afternoon a good time for one.
The Tico way: wait it out with something hot
Costa Ricans do not fight the rain, they sit it out with a cafecito. Our tables sit under the hanging garden with the rain on the leaves around you. Order a Costa Rican hot chocolate, a Cloud Forest Latte with honey and cinnamon, or a Café con Leche and a warm empanada, and give it forty minutes. It nearly always passes.
Children get the hot chocolate. Adults who have been on a cold bridge get the Tres Leches as well.
What to wear on a rainy day
A real rain jacket, not an umbrella; the wind makes umbrellas useless. Quick drying trousers, closed shoes with grip, and a dry layer in a bag for after. A small towel is the thing nobody packs and everybody wants.
After the rain
The hour after a shower is the best hour in Monteverde: the light comes in low under the clouds, the hummingbirds return to the garden, and the air smells of wet forest and coffee. Stay for the second cup.