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Costa Rica
Concierge.com's insider take:
One of the country's highlights, Monteverde is also one of the hardest sights to reach, requiring an arduous uphill drive on unpaved roads. Despite being only 105 miles from San José, it takes about four hours to drive to the main town of Santa Elena, where most lodgings are located. But the trek is worth it to hike through the cloud forest, where you'll see a wide variety of flora and fauna that thrive in the moist environment. High on everyone's bird-spotting list is the quetzal, an iridescent green bird with an extravagant long tail. Hiring a guide is a good idea, as most of the birds and animals are hard to spot in the lush foliage. One of the best times to visit is at night, when you can see the eleutherodactylus, or rain frog, and other colorful amphibians. Knowledgeable guides (your hotel will arrange) can lure tarantulas out of their lairs. It's also possible to travel up through the rain forest in a Sky Tram, which has excellent views of Arenal Volcano. If you're brave enough, zipline back down through the trees.
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