Monteverde Shopping Tips by BEETLE_VERTE Top 5 Page for this destination

SkyTrek / SkyWalk, Chunches in Santa Elena: Monteverde Poster

Actualy, we saw this poster in many shops. Two I can remember are the SkyWalk / SkyTrek shop in Santa Elena, just beside the bus stop and Chunches Library .

What to buy: I fell in love with the Monteverde poster. It makes an amazing souvenir and a beautiful and colorful art piece for my living-room. Plus, it helps the Cloud Forest school. All proceeds from the sale of the poster go to support the Cloud Forest School (Centro de Education Creativa) in Monteverde, an environmentally focused, bilingual school situated on 106 acres of pristine and protected land. It was founded in 1991 by local parents hoping to provide a new and unique opportunity for their children.

Wildlife artist Charley Harper captures the excitement, color and vibrant life of the Monteverde Cloud Forest in this unique poster. Charlie and his wife Edie had the opportunity to visit Costa Rica and now share with you the magic of the world's most ecologically diverse and fragile forest. If you have been to Monteverde, you can appreciate the beauty represented here; if you have never been, we hope this poster encourages you to visit.

A must!

What to pay: 20$ including a tube for travel

Possible to mail order poster or note cards with foundation@cloudforestschool.org and products@cloudforestschool.org

Address: Santa Elena & Monteverde areas

Other Contact: support@cloudforestschool.org

Phone: 506-645-5161

Theme: Art

Website: http://www.cloudforestschool.org

Camino Verde: Inexpensive shopping

I already described this place in my restaurant tip, but wanted to make a point about their good price and availability. Everything is possible here, from buying a guided tour, a shuttle fare, the jeep-boat-jeep ride to Fortuna, a hotel room, a phone call, a meal, arts & crafts, coffee, cigars, exchanging currency.

The only thing that make you want to scratch out your eyes is the bureaucraty it takes to pay. Wether you are buying 100$ worth of guided tours or a 2$ bag of coffee, you have to first see a clerc who will thoroughly fill a receipt, answering phone calls and chating with other clercs at the same time. You can then take this receipt to the lady hidden in the cash box who will as thoroughly stamp your receipt and collect your paiement. You finally can go back to the first clerc and get your stuff.

What to buy: For the most part, this is where we found the best price for all those small gifts you want to take home: wood sculpture, wood jewelry, t-shirt, coffee... I bought bags of coffee, grounded or not, for 2$ each and wood bracelets for my brothers for 2$. A good price, and a real good price if you compare with touristic gift shops.

What to pay: Much less than anywhere else

Address: Santa Elena

Directions: In the triangle of Santa Elena, in front of the bus stop.

Phone: 506-645-5916

Theme: Local Craft

Website: http://www.costaricanet.net/caminoverde/