In going to Costa Rica, the cloud forests of Monteverde became something of a goal for us.  The mountains and forests of the region were something that attracted us and we had initial planned on staying for a few weeks to volunteer and relax a bit.  When we got there we found a tourist town in the midst of rainy season and so we realized we’d need to readjust our plans a bit.
Since it wouldn’t be long before heading off for the monkeys of Manuel Antonio, we decided to give a night hike a try.  Really, it’s just what it sounds like and not much more.  Unfortunately, most of the wildlife we did see was shrouded in darkness and therefore not close enough for our cameras to see in the pitch dark of night.  Then we came across this tarantula…it was right next to trail so it was easy to take a photo, thankfully it stayed put and didn’t come after us!

IF YOU GO: Monteverde is a great place to visit and very close to the Volcan Arenal.  Driving between the two isn’t exactly easy but there is a transport service that combines with a boat ride for the one way journey.  Montverde may not be the site of luxury that Arenal is but it contains all the adventure from night hikes to canopy tours!