By Victoria Torley

Last week, I started a series on the forests of Costa Rica by talking a bit about the upland and lowland rainforests. This week, I want you to meet another type of rainforest with a special designation – the Cloud Forest. So how does a cloud forest differ from a ‘regular’ rain forest? The answer is elevation.

Cloud forests got their name because they are covered with, well, clouds – a result of our warm/hot tropical air cooling as it is pushed up mountain slopes where the moisture in the air condenses and becomes fog or clouds. Cloud forest air is always damp and cool, so be sure to take warmer clothes and rain protection when you visit these forests.

You can find cloud forests all over Costa Rica. Wherever you find the high slopes of mountains or volcanoes, you are likely to find a cloud forest. The most famous and protected are the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve and the Los Angeles Cloud Forest Reserve. At all these reserves, you will find magic in the mists that surround the often shrouding upper branches of the trees.

Because they are one of nature’s wonders, cloud forest areas often boast other attractions. At Monteverde, you will find orchid and butterfly gardens, hiking trails and bird-watching tours, as well as early morning guided tours. The Monteverde cloud forest also plays host to all six species of Costa Rica’s big cats while you will find spider monkeys at the Santa Elena reserve. Because the cloud forests are widely separated, biodiversity is very endemic. A species that appears in one cloud forest may appear nowhere else in the country.

In Costa Rica’s lower areas, you’ll find another type of forest – the tropical dry forest – called that because the areas get a lot less precipitation than rain or cloud forests. The dry forests are found in the Pacific north coastal areas of the country in the Guanacaste province. Because these forests are less dense and have less undergrowth than other tropical forests, it is often easier to spot wildlife in them. Best known parks are Guanacaste and Santa Rosa national parks and Rincon de la Vieja and Palo Verde national parks. Bird watching is easier in these parks because of the looseness of the vegetation and it’s easier to spot monkeys as well.

Because these are all national parks, there are usually guides for hire when you arrive. They know where you need to go for the best vistas for your photos and videos and where you are most likely to find the most abundant wildlife.

Plant for the week. Does your property include a large pond? Then you might be interested in the Victoria amazonica, a species of water lily with leaves that can be 1.8 meters (6 feet) across. This is a quick grower and the leaf size depends on the water depth – a minimum of one meter (nearly 40 inches) for best growth, although deeper water produces bigger leaves. The flowers are pink and white. Grow in full sun and rich soil.

For more information on this article or about gardening, Ms. Victoria Torley, gardener columnist, can be reached at

victoriatorley1@gmail.com