Ficus La Raiz
Monteverde, Costa Rica
The roots of a woody ficus form a botanical bridge in Costa Rica's cloud forest.
A hand-painted sign for Raiz, a root bridge that spans a trickling creek, may be found in the hills surrounding Santa Elena in Monteverde. The simple sign points to a primitive path through the cloud forest that leads down to the creek.
It will be clear when you reach Ficus la Raiz, commonly known as the Root Bridge or el Puente Raiz. The roots of a giant woody ficus plant form a natural bridge across the little valley. If you want to cross the river using the bridge, you can test your balance and dare from the top—many tourists get to a comfortable selfie point and then rush back to shore.
On either side of the bridge, sketchy pathways descend to the stream, allowing you to see the entire grandeur of the bridge and the tentacle-like supports along the water's edge.
Expect a five-minute journey from Santa Elena and allow for 15-20 minutes of exploration. By car, you can drive to a parking lot that seems like a business expansion of a residential property, complete with construction equipment and a gravel surface, by following the GPS coordinates.
You can walk through a footpath near the main road or through the parking lot and follow the driveway to the same entrance.
It almost always rains in this section of Costa Rica, so you may have to grab onto branches to avoid slipping on the mud. Please be mindful of the environment, as several hidden jewels in the area have been blocked due to excessive erosion.
