Cerro La Vieja

To the west of El Valle, on the road from Penenomé to Churuquita Grande, stands the impressive forested hill of Cerro la Vieja, with thick foliage clinging to its rocky face. The area around that peak holds a mix of farms and patches of forest, and it has been experiencing a slight ecological recovery in recent years, as local farmers allow regrowth in areas that were deforested decades ago. This is in no small part thanks to the efforts of Alfonso Jaen, who owns the Posada Ecológico Cerro la Vieja, one of the country's first eco-lodges. Guides at that lodge lead visitors through the surrounding countryside, to the summit of Cerro la Vieja, or all the way to El Valle. Because Cerro La Vieja is in a valley between the country's Pacific and Atlantic slopes, it gets more rain than the nearby Pacific lowlands, and thus stays greener during the dry season. It is also home to a good variety of birds, since it lies within the range of Pacific and Caribbean species. Travelers who prefer to take it easy may want to dedicate their stay to the Posada Ecológico's small spa.