Barra Honda National Park protects a cave system that plunges hundreds of meters into the earth. Venture down and visit this strange world of bats and stalactites.The cave systems hold mesmerizing limestone forms, sculpted over millions of years by a combination of rainwater and gravity. Your light throws eerie shadows off the bizarre shapes. Stalactites mark the way as you delve deeper. Sweeping your lamplight around a chamber, don’t be surprised to see dozens of bats roosting in the ceiling, awaiting nightfall—a common sight in this often overlooked ecosystem.

Get your fill of the flavors and foods that define Costa Rican cuisine.Begin your day by browsing the farmers’ market with your personal food guide, selecting the best fresh ingredients for the cooking lesson later.Afterward, travel to a private ranch and search its organic garden for the flavors to complete your meal. Learn how to make corn tortillas, ceviche, picadillo, and more. Discover how your favorite local ingredients meld to create the flavors you love, and then, of course, eat them!

Damas Island is situated near estuaries and is a prime example of Central American mangrove forests.Kayak through the exotic scenery, getting up-close to wildlife and accessing areas that motorized boat tours cannot reach. Slip your paddles into calm, brackish water and maneuver beneath branches that form complete arches over the channels.Take your time and savor the opportunity to be so close to snakes, crocodiles, bats, and a range of birds, including kingfishers, herons, and ospreys.

Voted the best resort in Central America, El Silencio Lodge & Spa is an eco-conscious luxury hotel nestled amongst 500 acres of private cloud forest near Poas Volcano.This is more than a hotel—El Silencio is a bundle of the best Costa Rica traditionally has to offer, wrapped in contemporary luxury. Think tumbling falls, candlelit dinners, delicate hummingbirds, blissful silence, and exciting zip-lines. Whatever you need to recharge and revitalize, you’ll find it here.

The jungles of the Gold Coast are renowned for their biodiversity, but traveling on-foot is not straightforward. This memorable tour brings you into the heart of the jungle by ATV.Listen to the cries of howler monkeys, spot tropical birds in the canopy, and pass beneath the draping tails of iguanas resting on branches. Then transition from the luxurious foliage of the jungle to the open golden beaches that the region is known for.

Nauyaca Waterfalls are a collection of majestic multi-tiered falls near Manuel Antonio National Park. Witness clean mountain water tumbling over 120 feet into deep crystal pools, which positively invite adventurous swimmers.Enjoy the spectacular falls and skip the arduous hike in by traveling on horseback.Tuck into a traditional Tico breakfast at the ranch, meet your horse, and set off with your private guide. Immerse yourself in the region’s impressive rainforest and later in the pools beneath the falls.

Exploring the jungle by day only provides access to half of the spectacle.Encounter Costa Rica’s nocturnal wildlife at the Amphibian Aquatic Garden. This refuge houses native species in their natural habitat, providing researchers and visitors with opportunities to study the creatures.See the elusive kinkajou, red-eyed tree frog, glass frog, armadillo, and other animals you’re unlikely to spot in the daytime. Learn about the behaviors and special adaptations that allow them to flourish while the rest of the jungle sleeps.

Lankester Gardens is one of Costa Rica’s out-of-the-way gems: a stunning botanical garden showcasing over 1000 species of orchids.Started by Charles H. Lankester, the gardens are now operated by the University of Costa Rica and is one of the chief centers for orchid research in the world. Stroll along well-maintained pathways and study the magnificent flowers, most of which are native to Costa Rica’s rainforests.Aside from orchids, the gardens contain many other plant species, including those in its famous Japanese garden. Of course, the collection attracts a wide array of interesting insects.

The surface of the Pacific Ocean is rippling orange with the light of the setting sun. Your guide spots a four-foot-long turtle heading up the beach.You follow, keeping a reasonable distance from the Pacific green turtle as she selects her nesting area and begins digging a hole. Watch one of the region’s great natural phenomenons as the large turtle lays dozens of eggs while waves break nearby. She’ll then bury the eggs to protect them from predators, and return to the ocean. The eggs are left to hatch in roughly 60 days, while you’re left pondering the life of these magnificent, endangered animals.

Caño Island is a 2900-hectare biological reserve on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. The reserve boasts a stunning amount of biodiversity, only a fraction of which is visible from land. Suit up with scuba gear and join your divemaster for a trip to an aquatic wonderland. Sea turtles forage for seaweed, reef fish peek out of nooks in over a dozen species of coral, and barracudas, tuna, and even dolphins harry schools swimming above. If you’re lucky, you might even swim alongside a migrating humpback whale!Resurface for a picnic lunch on the island before getting back in the water for another world-class dive.

Monteverde’s cloud forests are world-renowned for their beauty and bounty of life. Most of that life is in the canopy, where the air is heavy and full of vibrant sounds.Take advantage of Selvatura Canopy Tour’s network of zip lines and hanging bridges to get up close and personal with resplendent quetzals, bats, monkeys, and an endless parade of reptiles and amphibians. Enjoy the thrill of soaring through the air along steel cables 300 feet above the forest floor. Fourteen platforms allow for a lengthy zip line journey. Or appreciate the serenity of the cloud forest by strolling along kilometers of elevated walking trails connected by airy suspension bridges.

Begin by easily gaining elevation aboard the Sky Tram. On your way up, observe monkeys swinging between trees and hear the quorks of long-billed toucans. The tram will bring you to an observation deck at the highest point of the Arenal Reserve.See Volcan Arenal and the surrounding splendor from this exceptional vantage before continuing your adventure along a series of zip lines.Traverse along nearly two miles of zip lines, including a single cable of 2460 feet! Fly above and among the canopy, seeing the rainforest from a bird’s perspective, hundreds of feet above the ground.

Cahuita National Park stretches its undeveloped white sand beaches along Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast. The park encompasses both land and water, and it’s below the surface of the latter where its greatest treasures lay.Set out into the surf aboard your private boat and choose where to plunge into your unforgettable snorkel adventure. Dip your head beneath the waves and discover a world of beauty, color, and abundance.Cahuita boasts over 35 species of coral, over 100 species of mollusks and fish, sea turtles, nurse sharks, eels, lobster, and much more.

Fearsome volcanic cones and otherworldly lakes—experience this whirlwind tour of volcanoes and associated landscapes that characterize Costa Rica.Beginning in San Jose, head across the sprawling Central Valley to Arenal Volcano, a severe giant slumbering next to a beautiful lake. From there, fly over the reflective surface of Hule lagoon and continue upstream to Poas Volcano with its active crater.  The extinct Barva Volcano makes three. Here, massive craters now hold colorful lagoons surrounded by lush rainforest.Take a coffee break at world-famous Doka Estates before flying back to the city after this private tour.

Kekoldi is an important reservation for the indigenous Bribri people. Encompassing over 8,500 acres of rainforest, the reserve is a hotspot for conservation. Bribri guides will welcome you into their homes and introduce you to their way of life. Hike through the jungle and absorb it through the eyes of the region’s indigenous people. Sample medicinal plants, witness cacao being processed, and learn how fiber is made from wild plants.Listen as the Bribri explain their conservation efforts, including the breeding of endangered green iguanas. They began this effort in the early 1990s to combat the species’ local extinction and have since released over 30,000 iguanas into the wild.

Costa Rica’s legendary biodiversity doesn’t end at the shoreline. Head out to sea and visit the country’s marine residents.Feel the spray and be in awe of an acrobatic humpback whale holding her tail above the water, as she dives in search of a place to birth her young.This full-day tour provides ample opportunities to spot distinct whale species and even more dolphins.As mighty as these creatures seem, some of them—including humpbacks—are endangered. Visit their habitat, see them in the wild, and appreciate the fragile beauty that makes this area so special.

This day trip combines natural sight-seeing, teamwork, and heart-pumping adventure. Begin your day with a traditional Tico breakfast in the thatched-roof town of El Silencio before suiting up and hitting the river.Meet your guides, climb aboard your sturdy raft, and let the water carry you downstream. Navigate up to Class IV rapids. Bob along with the flow and get doused by crashing waves for a steady ride of 13 miles.There are plenty of stops along the way to catch your breath and have a laugh while marveling at a plunging waterfall or taking a dip in a swimming hole.

See everyone’s favorite Costa Rican mammal in its natural habitat!Sloths are native to Central America and Costa Rica boasts premier sloth-spotting locations. Visit one of them today—Arenal's Sloth Trail. Explore 50 acres of tropical forest peppered with cecropia trees, the sloth’s favorite hideaway. Your naturalist guide will point out other flora and fauna while you search for these lethargic jungle denizens. Watch the slow, deliberate movements of two- and three-toed sloths moving up tree trunks and along branches. If you’re lucky, you might see a mother with a baby clinging to her fur.