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BBC News
19-07-2025
- BBC News
Gold, jaguars and a rainforest in peril: Trekking Costa Rica's wildest trails
Once ravaged by mining and logging, Costa Rica's Corcovado National Park now shelters 2.5% of Earth's biodiversity. But as tourism grows, its future hangs in the balance. "I was stalked by a puma once when I was a park ranger," says Danny Herrera-Badilla, as we trek down a trail in the tangled jungles of Costa Rica's Corcovado National Park. Sunlight filters through the canopy. Overhead I can hear the chatter of tanagers, the clack-clack of toucans and the distant boom of a motmot. Off to my left, the Pacific Ocean flashes through the trees, and a stripy-tailed coati bustles busily through the undergrowth. "Actually, it's not the cats you have to worry about," Herrera-Badilla adds, as we emerge beside an estuary. "The white-lipped peccaries are really dangerous. And the snakes. We have a lot of venomous snakes. And scorpions. Some spiders. Oh yes, and crocodiles." He points across the river. A portly saltwater crocodile is basking on the far bank; its jaws fixed in a reptilian grin. "He's waiting for his breakfast," Herrera-Badilla says. "Which reminds me. I'm hungry." We sit down on a log and tuck into our packed snack of tacos and plantains, listening to scarlet macaws squabbling in the treetops. Apart from us, there isn't a soul around. I've only been in Corcovado for two days, but that's long enough to understand what a wild place this is. Covering 424 sq km of the Osa Peninsula, a remote pocket of land in Costa Rica's far south-west, the park contains the largest area of primary tropical rainforest in Pacific Central America. Sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean to the west and the deep Golfo Dulce to the east, it's a vast wildlife refuge; more like an island than a peninsula. Some 500 tree species, 400 birds, 116 reptiles, 6,000 insects and 140 mammals are found here, as well as the endangered Baird's tapir and harpy eagle. It's estimated that Corcovado contains 2.5% of the world's biodiversity – an extraordinary statistic for somewhere smaller than the Isle of Man. Founded in 1975, Corcovado celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025, so I've travelled south from the capital of San José to find out what's worked over the last half-century – and to ponder what the next 50 years might hold in a world in which wild places like Corcovado are under threat. Primary forests are a rare and dwindling resource: according to the United Nations, they have reduced globally by 800,000 sq km since 1990. The flight from San Jose takes just under two hours, our twin-engine plane gliding low over jungled hills, white beaches and blue bays before bumping down on the dusty airstrip in Puerto Jiménez, a beach town about 40km from Corcovado's eastern edge. The creation of the national park was a watershed moment for the Osa Peninsula. In the previous decades, this was Costa Rica's wild west frontier. Illegal logging and poaching was widespread; tracts of forest had been lost to slash-and-burn agriculture and clandestine gold mining along the rivers was commonplace. The national park ended these damaging practices and allowed areas of deforested land to regenerate. Between 1987 and 2017, Osa's forest cover actually increased by 11%, in contrast to many other rainforests across Central and South America. The national park also brought something else with it: ecotourism. Corcovado is now Costa Rica's 10th most visited national park, receiving approximately 50,000 visitors a year – but it feels quiet compared to more popular parks such as Manuel Antonio, Irazú and Arenal. That's because park access is strictly controlled. There are only three publicly accessible trails, and anyone entering must do so in the company of a licensed guide. The most popular route runs to the ranger station at La Sirena, where it's possible to bunk overnight for some spectacular early-morning wildlife watching. The other two routes are less frequented: one travels along the jungly south coast from La Leona Ranger Station; while the other, a challenging cross-country route that involves bushwhacking and river crossings, runs in from the north at Los Patos Ranger Station. SINAC, the governmental body that oversees Costa Rica's national parks, employs a small team of rangers to patrol the hiking trails and ensure rules are being followed. These strict regulations have ensured that Corcovado has stayed startlingly wild. Most of the park is completely off-limits, although a few scientists are allowed access to conduct field studies and monitor wildlife. This means that, over the last half-century, Corcovado has remained that rarest of things: a predominantly human-free habitat. The question for the next 50 years is whether it can stay that way. Until recently, there was a cap of 120 people per day on the Sirena trail, but that has now been doubled to 240 – a controversial change that has caused concern for many locals. "No-one was consulted," says Ifigenia Garita Canet, a biologist who has offered walking tours into Corcovado through her company, Osa Wild, since 2012. "There was no impact study. That's really worrying. In a place like Corcovado, you must make every decision with great care." She fears it is part of a growing trend that emphasises quick profits and growing visitor numbers rather than the small-scale, low-impact tourism model which she – and others – have worked so hard to develop on the Osa Peninsula. There are other reasons to be worried. A project to build a paved road around Osa's coastline is underway. The first multi-national hotel, Botanika (owned by Hilton) has recently opened. And there is talk of a new international airport in Puerto Jiménez, a prospect that fills Canet with dread. "As a passionate human trying to preserve this place, it's tragic to hear such a thing being talked about," she says. "In Costa Rica, we are masters in greenwashing sometimes. We shout statistics about biodiversity, all the land we have protected. But to build something like that here? That would go against everything we stand for." It's a reminder of the delicate balance in a place such as the Osa Peninsula. While tourism and development bring economic benefits, inevitably they come at a cost. During the pandemic, tourism-based jobs all but vanished, causing economic hardship and a sudden, unwelcome return to illicit industries like logging and gold-panning. "Much of our work is around developing education and employment for local people," says Helena Pita, who works for Fundación Corcovado, which supports sustainable development and ecosystem restoration around the Osa Peninsula. "We all know how important this place is, but it's important we don't become too reliant on tourism. The question is, can we find ways to promote conservation while also helping local people improve their lives?" Pita and her colleagues believe the answer starts with local action. Since 2001, Fundación Corcovado has raised funds for more than 100 local projects, from building ranger stations and overseeing habitat restoration to supporting community tourism, sustainable agriculture and environmental education programmes in schools. They've also run a sea turtle protection scheme that's estimated to have saved more than 10,000 turtle nests and 640,000 hatchlings. "There are lots of organisations doing good work," Pita says. "But to see the changes we want, and fight the things we don't, we must get organised." More like this:• The Central American region where people live longest• Pura Vida: Costa Rica's uniquely positive outlook on life• A tiny bat that can fit in your palm The stakes are high in a place as precious as Corcovado. But this is clear evidence that conservation efforts are working – not just within the park but beyond it too. According to field data, many species, including rare animals like tapirs, jaguars and white-lipped peccaries are now venturing beyond park boundaries into adjacent areas such as the Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve and Piedras Blancas National Park. For groups like Osa Conservation, which manages more than 8,000 acres of surrounding land, the dream is a connected corridor stretching from the Osa Peninsula to the Talamanca Mountains – a vast, climate-resilient ecosystem where biodiversity can my final day on the Osa Peninsula, I take a last hike into the rainforest in the company of Danillo Alvares, another ex-ranger and wildlife guide. With his khaki fatigues and grizzled grey beard, he channels Indiana Jones; and with a lifetime's worth of experience exploring Corcovado, his knowledge of – and passion for – the forest is inspiring. We hike along the trail, picking our way over the Brobdingnagian roots of strangler figs and phalanxes of leafcutter ants marching across the path. Overhead, spider monkeys skitter through the treetops, chattering noisily to warn each other of our approach. Alvares finds golden orb spiders strung through the trees, a strawberry poison dart frog hidden in a hollow, an eyelash pit viper lurking ominously in the folds of a leaf. He tells me about the healing properties of the dragon blood tree, whose scarlet sap acts as an antiseptic and anti-fungal; and the milk tree, which secretes a latex-like substance that was once used to make bouncy balls and seal canoes. We listen to the buzz of cicadas and the whoops of howler monkeys down the valley, resting beside a clattering waterfall where clouds of giant blue morpho butterflies drift past. In the primary rainforest, Alvares explains, each tree species occupies a niche, supporting its own unique mini-ecosystem. That's why it's vital to leave the old-growth trees where they are, he says: every one that's felled breaks a strand in the fragile web of life that has evolved here over tens of thousands of years. We end our walk under a huge ceiba tree, perhaps 30m high and 2m across. A tree like this is probably two or three centuries old, Danillo says, but there are some trees deep inside Corcovado which are much, much older – trees that would probably have been standing long before the conquistadors arrived in Central America. "There is nowhere else like Corcovado on planet Earth," he says, raising his head to look up into the canopy. "And it is our responsibility to protect it." -- For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Condé Nast Traveler
10-07-2025
- Condé Nast Traveler
Exploring the Endless Allure of Costa Rica
Adventure Seekers: Dominical and Osa Peninsula For travelers with an adventurous spirit, Costa Rica's South Pacific is a dream come true. Start in Dominical, a low-key beach town bordered by the Baru River. You can reach Dominical from San José via a four-hour self-drive or a shared shuttle. Spend your first day or two embracing the laid-back spirit of pura vida with beach walks or an easy surf lesson at Dominicalito Beach. Once settled, visit Nauyaca Waterfalls, a two-tiered waterfall that looks like a scene straight out of a jungle fairy tale. The falls are accessible via an easy hike, a shuttled 4x4 pickup, or a guided horseback ride. Next up is the heart and soul of the trip, the Osa Peninsula. The journey is a true adventure that includes moderate to challenging hikes, but the reward is a wild, unspoiled jungle with magnificent wildlife encounters—Osa Peninsula hosts approximately 50% of all of the species found in Costa Rica. Begin with a night in Drake Bay, the remote gateway town to Corcovado National Park. The next morning, embark on an hour-long boat ride to Sirena Ranger Station in Corcovado National Park. Those prone to seasickness should prepare for a potentially bumpy, albeit quick, ride. Possible dolphin sightings along the way often provide a welcome distraction. Corcovado can only be explored with a certified guide. While day trips from Drake Bay or Sierpe are an option, a multi-night guided tour offers the richest experience. The first night is typically spent at Sirena Ranger Station, a dorm-style accommodation with hearty meals. From Sirena, your guide will lead you along trails through the secondary forest, tailoring the route to get a glimpse of the wildlife. Sightings of white-faced capuchin monkeys, spider monkeys, sloths, tapirs, toucans, owls, and snakes are all possible. On select tours, a day-two agenda ventures deeper into the primary forest. The further in you get, the denser and darker the canopy. This is Costa Rica's wild heart where you might see puma and jaguar in their natural habitat. Hikes to your overnight at San Pedrillo Station are longer and slower, and you'll be rewarded with a once-in-a-lifetime immersion in the pristine jungle. From there, a short hike back to Drake Bay and a well-deserved lunch at a local soda—a casual restaurant serving traditional Costa Rican cuisine—concludes the journey. Multigenerational Explorers: La Fortuna and Puerto Viejo de Talamanca For those traveling with kids, teens, or grandparents, La Fortuna is the natural choice. It takes just under three hours to reach La Fortuna from San José by car or shared shuttle. Begin with a guided night hike through the El Silencio Reserve, listening as the rainforest hums to life at dusk. Nearly half the species in this stretch of forest are nocturnal, offering a rare chance to encounter species like red-eyed tree frogs and bats in their natural environments. Round out your animal spotting the following day with a guided morning walk through a designated wildlife sanctuary, where smiling sloths often steal the show. Wherever you are in La Fortuna, Arenal Volcano looms on the horizon like a silent, scenic watchdog. Though it hasn't erupted in more than a decade, the active volcano still heats water deep underground, forming mineral-rich hot springs. Spend an afternoon at one of the area's renowned hot springs resorts—ideally, one that features a water park for the kids and spa-like serenity for the adults. For a soft adventure, hike the paved 500-step trail down to La Fortuna Waterfall, where a stunning cascade and swimming hole await. To experience an entirely different side of Costa Rica, take a four- to five-hour drive to Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast. In the Old Port of Talamanca, a rich, Afro-Caribbean culture imbues the laid-back beach town with joy, color, and flavor. Dishes like jerk chicken and rice and beans cooked in coconut milk reflect the region's deep Jamaican and British colonial influences that are distinctive from other parts of Costa Rica. Visit the Indigenous Bribri community, which has inhabited Talamanca for thousands of years. Take a guided tour of the Bribri cacao farm to gain an understanding of how the community cultivates this ancestral crop with such care, fostering a deep connection with the land. If you have more time, stay in a traditional Bribri-style lodge—partake in a traditional cacao ceremony and embrace the beauty of living in close communion with nature. Afterward, spend a day riding bikes around jungle-fringed roads, dip in the warm waters at Playa Cocles, or catch a wave if you're a seasoned surfer. Also be sure to keep an eye out for wild sloth viewings all the while, as this region is full of them. Golden-Year Travelers: Monteverde and Nicoya Peninsula For those golden-year travelers seeking a budget-friendly way to explore Costa Rica, begin in Monteverde. Translating to 'green mountain,' this verdant mountain region is perched 4,662 feet above sea level, though it is only a three-hour drive from San José. Much like the Pacific Northwest, Monteverde is evergreen thanks to the mist-laden clouds that cast a dreamy haze over its horizon. Start with a visit to Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve. While many visitors choose to explore independently, a naturalist guide can help you seek out elusive wildlife—sloths and quetzals among them. Stroll across hanging bridges under a canopy of green, and keep an eye out for more than 400 species of wild orchids lining the well-marked trails. Stop by the hummingbird garden, where 14 species of petite, fairylike birds dart from plant to plant, sipping nectar from native blooms. After exploring the wonders of the cloud forest, head to the Nicoya Peninsula. The journey takes about five hours of self-driving, including a scenic ferry ride. Shared shuttles are also available. Stay in Montezuma, a charming old fishing village with a bohemian heart. Visit the Saturday farmers market, explore the handful of local shops, and take an easy hike to the Montezuma waterfall for a refreshing dip in its natural pool. Wake early to catch the spectacle of sunrise before driving 30 minutes to the neighboring Santa Teresa. Spend the day on its wide, sandy beaches, stopping at Playa Hermosa's tide pools during low tide. Have an early dinner at a local soda and end your day with a breathtaking, candy-colored sunset.
CTV News
24-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
How moving from the U.S. to Costa Rica's ‘blue zone' transformed this family's life forever
The view of Golfo Dulce and the Pacific Ocean is seen from a rainforest on the Osa Peninsula near Cabo Matapalo, Costa Rica, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt O'Brien, File) When Kema Ward-Hopper and her then-fiance Nicholas Hopper, both from the U.S., decided to get married in Costa Rica, they had no idea that they'd end up relocating there a few years later. But a series of devastating events led the couple and daughter Aaralyn, now 15, to a new life in the Central American country's very own 'blue zone,' one of the regions of the world where people live longest and are the healthiest. Ward-Hopper, a health and life coach, was diagnosed with breast cancer a few months before their wedding in 2016. '[I had] started treatment and everything,' Ward-Hopper tells CNN Travel. 'If you see pictures from my wedding, I didn't have hair, and I didn't really look like myself. But I was sick.' Special place While she hadn't been feeling well before they travelled to Costa Rica for their big day, Ward-Hopper noticed a change in her energy levels during the time that they spent there. 'I just felt the best that I had been feeling since I'd been diagnosed,' she says. 'When we got back. 'That feeling good… I thought that I was getting better. But it really seemed like it was environmental, because after about a week, I was feeling bad again. 'So that was the first indicator that there was something special about Costa Rica.' Ward-Hopper went on to have a unilateral mastectomy before undergoing reconstruction surgery and the family, who were based in Houston, Texas, tried to return to normal. However, they suffered another major blow when their home was destroyed by a Category 4 hurricane in August 2017. 'I had the surgery and then Hurricane Harvey hit Houston,' she says. 'And we ended up losing our home. So it just seemed like a lot of bad things [happening] back to back to back to back.' After struggling to find a new home, the couple realized that there wasn't anything holding them to Houston anymore, and decided that it was time to move on. 'My husband was like, 'Well, let's just leave the country,' adds Ward-Hopper. They initially mulled over relocating to four potential destinations – Ghana, Sweden, Mexico, and of course, Costa Rica. 'Costa Rica ended up winning out over the other places that were on our list,' adds Ward-Hopper, explaining that they were impressed by the country's health care and education system, as well as the environmental protections in place – Costa Rica is the first tropical country to have reversed deforestation. 'Ever since we left there from our honeymoon, we just felt like we wanted to get back there and just feel good,' she adds. There's something energetic about being in Costa Rica.' 'Serendipitous' move Ward-Hopper goes on to explain that the country's proximity to the U.S. – Costa Rica is less than four hours from Houston by plane, was a major factor in their decision. 'It just felt so serendipitous,' she says. 'I feel like if we had chosen one of the other locations, we would have done way more research and preparation than we did for Costa Rica.' In 2018, around eight months after deciding to make Costa Rica their new home, the family left Houston to start afresh in Pueblo Nuevo, a neighbourhood located in the Nicoya Peninsula, one of the world's blue zones, along with Loma Linda in California, Italy's Sardinia, Japan's Okinawa and Greece's Ikaria. 'My husband and I came first and we were here for six weeks without my daughter,' says Ward-Hopper, explaining that they'd signed a lease on a property a friend had found for them. 'It was like a second honeymoon.' The couple spent their time tending to their garden, meeting the locals and getting used to their new surroundings. 'We were in the jungle,' she says, recalling how they had to adapt to the sounds and creatures that came with their new environment. 'It was an adventure. My memory of that time is very fond. By the time we came back with our daughter, it was peak rainy season. So that was a whole adventure in and of itself.' As they'd entered Costa Rica on a tourist visa, the couple were only permitted to remain in the country for 90 days at a time, and would regularly return to the U.S. to renew their visas. Thankfully, Ward-Hopper already spoke Spanish before they arrived, while her daughter had some knowledge of the language, which helped the family to transition more quickly. 'I don't know that we would have gotten some of the deals that we've gotten had we not had the ability to communicate,' she says, adding that her husband, who runs a logistics business, has been learning Spanish during their time there. As the family settled into life in Costa Rica, Ward-Hopper, who describes their first year in the country as 'one long learning experience,' was particularly struck by the country's strong sense of community. 'I had an idea of what I thought community was, but that was completely obliterated when I got here and experienced true community,' she says. 'The locals were helpful whether they knew you or not… It was amazing. The community really looked out for each other.' New addition According to Ward-Hopper, Aaralyn adapted very quickly and enjoyed being able to spend so much time on the beach and going on 'lots of hikes.' 'My husband and I both commented that she was able to kind of have a childhood like we had in the 80s and 90s,' she says. 'Being able to go outside and play outside of the watchful eye of your parents.' The family also found that they felt more energized, which Ward-Hopper attributes to access to fresh fruit, vegetables and whole foods, as well as cleaner air. 'The health benefits of the blue zone, I think, show up later in life,' she says. 'But we have noticed that we feel better when we're here. Our cardiac health and lung health seems to be better.' In August 2019, Ward-Hopper learned that she was pregnant with her second child. 'It was a weird turn of events,' she admits. 'I didn't expect to get pregnant.' When the global Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, shutting down much of the world, the family were granted permission to remain in Costa Rica on their tourist visas. Ward-Hopper welcomed her son Nicolai at their home in Pueblo Nuevo in April 2020. Aside from not being able to have extended family with her due to border restrictions, she says that giving birth in Costa Rica turned out to be a wonderful experience. 'The birth of my son was kind of like a meditation,' she adds. 'Everything was so intentional… I wish I could have had the experience with my daughter.' Sadly, Ward-Hopper's sister passed away suddenly a few months later. Due to the complications around border restrictions at the time and the fact that Nicolai was born in Costa Rica and would have been unable to leave at that stage, Ward-Hopper made the difficult decision not to return to the U.S. to be with her family. 'That was also a really hard point in our journey,' she says, before recounting the way the local community rallied around them to make sure that they 'felt loved and supported.' 'That's the kind of community that we live in,' she adds. The family of four, who have since moved to a larger house in Nicoya, are now settled in Costa Rica and their lives couldn't be more different than they were in Houston. For Ward-Hopper, one of the best things about the Costa Rican lifestyle is the way in which children are embraced in pretty much every aspect of everyday life. 'I feel like in the States, you feel pressure taking your young child out to dinner or something,' she says. 'Here, if your kid wants to play and walk around the table, then they tell you to leave them alone and let them. So it's just different. Family first 'They love children. And I don't necessarily know that I felt the same when my daughter was little. 'It's a very family oriented nation. Families definitely [come] first.' Ward-Hopper, who has been 'cancer free' for several years, has adapted to a slower paced lifestyle and learned to not 'be so uptight.' 'In the U.S., everything is super fast,' Ward-Hopper says, noting that she's had to learn to stop apologizing every time she's a few minutes late. 'You know the saying, 'If you're on time, you're late.' But here, that is not the case.' The average life expectancy in Nicoya is said to be around 85 years and the region has a number of centenarians. 'They're [the centenarians] delightful to talk with,' Ward-Hopper says, noting that she's always touched to see the way in which the local families take care of each other, with the old taking care of the young, and the young taking care of the old. 'The elderly are a part of caring for the youngest generation – their grandchildren, or their great grandchildren, because they're in such good shape,' she says. 'And it's that way because they're hardworking people, and they walk a lot of the places and they eat really well. 'So I think all of those things contribute to their long life. They also live with the land and not in spite of the land. 'So they don't try to remove all of the nature so that they can exist. They just kind of exist with the nature. At least where we live.' While Ward-Hopper says that there are endless benefits to living in Costa Rica, she stresses that it's not necessarily more affordable than the U.S. 'Costa Rica is the most expensive country in Latin America,' she says. 'But I also think that depends on how you're trying to live.' Ward-Hopper points out that the cost of living in areas of the country where there is a 'high ratio of expats to locals' is probably around the same as the U.S. 'Where we live, it would be way more expensive, [to have the same] quality of life living back in Houston,' she says. 'So for us it is more affordable, it's getting more expensive as more people move to Costa Rica. 'But there are still places you can go and live cheaper. But it's far away from the most popular spots.' Even after several years of living in the country, Ward-Hopper says she's still as amazed by its incredible nature as she was in the beginning. 'I'm so grateful, because I was worried that all this will become just the norm,' says Ward-Hopper. 'But it hasn't yet… We're still seeing new creatures this many years in. So that's fun.' Ward-Hopper and her husband and daughter all became permanent residents of Costa Rica after the birth of Nicolai, who is a Costa Rican citizen. Although they have no desire to return to the US, Ward-Hopper misses her 'friends, family, and Amazon,' and yearns for a traditional US winter every once in a while. 'When Christmas rolls around, sometimes I just want to put on fuzzy socks and a big hoodie and curl up somewhere cozy with a mug of hot chocolate while it's cold outside,' she says. 'But that does not happen [here]. It's a hot Christmas.' And while they're happy to stay where they are for the time being, the family don't necessarily plan to remain in Costa Rica indefinitely. 'I think Costa Rica will be [our] home base, but we do have plans to travel and experience other parts of the world,' Ward-Hopper adds, explaining that they're considering spending time in Colombia and Brazil. 'I guess we're more nomadic than stationary, but Costa Rica feels like home.' By Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN
Times
06-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Times
17 of the best places to see wildlife in Costa Rica
Land of tropical rainforests, cloud-covered volcanoes and Caribbean and Pacific coasts that form a highway for migrating whales, Costa Rica is an intensely rewarding destination for wildlife lovers. Around half a million species of wild animals await in its national parks, wildlife refuges, biological reserves and protected areas designed to promote ecotourism. Thanks to anti-logging laws brought in by the government in the 80s and 90s, Central America's 'rich coast' is the first tropical country to have reversed deforestation, returning 60 per cent of its terrain to tree cover. Which is good news not just for travellers hoping to enjoy sightings of creatures such as the emoji-inspiring blue morpho butterfly, giant anteater and jaguar in their natural habitats, but for the planet, too. This article contains affiliate links, which may earn us revenue The sloth is a Costa Rican curiosity: though they spend most of their lives in the trees, evolutionarily speaking they're actually most closely related to the anteater. Two types of sloth can be seen creeping around the treetops: the three-toed and two-toed sloth. Their favourite food is the cecropia tree, so theoretically they can be seen anywhere the tree grows. For a reliable sighting, look for them particularly in the canopy of the popular Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio, three hours' south of San Jose, or better still in the forests of the Osa Peninsula on the Pacific coast. For sighting certainty, visit the Sloth Sanctuary, 30 minutes south of the east-coast city of Limon, where rescued sloths live out their days in safety. Sanctuary staff offer excellent talks and tours. • Discover our full guide to Costa Rica The cheeky capuchin has a reputation for dexterity thanks to its astonishingly mobile prehensile tail, which it essentially uses as an extra limb. They're easily identified thanks to their shaggy white face and shoulders. Keep your eye on them; they're also notorious pickpockets and will happily pinch anything they can get their little hands on. Howler monkeys are the foghorns of the tropical forest, with a distinctive whooping call that echoes for miles through the canopy. Both monkeys are common, especially inside national parks, but the forested slopes around Volcan Arenal are generally less crowded than the better-known parks. Surely the showiest bird in Costa Rica is the extravagantly coloured (and equally extravagantly named) resplendent quetzal, with its gleaming green plumage and crimson breast. Its feathers were prized by the Aztecs and Mayans, and the bird also had mythological significance. The prime time for viewing is the breeding season between March and June; try the Monteverde Cloud Forest, or better still the Parque Nacional Los Quetzales, a 50 sq km patch of cloud forest on the flanks of the Cordillera de Talamanca, about 120km southeast of San Jose. Cahuita can be busy, but for a quick nature hit it's great — it has a mix of ecosystems, including coast, beach, reef and rainforest. Iguanas can be seen lounging around on logs and basking on the riverbanks, especially early in the day when they need to warm up their blood. Cahuita is also an important turtle nesting site. Avoid weekends, which can be overcrowded — early mornings or late evenings during the week are usually quieter. Is this Costa Rica's cutest monkey? Many people think so, thanks to their diminutive dimensions and playful antics: they like to wander around in family groups and watching them interact with each other is enormously entertaining. They primarily live on the Pacific coast: the Nicoya Peninsula and Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio have decent numbers, although the monkeys are more shy than capuchins and howler monkeys, meaning you'll have to be patient if you want to see them. This bright blue butterfly — between 12.5cm and 20cm wide — is one of Costa Rica's largest. It's a beautiful presence in many of the country's forests, but it can be tricky to see them in the wild, so visiting a dedicated butterfly observatory or breeding centre is usually a better bet. Blue morphos can be seen at the Butterfly Conservatory in El Castillo and the excellent Ecocentro Danaus in La Fortuna, which is also a good place to see poison dart frogs. Crocodiles and caimans can be spotted all across Costa Rica's lowland wetlands on both coasts, with the crocs reaching up to a colossal 6m in length and caimans (distinguishable by their shorter, wider snout) usually shorter. But for a surefire, up-close encounter with the crocodylus acutus, head to the Tarcoles River, whose brackish waters and pebbly banks are home to one of the largest American crocodile populations in the world. Crocodile Bridge, on Route 34, around a 90-minute drive south of San Jose and half an hour north of surf town Jaco, offers a thrilling vantage point, as well as a cluster of pit stop-friendly soda restaurants, ice-cream parlours and souvenir shops. While not as cute as the squirrel monkey or show-stopping as the jaguar, the blue land crab, aka Halloween, whitespot, moon or harlequin crab, serves up one of Costa Rica's most surprising wildlife 'wows'. Emerging in their droves after dark — all powerful purple claws, orange legs and ghostly yellow spots that resemble eyes — they mobilise noisily through the steamy coastal jungle within 1km of the country's Pacific coast (the Osa Peninsula and Playa Uvita being hotspots), marching determinedly over anything that gets in their way, including the feet of any passing humans. The engineers of the tropical rainforest ecosystem, they play a crucial role in driving tree renewal through aerating the soil, removing leaf litter and creating carbon-rich microhabitats. This west-coast marine park, and the spit of land to the south (especially around Drake Bay) are whale-watching hotspots. These mighty mammals migrate to Costa Rica's Pacific coast to breed and give birth — very unusually, from both the northern and southern hemispheres, giving an unusually long whale-watching season. July to November is the peak time for the southern migration, when whales travel from as far away as Antarctica, while December to April is the peak time for the northern migration, mainly from the waters of the northwest US and Canada. Operators accredited by Certificación para la Sostenibilidad Turística (CST), a government-controlled rating system for sustainable practices, include Ballena Aventura, Dolphin Tour and Ballena Infocenter. • Discover the best places in the world for whale-watching There are 18 different parrot species in Costa Rica, but most distinctive of all is the scarlet macaw, whose flame-feathered finery makes them easy to spot (you'll hear them long before you see them as they're also famous for their screechingly loud squawk). Scarlet macaws are fairly easy to see in Parque Nacional Carara and around the Osa Peninsula, but their cousins, the great green macaws, are altogether rarer: only around 500 of these birds remain, mainly in the forests of the north and Caribbean coast, especially around Tortuguero. To support macaw conservation, visit the excellent Punta Islita Wild Macaw Reserve on the Nicoya Peninsula; tours are run by staff from the Macaw Recovery Network. It must be the busiest bird in existence — and Costa Rica is home to more than 50 species of hummingbird. They're a vital part of the ecosystem, pollinating many types of flowers and plants, including rare endemic orchids. Costa Rica's unique cloud forests are the top places to see them — particularly at Reserva Biologica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde (the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve), an oasis of biodiversity established in the 1970s in the mountains inland from Puntarenas by a partnership between scientists and indigenous people. Professional naturalists lead tours into the reserve, which also has its own basic residential lodge if you feel like spending more time here. The reserve is roughly equidistant from San Jose and Liberia. These prodigiously beaked birds are distinctive, but you'll need expertise to tell the six different species apart. Best-known is the keel-billed, or rainbow-billed toucan, which has the classic multicoloured beak. Different species concentrate in different areas: for keel-billed toucan and yellow-eared toucanets try Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio; for fiery-billed aracari and chestnut-mandibled toucans, head to Tortuguero or Parque Nacional Corcovado; for collared toucans try Cahuita; and for emerald toucanets go to the Monteverde Cloud Forest. The waterways of this tropical coastal park are home to a prodigious variety of life. Crocodiles and caimans lounge around on the banks, spider monkeys frolic through the trees and tree frogs can be spied in the foliage, but the park's prize animals are the green sea turtles, for whom the park is an important nesting site. Prized by unscrupulous collectors, the eggs are protected by coastal rangers and conservation staff as well as an army of volunteers (it's a popular place for an eco holiday). July and August are the peak months for turtles, but the season often runs into October. The park is best explored by kayak or canoe — you'll feel like Indiana Jones paddling along its creeper-covered backwaters. Covering more than two-fifths of the Osa Peninsula, Corcovado is as close as Costa Rica gets to the Garden of Eden. This magnificent tropical rainforest is one of the few remnants of the primary tropical forest that once cloaked much of Central America. As such, it's also a precious oasis of biodiversity and a refuge for many of the rarest and most endangered animals in Costa Rica, including the Baird's tapir, the giant anteater and, most charismatic and elusive of all, the jaguar. They're incredibly hard to spot, and extremely rare, so you will almost certainly need an experienced local guide — and a massive dose of luck — to see one. But don't be disappointed if you don't: Corcovado's incredible wildlife astounds, even by Costa Rican's stellar standards. Lodges such as Ecoturístico La Tarde can put you in touch with local nature guides. For a 100 per cent guaranteed cat-sighting, head for the Las Pumas Rescue Centre, which rehabilitates cats before returning them back to the wild. These great ocean cruisers — the largest fish on the planet — can reach 18m in length and weigh in excess of 30 tons. They can be elusive visitors in Costa Rica, although most often show up in the waters off the Reserva Biologica Isla del Canõ. Diving and snorkelling operators are your best bet for seeing them: try Bahia Aventuras in Uvita, who also run whale and dolphin-spotting tours into Parque Nacional Marino Ballena. Legendary for its waterbirds — and its voracious mosquitoes — this 198 sq km wetland at the head of the Golfo de Nicoya offers a variety of habitats, including mangrove forests, savannahs, marshes and coastal woodlands. It's brilliant for birders, with everything from egrets and spoonbills to storks, ibises and night herons flocking here: December to March, the dry season, is best for bird-spotting, as species cluster together in smaller areas. The park also has Costa Rica's largest population of jaguarundi, the slender wild cats whose long tail and small head give rise to its nickname of 'otter cat'. Boat tours and night-time wildlife walks can be arranged through the OTS Hacienda Palo Verde Ranger Station. Related to the raccoon, but with a longer snout and skinnier tail, coatis (or coatimundis) can be spied nosing around in the undergrowth pretty much everywhere you travel in Costa Rica, especially in early morning and late evening. They're cute, but they can be a bit of a nuisance, raiding bins and unguarded food, so resist the temptation to feed them. • Best hotels in Costa Rica• Best time to visit Costa Rica• The best of Central America Overtourism and unscrupulous operators are as rife in Costa Rica as anywhere, which is why it's doubly important to research your experiences carefully before choosing. It's a bit of a minefield, but in general: • Look for a high 'leaf' rating from the CST. Five leaves is best. • Enquire about partnerships with local conservation groups and ecotourism initiatives. • Aim to choose a business that has good grassroots connections and employs local workers. • Ask lots of questions. If the business can't answer them satisfactorily, look elsewhere. Try to get recommendations from reliable sources, such as conservation charities and ecotourism specialists. Additional reporting by Imogen Lepere and Julie Alpine
