Costa Rica

With golden sandy beaches and hippy-chic hotels hidden in the hills and dotted along the coastline the emphasis here is all about the natural environment and eco-friendliness.

Accessible only by boat is the partly submerged Tortuguero National Park, with its network of canals, lagoons and swamps defined by a profusion of tangled tropical vegetation. It’s alive with several species of monkey, iguanas, sloths, river otters, poison dart frogs and hundreds of species of birds.

Half of the Osa Peninsula, separated from the mainland by the Golfo Dulce, is covered by the Corcovado National Park, mainly primary rainforest with more than 400 species of birds and many amphibians and mammals (including six cat species). Humpback whales can be seen in December and January, and there is good snorkelling, diving and superb fishing off Isla del Caño, a national park 530km off the coast.

To the south, and reached by a twisty road, is the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, home to more than 400 species of birds. Heading west from Arenal you drop down into the dry heat of Guanacaste’s savanna.

The iconic Arenal volcano (one of a dozen volcanoes in the country) can be reached from San José (120 miles) or on the way to the Pacific coast, and its symmetrical shape make it particularly impressive and popular. Travel in the low season of September to maximise your chances of seeing the peak without cloud cover.

In the Manuel Antonio National Park, you will find forested hills and swamps, two beautiful beaches and fine hotels. It is home to many birds, iguanas, snakes, sloths, and capuchin monkeys.