Fodors Travel Guides - Fodors Costa Rica 2016

Costa Rica has five active volcanoes, with Arenal being its most visited. The behemoth has settled into a less active phase these dayslikely temporarybut its sinister, majestic, perfectly shaped cone never fails to impress, if the clouds part long enough for you to get a view.

Soaring over the treetops on a zip line is a thrilling experience. But canopy tours arent just for adrenaline junkies. Many rain forests have hanging bridges and elevated platforms to give you a birds-eye view. Many of the best, like Selvatura, are around Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve and the Santa Elena Reserve, but others are clustered around Lake Arenal and Manuel Antonio.

Some of the countrys most thrilling views can be seen from the trails through Manuel Antonio National Park. As you emerge from the rain forest, dont be surprised to find yourself alone on a palm-shaded beach. Make sure to look upsloths and three types of monkey make their home in the canopy, and on a good day you might see them all.

Bird-watchers come to this vast and pristine rain forest with hopes of catching a glimpse of the endangered harpy eagle. Its notoriously difficult to see, but other feathered friendslike the scarlet macaw, the orange-bellied trogon, and the golden-hooded tanagerpractically pose for pictures. No need to head off into the rain forest with your binoculars; dozens of hummingbirds are likely to dart around you as you relax by the pool.

This long, picturesque beach, backed by a line of swaying palms and protective cliffs, is certainly one of the most beautiful stretches of sand in the country. Perfect for swimming, snorkeling, or just walking, the beach isnt marred by a single building. Visit on a weekday and its possible that you may have the entire shore to yourself.

Popular with the sun-and-fun crowd, the peninsula still has a yet-to-be-discovered feel. Maybe thats because its sandy shores are never covered with a checkerboard of beach blankets. Drive a few miles in any direction and you can find one all to yourself. But civilization isnt far awaysome of the countrys best restaurants are within reach.

Heavy rainfall, steep mountains, and rocky terrain make this region a magnet for white-water rafters, and theres a river to match everyones level of expertise. Not far from San Jos, the Central Valley has outfitters who offer everything from easy day trips to challenging multiday excursions. Many of these companies congregate around Turrialba, the countrys white-water capital and close to the Rio Pacuare and Rio Reventazn.