DESTINATIONS COSTA RICA LATIN AMERICA
LEFT: Manuel Antonio National Park
RIGHT: White-water rafting
BELOW: La Fortuna
amounts of rum and watching the sun plunge down against a backdrop of fire. From there, we ventured to the
Monteverde Cloud Forest, home to the world’s first canopy zip- line (alongside the one I sampled, which costs $50). Set on Costa Rica’s continental divide, the region is a magnet for flora and fauna thanks to high levels of rainfall and a constant veil of mist. Exotic creatures can be spotted everywhere; on a guided walk, we glimpsed everything from toucans to vipers before catching the rare, iridescent feathers of a quetzal. The Sky Walk is recommended
for those wanting to see even more. It’s a series of hanging bridges high up in the silent canopies surrounded by dangling vines, swinging spider monkeys,
We glimpsed toucans and vipers before catching sight of the rare, iridescent feathers of a quetzal
twisted trees and bright-blue hummingbirds, and it provides a unique perspective on this extraordinary world. Night walks, horse rides and quad-biking trips are all on offer too, while for clients less sold on adventure, there’s a butterfly garden where coatis, white-faced monkeys and shimmering blue morpho butterflies all happily hang out.
w ADVENTURE PARADISE For adventurous types though,
look to La Fortuna. Set at the foot of the active Arenal volcano, this lush area offers everything an outdoor-loving, adrenaline- seeking traveller could wish for with hiking, mountain biking, white-water rafting, canyoning and plenty more. Unmissable is the huge, cascading waterfall that tumbles down the side of the dormant Cerro Chato volcano into a pool, where those brave enough can swim in ice-cold water (I made it in after five attempts). The area is accessible via a hike or taxi, entry costs $14 and clients need to be fairly fit, as there are 500 steps – but they won’t regret it. I’d also recommend canyoning. A half-day tour involves scrambling down rocks, wading through rushing streams and zipping down sheer- drop waterfalls through dense,
butterfly-filled rainforest, while tackling extras like the ‘tsunami’. I won’t ruin the surprise, but advise daredevil clients it costs $89 with local company Desafio, and is worth every penny. But my personal highlight was
rafting. The full-day trip took us to the Sarapiqui River, which is home to some of the best rapids in the country (and suitable for adventurous beginners in the dry season, when it’s a class II-IV). I soon realised what that meant as we began furiously bounding up and down the crashing waters, fistfuls of spray pummelling me in
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travelweekly.co.uk 20 July 2017
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