Much of the wildlife found in Costa Rica can be found in other parts of Central America. However, nowhere else is it as accessible and visible. Its national parks are well-organised, the guides are first rate, travel is easy and the accommodation options are excellent.

There aren’t many places in the world where you can awaken to the bark of a troop of howler monkeys, stroll along a deserted beach and spot a formation of scarlet macaws in the sky, gasp as a trio of toucans flies over your head as you raft over a rapid or drive along the road to see a sloth asleep in a tree.

In Costa Rica the wildlife is simply spectacular and you have a real chance of seeing a tapir, sloth, ocelot, anteater, coati, agouti, caiman, iguana, numerous species of snakes, tree frogs, monkeys and magnificent butterflies or many of over 850 species of birds.

Even the elusive jaguar is occasionally seen prowling through the jungle.