Region: Costa Rica

Hacienda La Isla

Formed from a converted colonial Spanish cacao farm set along a stream, in which wildlife can be seen.

Savegre

Found near San Gerardo de Dota at 7000ft, just off the Cerro de la Muerte (Hill of Death) road, this lush, secret valley contains the resplendent quetzal and much more high altitude bird life besides. Ancient trees drip with mosses, orchids and bromeliads, and majestic tree ferns grow surprisingly tall – classic cloud forest habitat. … Continued

Rancho Naturalista

Family owned and run by an American/Costa Rican couple, the simple yet comfortable lodge is a firm favourite amongst serious birders who come to spot target species.

Arenas del Mar

A luxurious resort on the edge of Manuel Antonio National Park on Costa Rica’s Pacific coastline

Lapa Rios Eco lodge

Luxury cabins are set on a ridge amidst lush gardens, with extensive views over the ocean, especially from the central observation tower.

Costa Rica Tailor-made Tours: exceptional care

We would like to express our thanks for your help in arranging a superb holiday in Costa Rica…Throughout the tour the organisation was of the highest order and was, to all intents and purposes, perfect.. .To sum up, the holiday was a great success.. .We saw around eighty species of bird, many for the first … Continued

Manuel Antonio National Park

The National Park and its environs have some of the finest beaches in the country, with lush rainforest coming down to the high tide mark and containing diverse wildlife. This includes mammals such as the three-toed sloth, black howler monkey, white capuchin monkey, endangered squirrel monkey and racoon, and 184 species of birds. Between the … Continued

Costa Rica Tailor-made Tours: Beautiful country

Thank you for sorting out our recent Costa Rica Tour. We had a really marvellous time in this beautiful country….. We both really wanted to express our thanks to ( your representatives) who provided a first class service all the time…. We were very lucky with the guides that we were allocated as we saw … Continued

Arenal Volcano

Arenal is the most frequently visited volcano in the country. The nearby town of La Fortuna has grown large through tourism, attracted by one of the world’s most visible volcanoes With clear weather, good activity levels and luck, one can observe huge boulders rolling down the mountainside and spectacular nocturnal pyrotechnics, accompanied by loud booming … Continued

Rio Celeste Hideaway

Luxurious accommodationon on the slopes of the magnificent Tenerio volcano just outside the Volcan Tenorio National Park

Tango Mar

A long-established resort with beachfront location facing the Pacific Ocean near Tambor in southern Nicoya peninsula

Selva Verde Lodge

A well-run lodge attracts birdwatching groups and individuals to its splendid riverside location by the impressive Sarapiqui River

Hotel Belmar

Lovely hotel on a hillside in Monteverde with views over flower-filled grounds and cloud forest to the faraway Nicoya Peninsula

Costa Rica Tailor-made Tours: excellent arrangements

This is just a brief note on return from our Costa Rica holiday to thank you for your excellent arrangements and to report on a very successful holiday… I would make a special mention of the service offered by [your representatives]. Every single booking and taxi arrangement was spot on, and the drivers were all … Continued

Monteverde

Founded by Quakers and owned by a non-profit organisation, the 10,500-hectare reserve consists of primary cloud forest with stunted trees festooned with an abundance of epiphytes (ferns, mosses, lichens, bromeliads and orchids). The reserve is home to the rare and beautiful golden toad (now possibly extinct) and over a hundred species of mammals including black … Continued

Carara National Park

Offering the best chance to see scarlet macaws outside the Osa Peninsula, Carara protects a rare tract of primary transitional rainforest between the dry deciduous zone to the north west and the wet rainforest belt to the south east. There are also many other species of birds to see, as well as mammals, reptiles and … Continued

Trapp Family Lodge

A beautiful, 20-room, two-storey building surrounded by its own small private cloud forest reserve

Laguna Lodge

Sits within 14 acres of beautiful gardens and wooded grounds facing the Tortuguero lagoon, home to an abundance of fauna and flora.

How Ecotourism Benefits Wildlife Conservation

Ever since Reef & Rainforest first started offering natural history tours to selected wildlife destinations, we have been aware of the enormous potential for tourism to contribute to conservation.

Dantica Lodge

The most comfortable option in this area, with its own private cloud forest reserve.

Osa Peninsula

The Osa is a large peninsula of true wet Pacific rainforest and still relatively pristine. It contains Corcovado National Park, the most wild and biodiverse of all Costa Rica’s reserves. Nature walks will normally reveal many different mammal, reptile and bird species, and offshore boat trips are possible to Cano Island for snorkelling, humpback whales … Continued

The Best Time to Visit Costa Rica

Is Costa Rica calling you?
Here is a Reef and Rainforest guide to help you decide when to travel and what weather to expect.

La Quinta Lodge

28 en suite private guest bungalows spread throughout the tropical gardens close to the Sarapiquí River

Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge

Almost bordering Nicaragua, the 10,000 hectares of this remote Central American “everglades” constitute the main wetlands reserve in the country, protecting an impressive array of waterfowl such as anhinga and neotropical cormorant, crocodile, caiman, iguana and terrestrial fauna such as capuchin and howler monkey. The lake, the focus of the reserve, floods during the wet … Continued

San Jose

Located in the Central Valley, Costa Rica’s busy capital city has seen most of its characterful Spanish colonial architecture destroyed by earthquakes, so now it consists of nondescript modern buildings with a few exceptions such as the old market and the National Theatre. The gold and jade museums are well worth a visit; otherwise there … Continued

Tortuguero National Park

A very popular tourist location is Tortuguero on the northern Caribbean coast, a wildlife-rich, lowland rainforest of canals and waterways usually explored by boat. Wildlife is easily seen, including many species of bird, three-toed sloth, caiman, river turtle and capuchin, squirrel and spider monkeys. Green and hawksbill turtles nest on the beaches from June to … Continued

Capitan Suizo Resort

A peaceful location with spacious well-appointed rooms and suites set amidst tropical gardens right on the beach

Finca Rosa Blanca

A beautifully artistic hotel, set within its own coffee plantation

Bosque del Cabo Lodge

A premier Costa Rica Eco Lodge Located in a unique and fortunate position at the very tip of the Osa Peninsula.

Costa Rica Tailor-made Tours: truly memorable

Firstly may I say how greatly Peter and I appreciated all you did to give us such a wonderful holiday – it was truly memorable. Great wildlife watching, smooth organisation and a totally trouble-free trip – terrific! We would love to go back to Costa Rica…we had super views of quetzals at Monteverde and also … Continued

Fonda Vela

Set in 35 acres of lush rainforest and verdant pastures close to the Monteverde cloud forest reserve.

Irazu Volcano National Park

One can drive to the top of this 3,400 metres (10,000 feet) high volcano, with its dormant fumarole and extinct, green crater lake, winding through changing vegetation zones until reaching the moonscape at the summit. Seeing the clouds stretch below is wonderful, and on a clear day you can see both coasts.

Costa Rica Tailor-made Tours: Superb

[My girlfriend] suggested I ‘write up’ our impressions of our recent trip to Costa Rica.. .here goes! Starting at the very beginning, our arrival at San Jose…was a really good introduction to the general efficiency of the country and of [your representatives] in particular…The [hotel] was a great choice…our guide on our mountain walk was … Continued

Poas Volcano National Park

One of the most popular volcanoes for visitors, Poas boasts a scenic crater lake and variably active fumarole. Accessible by car, the summit has an observation platform for viewing the bubbling sulphurous mud below, after which one can stroll to the crater lake through the stunted woodland. Early morning is the best time to visit, … Continued

El Silencio

El Silencio is a beautiful, luxurious 4-star spa hotel set within the stunning Sarchi Norte area

El Remanso

Located on Costa Rica’s southwest Pacific side of the Osa Peninsula, and designed with ecological sustainability in mind.

Playa Cativo Lodge

A luxury boutique eco lodge set on the shoreline of Piedras Blancas National Park, looking out across the Golfo Dulce and the Osa Peninsula beyond.

Manatus Hotel

One of the best options in Tortuguero for those looking for luxury

Costa Rica Tailor-made Tours: All guides were excellent

You will be pleased to hear that [our] party returned safely from Costa Rica… We had a most wonderful holiday. All the arrangements made for us came up trumps. The drivers always arrived early [and] were keen to stop and show us any wild life they spotted as we travelled, also were able to identify … Continued

Xandari Resort & Spa

Boutique Resort with twenty four spacious, luxury villas, all with living area, bathroom and private balcony overlooking Costa Rica’s capital, San Jose

Macaw Lodge

Peaceful eco lodge on the site of an old farm at the edge of Carará Nature Reserve on the mid-Pacific coast

Nicoya Peninsula Beaches

Rare dry deciduous tropical forest is the Nicoya peninsula’s primary habitat, but it’s mainly a cattle ranching region with a lively history, having been part of Nicaragua in days gone by. However, the main draw to visitors is its dry climate and miles of attractive Pacific beaches. This is a great area in which to … Continued

Tortuga Lodge

A very comfortable river lodge located in Tortuguero, with river views and a private veranda or balcony awarded to each room.

Evergreen Lodge

One of the newer properties in the Tortuguero area and just five minutes by boat from the entrance to Tortuguero National Park

Costa Rica Tailor-made Tours: thoroughly wonderful

A leatherback turtle laying her eggs on Playa Grande. Scarlet macaws feeding and flying in early morning sunlight. The sight of a male resplendent quetzal in beautiful cloudforest. The song of the black-faced solitaire reverberating through the cloudforest. Seeing green poison-arrow and strawberry poison-dart frogs. First sights of some of the vibrant tanagers and honeycreepers. … Continued

Cala Luna

A luxury resort with spacious, well-appointed rooms and villas set amidst tropical gardens close to the town of Tamarindo

Cariblue Resort

Set in 5 acres of lush rainforest close to the beach in the southern Caribbean area

Rincon De La Vieja Volcano National Park

The 14,000-hectare park contains the eponymous active volcano consisting of nine contiguous craters, geysers, waterfalls, thermal pools, mud pools, cloud forest, dry tropical forest with many mammals and birds and a profusion of orchid species. The area around the park is renowned as the centre of activity and adventure tourism in Costa Rica.

Pachira Lodge

Set in lush gardens on the other side of the canal from Torguguero beach.

Central America

Offers a wealth of wildlife, lush rainforests, vibrant colonial towns, beautiful islands and beaches.

Costa Rica Tailor Made Tour – George Mcgavin group tour

We felt it was an excellent and well thought out itinerary to a beautiful, peaceful and very interesting country. Our ‘celebrity’ guide George McGavin was a great success. In addition to his vast knowledge and huge enthusiasm – George was caring towards the group and was constantly humourous and entertaining. He added a lot more … Continued

Costa Rica Tailor-made Tours: met all of our expectations

This is the second trip with reef and Rainforest and it certainly met all of our expectations. (Your representatives) were excellent as were all the lodges generally. There was a good balance of organised tours and time to ourselves – this was just what we wanted. Your choice of locations in Costa Rica was again … Continued

Luna Lodge

This beautiful eco-lodge is the perfect retreat for those interested in wildlife and sustainable tourism.

Sarapiqui

This popular inland Caribbean region boasts the eponymous river with its rafting possibilities – white-water or gentle – and the exemplary La Selva Biological Station for guided primary jungle walks and rainforest education. There is plenty of wildlife to be seen in the prolific forests including various bird and poison dart frog species, and neotropical … Continued

Arenal Observatory Lodge

The closest lodge to the Arenal volcano surrounded by its own nature reserve with trails, and thousands of acres of forest

Hotel Grano de Oro

Ideally located only 20 minutes from the airport, this luxurious boutique hotel is one of the best in San Jose.

Turrialba

Reached from San Jose via the historic Orosi Valley, Turrialba contains many top attractions: the CATIE tropical plant research station, the eponymous volcano, the white-water Pacuare River and the Guayabo National Monument, the most important pre-Columbian archaeological site in Costa Rica. The most easterly of the country’s volcanos, Turrialba offers forested slopes inhabited by quetzals, … Continued

Lost Iguana Resort

A stunning nature inspired hotel located in 120 acres of preserved rainforest

Costa Rica

Combining friendly people, excellent accommodation and well-trained guides, Costa Rica satisfies the highest of natural history holiday expectations

Maquenque Eco-Lodge

The perfect model for rewilding and sustainable wildlife tourism in Costa Rica.

Southern Caribbean Coast

Displaying a strong Afro-Caribbean influence, the coast south of Limon is Costa Rica’s main backpacker base where young surfers and travellers come to enjoy inexpensive accommodation and surfing beaches. For others, however, the draw is the unspoilt environment, with rainforest reaching down to the beach and prolific bird and animal life to be observed. As … Continued

Pacuare Lodge

Set within a 25,000- acre area of pristine rainforest and river valley near Turrialba

Costa Rica Wildlife Adventure

One of the best holidays we have enjoyed anywhere. Jonathan Morris arranged a superb itinerary for us and overall the service provided in country was very good. This was our fourth trip with Reef and Rainforest and was as well organised as the others. Well done!

Costa Rica Tailor-made Tours: Everything was excellent

Having recently returned from our holiday ( in Costa Rica), I thought I’d write to say how much we all enjoyed our trip. Costa Rica really is a beautiful country, with so much wildlife to see and so many wonderful places to explore (and everyone is so friendly!) Everything on our tour was excellent – … Continued

Punta Islita

Set in a glorious location perched on a bluff of the Nicoya peninsula overlooking the southern Pacific coastline

Cocos Islands National Park

Its nearest land being the Galapagos Islands, this unique volcanic mount far out in the Pacific Ocean has become famous amongst scuba divers for its schooling hammerhead sharks and other pelagic marvels. Visited only by live-aboard dive boats on seven-day cruises, the island has few disembarkation points and is uninhabited apart from some rangers. Legend … Continued

A Self-drive Adventure In Costa Rica

This diverse itinerary starts with the Caribbean jungle-fringed waterways of Tortuguero to spot three species of monkey, three-toed sloth, caiman and many bird species. It is then a transfer by boat and road to Guapiles where a hire car awaits. From here a highly varied and stimulating self-drive journey begins in which we feature many … Continued