From Pacuare, Costa Rica
There’s white-water rafting. Then there's white-water rafting at Pacuare. It's like a movie set, with sheer gorges covered in thick vegetation, mists drifting across.

Having woken up to the rainforest out of the floor-to-ceiling glass and fuelled myself with a huge breakfast, we set off downriver, attacking the water and soaking up the views in the calmer stretches. Exhilarating, remote, beautiful – this was a river I never wanted to end.

From Cahuita, Costa Rica
I was curious - just how 'Caribbean' is Costa Rica's Caribbean coast? After dining on coconut fish I met a local guide in a Rastafarian hat, who pointed me towards a bar on the edge of the village. It was an open-sided structure, with waves lapping the shore directly in front, and I was soon swaying along to a full instrumental Bob Marley cover, with freestyled lyrics in both English and Spanish.

So, in other words, it's Caribbean enough for me.

From Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica
After a day of eyeballing crocs, seeking howler monkeys in the palm trees, and snorkelling in the gulf, how should one end the day? A cooling dip in the pool, with an icy beer in hand, watching the sun come down over the glorious bay - does it get any better than this?

Well, yes, actually - there are some toucans in that palm tree. And is that? – oh yes - a couple of scarlet macaws flying home to roost! As the saying goes, ‘It’s hard work, but…’

From Cahuita, Costa Rica
As I was headed back to the room for my bag, the gardener beckoned me over with a grin and a pointing finger. It took me a moment to spot him, or her, it’s pretty hard to tell – but there he/she was, tucking into the foliage barely 20m above my bungalow roof.

I whipped out my camera, and for one glorious moment those liquid brown eyes looked through the leaves, directly at me. I think it might have been a smile, you know.