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.

From Cahuita, Costa Rica
On the Caribbean coast we did so much exploring. We did the most amazing thing possible - snorkelling in a coral reef. I saw a shark so big I don’t have words to describe it. Just imagine a creature so beautiful you just wanted to reach out and touch it. It looked so soft.

There was a sting ray buried under the sand and so many beautiful fish of so many different colours.

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.