Alex Robinson; Wayde Carroll104 wanderlust.co.uk March 2020
WANDERSLEEPS
6
RIO PERDIDO
Costa Rica is not all rainforest.
The dry south-west is
cactus-sprinkled dry forest,
which bursts into bloom after
the irst rains of spring. Rio Perdido is one
of the few lodges lying here – in a private
reserve under the shadow of the hulking
Miravalles volcano. Hot rivers ooze from
the mountain, through steaming canyons
that cut through the trees and low into
natural bathing pools. Stilted rooms perch
pod-like in glades, while the main building
sits on a ridge, its vast balcony perfectly
positioned for a bird’s eye view of
twittering tanagers.
Bungalow doubles from £180 per night,
room only; rioperdido.com7
LA QUINTA
SARAPIQUI
Costa Rica’s northern cattle
pastures are regrowing as
forest, thanks to the eorts of
farmers-turned-wildlife keepers like the
Jenkins family of La Quinta. For over 30
years they have been at the cutting edge
of Costa Rican conservational tourism and
their ranch-turned-wildlife lodge has
a maximum ive CST leaves – the highest
ranking in the stringent national eco-
tourism scheme. Alongside rainforest
excursions (in Braulio Carrillo National
Park), guests can participate in community
activities such as tree planting (osetting
that light carbon) and cocoa roasting.
Double rooms from £84 per night;
hotellaquintasarapiqui.com5
BUNGALOWS ACHE
With reggae music, jerk
chicken and Bounty-Bar-
white beaches, Costa
Rica’s north-eastern coast
may feel like the Caribbean, but it’s
continentally wild. Fan-cooled rooms
in Ache’s rustic wooden huts are
simple, but sloths snooze in the trees,
and palm-sized butter lies kiss the
creamy orchids in the lower- illed
garden. Mornings start with the
raucous calls of howler monkeys in the
adjacent national park, where ocelot
still pad through the trees at night –
and the reef-sheltered Playa Blanca
beach is literally on the doorstep.
Twin cabins from £40 per night;
bungalowsache.com4
LA TORTUGA
La Tortuga lodge sits in the heart
of wild Tortuguero National Park
on Costa Rica’s jungle-carpeted
Caribbean coast: arguably the best
location in the Americas to see hatchling turtles.
Come in early autumn when thousands wriggle
free of the sand on the reserve’s sweeping
two-mile-long beaches and head for the gently
lapping waves. You can also take a boat ride on
the crocodile- illed rivers, walk the birdwatching
trails or simply relax and watch toucans lap
across the sky above the in inity pool, or
capuchin monkeys picking palm nuts.
Double rooms from £180 per night, including
breakfast; tortugalodge.com⊳