Cloud forests trilling with toucans, waterfall-dripping canyons, steaming volcanoes and two oceans-worth of long, sweeping beaches. Few countries pack in as much sheer beauty into such a tiny space as Costa Rica. It’s smaller than Scotland yet its forests and seas teem with wildlife: jaguars in Corcovado National Park, turtles by the million in Tortuguero, whales calving off the coast in Manuel Antonio. And visits are comfortable experiences, with modern, slick hotels in all budgets, widely-spoken English and directs flights from the UK.
