This is Drake Bay at its most playful: a gentle walk that begins at a countryside farm and leads you straight into a calm, emerald river. Most of the way the water sits comfortably below the knee over a smooth gravel bed, so you’ll spend a good stretch of the morning simply wading upstream through the jungle — easily the coolest, most refreshing way to move through the rainforest heat. Keep an eye on the sandy banks for tapir tracks, and listen for kingfishers darting low over the water.

The trail brings you first to a beautiful waterfall, then continues along the river to a second, more hidden falls with a natural pool that’s perfect for a swim. Your schedule is entirely your own — arrive any time between 8am and 3pm and stay as long as you like.