“Danta” means tapir — and this private reserve inside the vast Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, bordering Corcovado National Park itself, is one of the best places around Drake Bay to spot one. Walk trails through primary and secondary forest past towering trees and dense vegetation, watching for peccaries, coatis, agoutis, sloths and, with a bit of luck, a tapir crossing the path. Overhead, scarlet macaws, toucans and hawks share the canopy with white-faced and howler monkeys. The route — anywhere from 3 to 7 km depending on your guide’s read of the day — ends at a natural pool by a waterfall, the perfect spot to cool off.

Choose your rhythm: a morning walk through the forest waking up, or an afternoon into night hike as the jungle’s nocturnal chorus takes over — each ending with a typical Costa Rican meal.