Canales de Tortuguero

The most sustained wildlife experience I have had anywhere in the world. Our two-hour morning canal tour covered barely two kilometres and we saw: three-toed sloth with a baby, Jesus Christ lizard running on water, caiman, kingfisher, and a green-and-black poison dart frog on a leaf at the water's edge. The guide spotted everything. We would have seen nothing.

The boat journey from Sierpe through the mangroves to Drake Bay is itself one of the great natural experiences of the region. But the canal walks in Tortuguero proper are something else. The silence in the early morning — actual silence, no motors, just paddles and animals — makes it feel genuinely remote. It is remote. That is the point.

Outstanding wildlife density. The logistics of getting there are the only friction — no road access means boat or plane. We flew in on a 10-seat prop plane over the Caribbean coast, which was worth it alone. Budget for at least two nights to do it properly. The turtle nesting experience in high season is transformative.