Administered by the Fundación del Río in San Carlos, this 90-hectare property borders Reserva Biológica Indio-Maíz, and offers a peek at the region’s very big trees, very small frogs, beautiful rivers and wealth of wildlife. Take a bus or taxi to Buena Vista and walk the last hour to the reserve, where you can hike and horseback ride along two trails through primary forest dangling with orchids. If you stick around, accommodations are available in simple rooms with shared bathrooms.
If you are visiting for the day, take the colectivo from the dock in Sábalos to Buenavista at 7am (US$2.50, one hour) and make sure you are back in Buena Vista by 1pm for the bus back to town.