Catarata Manantial de Agua Viva Central Pacific Coast

This 200m-high waterfall is claimed to be the highest in the country. From the entrance, it’s a steep 3km (45-minute) hike down into the valley (an hour back up); at the bottom, the river continues through a series of natural swimming holes. The falls are most dramatic during the rainy season, though the serene rainforest setting is beautiful any time of year. A 5km dirt road past Hotel Villa Lapas leads to the primary entrance to the falls. Keep an eye out for monkeys in the canopy above, plus brightly colored poison-dart frogs as well as the occasional pair of scarlet macaws.