Note: This was the second trip with Adventure Life for me and my wife Wendy--three months earlier we'd gone on a tour of Patagonia, and found the trip so fantastic that we talked our friend Amy Litos into joining us for Costa Rica. The Patagonia trip was a celebration. We didn't travel during 2004 because I was battling colon cancer, getting …

A Real Travel Story. The Pacuare Nature Reserve is primarily a facility for sea turtle research.

Big Howler Monkeys and Spider Monkeys, both endangered species, filled the trees. The Howler got their name from their call, deep, loud, like a bass drum in a primate; it can be heard for miles.

After two nights, we left this wonderful spot and its delightful people for the Selva Bananito Lodge.

This was decidedly less rustic, but no less adventurous. The cabins are beautiful and comfortable, and each has only three walls. The fourth opens onto the most glorious view I've ever had in a hotel: a mist-shrouded mountain forest seen …

The next day presented a choice of many activities. We chose a hike up a creek bed to a waterfall. Justo was our guide throughout the stay, and he was great--quiet but always helpful and knowledgeable, perfect for our group.

One of the honeymooning couples joined us, and we were all enchanted by the array of wildlife along the creek--frogs, …

The next day was devoted to a jungle walk and zip line. This area was different from the Pacuare Reserve; it was higher in the mountains, cooler, with a different flora and fauna. We encountered a coral snake, hummingbirds, toucans, and more ants than I've ever seen in one place, including parades of Leaf Carrier Ants, engaged in their appointed …

We left the lodge the next morning at 7 AM sharp for a day of whitewater rafting on the Pacuare River with Exploradores Outdoors. The Pacuare is one of the favorite rivers for the sport. Its rapids reach Class V, stopping just short of the "certain death" level that some thrill-seekers demand. It was our first time (we've been back …

Wendy and I have a custom. At the end of any trip, on the way home--not a moment sooner--we ask each other what was our favorite part of the trip. On this one, we really couldn't choose. The hotel and restaurant were superb, the turtle adventure on the beach and the surrounding jungle were inimitable, the beauty and serenity of the Selva Bananito …