4 Best Sights in The Osa Peninsula and the South Pacific, Costa Rica

The northwestern end of town is the so-called American Zone, full of handsome wooden houses where the expatriate managers of United Fruit lived amid flowering trees imported from all over the world. Many of these vintage houses, built of durable Honduran hardwoods, are now being spruced up. Eccentric garden features, such as a restored railway car, make the neighborhood worth a stroll. If you're on foot, there's also excellent birding in and around the gardens.

There is some good birding in the dense forest here, which is also an important wildlife corridor connecting to Corcovado National Park. Follow the main road northwest through the American Zone and past the airstrip and a housing project. The place where a dirt road heads into the rain forest is great for bird-watching. There are marked trails from the entrance near the marina, but the park is best explored with a guide; the best birding is along the road.

This scenic beach has interesting tidal caves, popular for sea kayaking. Coconut palms edge the beach, which is sometimes pebbly, with quite a dramatic surf, especially at high tide when the waves break against huge offshore rock formations. The ocean views are rivaled by the vistas of green, forested mountains rising up behind the beach. You can camp here and use very basic toilets and cold-water showers. There's a new access road to the beach and a guarded parking area ($3 for the day). But it is advisable to not leave anything of value in your car. Amenities: parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: walking.

Hidden in a forest above Dominicalito Beach, this waterfall is considerably smaller than Nauyaca Waterfalls, but it has a lovely swimming hole at its base. The pool is often populated by local kids when school is out and by surfers late in the afternoon. Pay strict attention to the posted sign that warns not to leave anything of value in your parked car. Avoid holiday times and weekends, when there are often large crowds. The best time to visit is during rainy season between the months of June and December.