NEW YORK TIMES

"High quality accommodations and close proximity to nature."

"I learned something that sounds unlikely: hiking in the rain has its rewards...What made this hike so extraordinary was not just the cleansing rain or the dazzlingly lush forest through which we walked. It was the fact that at the end of our hike, as the sky cleared, we were able to swim in a pool under the rising moon, retire for naps and hot showers in a comfortable cabin, and then convene for dinner on the veranda, followed by Cuban cigars, single-malt scotch and hot chocolate made on the premises from local cocoa beans."

"Hikes along the trails can take from half an hour to a whole day, either alone or with a guide. On mine which took several hours, I saw a coati, porcupine, an opossum and a raccoon, along with various birds, butterflies, lizards and tortoises, as well as a phantasmagoria of orchids and other flowers. Others have seen tapir, peccary and even jaguars."

"[One night we] visited La Ceiba, the banana port a short drive from Pico Bonito. La Ceiba has a Caribbean feel, with a laid-back atmosphere and sandy-floored bars, restaurants and night clubs. It is far from modern, but has a distinct charm, with faded wooden houses lining streets along the shore."