The Curú Wildlife Refuge is situated on Costa Rica’s lush Nicoya Peninsula, thick with primary forest and fringed by tiny coves and beaches. It’s a real haven for wildlife, where you might spy ocelots, anteaters or capuchin monkeys rustling about in the foliage.

Staggering biodiversity and an array of iconic species make Corcovado National Park a must-see for any visitor to Costa Rica. Tapirs, anteaters, scarlet macaws, howler monkeys and the world’s largest bird of prey, the harpy eagle, can all be found within this rainforest reserve.

Seldom visited by tourists, the lush and humid Golfo Dulce is home to Piedras Blanca National Park, an area of pristine rainforest teeming with wildlife. Amongst the mangroves that line the coast lurk crocodiles and river otters, while the canopy above is home to nimble monkeys and colourful toucans.

Isla de Coiba is a former penal colony and was off-limits for many years, so around 80% of the island is still pristine rainforest. Turtles nest on the white sand beaches between April and October, and the densely forested interior is home to an incredible array of wildlife.

The port of Fuerte Amador sits at the southern edge of Panama City, near the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. The shining skyscrapers of the Panamanian capital are a testament to the city’s status as a key financial centre, while the tiny Casco Viejo is home to pretty colonial streets, hip hotels and happening bars.