Fodor's Expert Review Rainmaker Conservation Project

This private nature reserve is spread over Fila Chota, a lower ridge of the Talamanca Range 22 km (13 miles) northeast of Quepos, and protects more than 1,500 acres of lush and precipitous forest, with river-walk or canopy-bridge routes to follow in the lower section. The reserve is home to many of Costa Rica's endangered species, and you may spot birds here that you won't find in Manuel Antonio. You are likely to see scarlet macaws and toucans, due to a repopulation of the species in the Quepos Biological Corridor. Their longtime resident sloth "Charlie Rainmaker" helps educate guests about rain-forest conservation. The reserve encompasses five ecozones and represents 75% of the species found in Costa Rica. It isn't as good a place to see animals as the national park, but Rainmaker's forest is different—lusher and more precipitous—and the view from its bridges is impressive. Guided tours are available from Manuel Antonio, or you can stop and take a self-guided tour on your way to or from Quepos. The park also offers an early-morning bird-watching tour and a night reptiles-and-amphibians hike. The restaurant serves lunch ($8), and there's an on-site microbrewery that utilizes Rainmaker's mountain waters. It's best to visit Rainmaker in the morning, since—true to its name—it often pours in the afternoon.