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3km hike down into the valley, though there are plenty of benches and viewpoints where you can rest. Be sure to keep an eye out for the beautiful (but deadly) poison-dart frog as well as the occasional scarlet macaw. The falls are more dramatic in the rainy season when they’re fuller, though the serene rainforest setting is beautiful any time of year. At the bottom of the valley, the river continues through a series of natural swimming holes where you can take a dip and cool off. A camping area and outhouse are located at the bottom. Local buses between Orotina and Bijagual can drop you off at the entrance to the park.

SCARLET MACAWS

The scarlet macaw (Ara macao) is one of the most visually arresting birds in the neotropical rainforest. Flamboyantly colored with bright-red body, blue-and-yellow wings, long red tail and white face, these macaws make their presence known with signature squeaks and squawks that echo for kilometers across the forest canopy. With life spans reaching up to 75 years, they have an undeniable air of both beauty and wisdom.

Prior to the 1960s, the scarlet macaw was distributed across much of Costa Rica, though trapping, poaching, habitat destruction and the increased use of pesticides devastated the population. By the 1990s, the distribution was reduced to two isolated pockets: the Península de Osa and Parque Nacional Carara.

Fortunately, these charismatic creatures are thriving in large colonies at both locales, and sightings are virtually guaranteed if you have the time and patience to spare. Furthermore, despite this fragmentation, the World Conservation Union continues to evaluate the species as ‘Least Concern,’ which bodes well for the future of this truly emblematic rainforest denizen.

Some 2km further up the road is the 70-hectare Jardín Pura Vida (2637-0346; admission US$20; 8am-5pm) in the town of Bijagual. This private botanical garden offers great vistas of Manantial de Agua Viva cascading down the side of a cliff, and there are some easy but altogether pleasant hiking trails. There is a small restaurant on the grounds, and you can also arrange horseback riding and tours through the area. As with to the Catarata Manantial de Agua Viva, local buses between Orotina and Bijagual can drop you off at the entrance to the park.

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Tours

If you want to get the adrenaline pumping, check out a crocodile tour on the mudflats of the Río Tárcoles. Bilingual guides in boats will take you out on the river for croc-spotting and some hair-raising croc tricks. And you know it’s going to be good when the guide gets out of the boat and into the water with these massive beasts.

Although the tours are definitely a spectacle to behold, it’s a bit frustrating to watch the crocodiles being hand-fed by the tour guides. Furthermore, several travelers report that these tours may not be worth it if you’ve already been to Tortuguero (Click here). Tours usually cost US$25 per person for two hours.

Both Crocodile Man (2637-0771; www.crocodilemantour.com) and Jungle Crocodile Safari (2637-0338; www.junglecrocodilesafari.com) have offices in Tárcoles. The tours leave from town or you can arrange for them to pick you up at your hotel.

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Sleeping & Eating

Hotel Villa Lapas (2221-5191; www.villalapas.com; all-inclusive r from US$130; ) Located on a private reserve comprised both of secondary rainforest and expansive tropical gardens, this all-inclusive resort is a classy retreat for anyone who wants their eco-fun served up in a fruity cocktail with an umbrella on top. With a modest number of rooms housed in an attractive Spanish colonial–style lodge, guests can unwind in relative comfort in between guided hikes, bird-watching trips, canopy tours and the obligatory soak in the infinity pool. If this kind of luxury is your cup of shade-grown coffee, check out the website as discounted packages are available if you book in advance.

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Getting There & Away

There are no buses to Tárcoles, but any bus between Puntarenas and