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proprietors Luis Arroyo and Judy Avery help injured and orphaned sloths – providing travelers with an opportunity to see these unique animals up close. (Irrefutable fact: there is nothing cuter than a baby sloth.) Though many of the rehabilitated sloths remain on the grounds (animals orphaned at a very young age don’t have the skills to return to the wild), Luis and Judy have been successful at releasing more than 80 of them back into area forests. In addition to sloth tours (US$25), they also offer early morning bird-watching tours by canoe (US$30 including breakfast), which include a short presentation on sloths. The couple also maintains a small, seven-room B&B (d US$75-85; ), with tiled, modern rooms.

Volunteer opportunities are available (US$30 per day, including three meals).

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CAHUITA

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Even as tourism has mushroomed on Costa Rica’s southern coast, Cahuita has managed to hold onto its laidback Caribbean vibe. The roads are made of dirt, many of the older houses rest on stilts and chatty neighbors still converse in Mekatelyu. It’s not as polished as Puerto Viejo de Talamanca to the south, which sports an air-conditioned strip mall and slick international eateries. But a graceful black-sand beach and a chilled-out demeanor hint at a not-so-distant past, when the area was little more than just a string of cocoa farms.

A STAY IN THE FOREST: SELVA BANANITO

At the foot of Cerro Muchilla, on the edge of Parque Internacional La Amistad, this rustic family-run farm and lodge (2253-8118; www.selvabananito.com; per person from US$130, per person 2-night package from US$432, all incl 3 meals daily; ) is composed of 12 hilly sq km ideal for tree climbing, waterfall rappelling, hiking and horseback riding. (If you are traveling with children, guides can tailor some of these activities to your tyke’s abilities.) Above all, this is an environmentally conscious spot: the Stein family employs solar energy and uses biodegradable soaps and cleaning products. Cabins are all crafted from recycled hardwoods and constructed, Caribbean-style on stilts, for optimum ventilation.

Rates are based on double occupancy. Packages include transfers from San José, as well as a waterfall tour, horseback riding and a tree-climbing lesson. If you are driving yourself, take the turnoff south of the Río Vizcaya (about 19km south of Limón). The lodge is located about 8km inland. The route requires river crossings; it’s for 4WD only. Detailed driving directions are posted online.

This is a proud town, too. Cahuita claims the area’s first permanent Afro-Caribbean settler – a turtle fisherman named William Smith, who moved his family to Punta Cahuita in 1828. Now his descendants, along with the descendants of so many other West Indian immigrants, run the tasty backyard eateries and brightly painted bungalows that hug this idyllic stretch of coast.

Situated on a pleasant point, the town itself has a waterfront, but no beach. For that, most folks make the jaunt to Playa Negra or into neighboring Parque Nacional Cahuita.

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Information

The town’s helpful new website, www.cahuita.cr, has all manner of lodging and restaurant information, with pictures of many of the spots listed here. (Interestingly, it also has a ‘Cahuita Cam’ – which has live shots of the beach at Playa Blanca.)

In addition to the places listed below, the bus station has two internet cafes.

Banco de Costa Rica (9am-4pm Mon-Fri) Located at the bus terminal, it has an ATM that works on Cirrus, Plus and Visa systems.

Centro Turístico Brigitte (2755-0053; www.brigittecahuita.com; Playa Negra; per hr ₡1000; 7am-6pm) Internet access.

Internet Palmer (per hr ₡1000; 9am-8pm)

Mercado Safari (6am-4pm) Changes US and Canadian dollars, euros and traveler’s checks but has a steep commission.

Willie’s Tours (2755-0267; per hr ₡1000; 8am-8pm Mon-Sat, 4-8pm Sun) Internet access.

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Sights & Activities

On the highway, at the entrance to town, you’ll find Mariposario de Cahuita (2755-0361; admission