A tropical inlet surrounded by rainforest on Costa Rica’s central Pacific coast, Quepos is one of the best places in the world to immerse yourself in waterfalls and wonders where the rainforest meets the sea. Renowned as the gateway to Manuel Antonio National Park (which recently received an Elite-level Certificate of Sustainable Tourism) where mangroves, lagoons, and virgin beaches shelter howler, white-faced and squirrel monkeys. Off-shore waters teem with whales, dolphin, blue marlin, and swordfish. In-land jungles offer hikes to Nauyaca waterfall, 360 species of brightly feathered birds, zip-lining and canyoning, or walking the Baru River to hear the quietude of nature. As prized as quaint Quepos is for eco-adventure, its beaches rank among the top 25 in the world, too.