• Relax in San José's numerous parks (website: www.sinaccr.net), including Parque Nacional, Parque Central and Parque Morazán. Avoid them at night, however. Tree-shaded Parque Nacional is the most interesting for its national monument, various busts and statues.

• Seek out a quetzal, the Holy Grail of Costa Rica's tropical birds, and considered the most beautiful bird in the Neotropics. Most people head to Monteverde Biological Cloud Preserve, one of the best places in the country to see them.

• Be thrilled by a white-water raft trip. Two of the country's best rivers for rafting are the Reventazón (class III) and Pacuare (class IV). The best times to go are from May to November.

• Whizz across the waters of Lake Arenal, one of the world's top windsurfing spots. Situated at 5,580ft (1,700m) above sea level, the lake offers its best windsurfing between April and December.

• Be Tarzan for a day. Harness up and swing through the rainforest on a canopying ecotour, enjoying the up-close view of tree-dwelling wildlife including monkeys and birds. Tours are available in several locations, including Rincón de la Vieja national park.

• Wrestle a marlin in the Pacific coast, which offers excellent sport fishing from Gulf of Papagayo to Golfito. Sailfish, marlin, tuna and wahoo are among the catches. The Tortuguero Canals and the area around Barra del Colorado offer world-class battles with tarpon.

• Trek to the summit of Cerro Chirripó. It is easily done with advance reservations through the national park office. All you need is stamina and the proper hiking gear. After a night in a lodge near the summit, trekkers are up before dawn to reach the summit before the clouds.

• Drive to the summit of smouldering Poás volcano, which has the country's only dwarf cloud-forest. You can also drive to the top of Irazú volcano, offering fantastic views over the Caribbean and Pacific on clear days. Both national parks have hiking trails, although be sure to stick to official trails and keep away from the crater edge.

• Cruise aboard the Calypso catamaran to Isla Tortuga (website: www.calypsocruises.com). This day-long excursion makes for a relaxing and enjoyable day from Puntarenas. This gorgeous island is rimmed with palm-shaded white sands shelving into turquoise waters, good for snorkelling. Watersports are offered, and a traditional beach barbecue rounds out the day.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.