Encompassing great swathes of the wild and untouched northern reaches of Costa Rica, Sarapiquí is hailed by hikers, kayakers and most notably, white water rafters as one of the nation’s best off-the-beaten-track spots. The veritable vena cava of the land here is the eponymous Sarapiquí River, which winds its way up the eastern edge of the region before delving deep into the jungles and canyons at its heart. This has long been prized by Sarapiquí tour guides as one of the finest watersports draws in South America, and despite some recent rumbles from earthquakes, continues to pull in crowds of life-jacketed rafters for the ride of their life. The canton is also home to a number of national parks and reserves including the famous Braulio Carrillo National Park, where clanging rainforest gondolas transport travellers to the canopies for sloth-spotting and hiking routes complete with swinging rope bridges throw out breath-taking panoramas of the country’s Mesoamerican hinterland. The regional capital of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí is a great base for explorations here, offering a clutch of lodges and oodles of outfitters to boot.