Danta Corcovado Lodge

A flashlight beam catches a caiman's eyes on the lagoon after dusk, and the guide stops walking. Danta Corcovado Lodge runs a night jungle walk from its own grounds, past tree frogs, kinkajous and tarantulas, ending with a moment of total dark when the lights go off. By day the lodge's 30 hectares hold heart-of-palm plantation, reforested land, secondary growth and stands of primary forest, all within walking distance of Corcovado National Park. Over 200 bird species have been recorded on the property, along with three-toed sloths, northern tamanduas and troops of howler, squirrel and white-faced capuchin monkeys. Guests can walk the private trails unguided and at no charge. The lodge itself is built from twisted branches and tree stumps, with twig chairs and headboards giving the rooms a cabin-in-the-woods feel. Rooms range from bunk beds with shared bath to forest cabins and a wheelchair-accessible suite with a river-stone bathroom open to the air. It is a locally run, family business. Breakfast is included, and meals are served in an open-air restaurant joined to the lodge by a covered walkway. Beyond the grounds, guided kayak and snorkel tours cross the Golfo Dulce, where dolphins, sea turtles and reef fish are common sights among the mangroves.