Estancia at Miravalles

Is more adventure and relaxation called for? Continue explores and zooming excursions 35 minutes’ drive away at Vida Aventura Nature Park, where there are ziplines to conquer, horses to ride, hiking trails to follow, thermal pools to bask in and mud baths to provide a little pampering. Budding zoologists are well-served hereabouts, as the site is 45 minutes from big cats, monkeys and feathered friends at Las Pumas Rescue Centre and the safari-style zoo that is Ponderosa Adventure Park. There are more outdoorsy options to get stuck into: Rincón de la Vieja National Park is just under an hour from base for volcanoes, hot springs, swimming, horse riding and trekking, and beach bums can get their fix an hour and 20 minutes away on the sands at Panamá, Hermosa and Del Coco beaches. Prefer a city day? Liberia is 50 minutes from the site and is chock-full of galleries, museums, breweries, hot springs – yes, more – and coffee tours. (That should perk just about everyone up…)