Costa Rica with children: volcanoes, rainforest and a beach

Costa Rica has spent decades building one of the most developed nature tourism industries in the world, and much of it is ideal for families. Around a quarter of the country is protected in national parks and reserves. The distances between them are short, and the wildlife is not hidden away in remote wilderness but often right there by the roadside, in the trees above a lodge or on the beach. The country is stable, its people are welcoming, and the national greeting, pura vida, roughly "pure life", sets the tone. Children tend to come home with a list of animals and an ambition to become a zoologist.

The animals

The wildlife is the great draw. Sloths, hanging motionless in the treetops, are the obvious favourite, though they take patience and a guide's telescope to spot. Howler monkeys announce themselves at dawn with a roar that carries for miles. White-faced capuchins are bold and inquisitive, and spider monkeys swing through the canopy. Toucans, parrots and scarlet macaws are common, and the poison dart frogs of the rainforest, tiny and brilliantly coloured, are a reliable success with children, especially on night walks with a torch. On the Caribbean coast, turtles nest on the beaches, and at Tortuguero, boat trips along the canals pass caimans, iguanas, kingfishers and herons.

Volcanoes, bridges and rivers

Costa Rica's volcanoes are another highlight for children. At Irazú, the highest active volcano in the country, a road climbs almost to the summit, where you can look down into craters, one of them sometimes holding a green lake. Arenal, the perfect cone above La Fortuna, is often in cloud but magnificent when it clears, and the hot springs heated by the volcano around La Fortuna are popular with families.

Hanging bridges, suspended walkways through the treetops of the forest, give a bird's-eye view of the canopy and are safe enough for small children. Reserves such as Tirimbina, in the Sarapiquí region, combine forest walks and bridges with chocolate tours, showing how cacao is grown and made into chocolate, which tends to go down well. Gentle river trips by raft or boat are another highlight. Zip lines through the canopy are hugely popular, though they usually have minimum ages or heights, and it is worth checking in advance.

The food is usually a success with children too. Costa Rican cooking is mild rather than spicy, based on rice, beans, chicken, fish, fried plantain and fresh fruit. Fruit shakes made with water or milk are sold everywhere, and plain dishes are easy to find in most restaurants.

Beaches, health and timing

The Pacific beaches, such as those at Manuel Antonio, where the national park's forest meets the sand, are a fine way to end a trip. But many Costa Rican beaches have strong currents, and swimming only where it is safe, and where there are lifeguards, is important.

Costa Rica is a relatively healthy country to travel in. Mosquitoes can carry dengue fever, so repellent and long clothes in the evening are sensible, and it is worth checking vaccinations with a doctor well before travelling. The flight from Britain is long, around eleven hours or more, and the time difference of six or seven hours means a few tired days at the start.

The British summer holidays fall in Costa Rica's green season. On the Pacific side, that usually means sunny mornings and afternoon showers, and on the Caribbean coast, the turtle nesting season. Christmas falls at the start of the dry season.

Explore Worldwide's Family Costa Rica Rainforest and Wildlife Adventure, thirteen nights in July, August and December, is designed for families. It includes San José, Cartago and Irazú volcano, Turrialba, Santa Cruz and Cano Blanco, Tortuguero National Park, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí and La Tirimbina, Arenal volcano, the Mirador del Silencio reserve and La Fortuna.

Explore Worldwide's Highlights of Costa Rica with a Beach Extension, nine nights, runs all year. It includes San José, the Doka coffee estate, Arenal and La Fortuna, Monteverde, the Carara reserve and Manuel Antonio, with extra time on the beach.

Costa Rica rewards a family that takes it slowly. Two or three nights in each place, early mornings for the animals and afternoons by the pool, will leave everyone happier than a rush to see everything.