See the next trip >>

For more than a decade, Pacuare Lodge was mainly a springboard for rafting trips on its namesake river. That was prior to the 15-room eco-retreat’s transformation from déclassé to deluxe ($326 per person; pacuarelodge.com). The new bungalows are electricity free, but polished hardwood floors, net-draped four-poster beds, and hot showers by candlelight don’t exactly make for hardship. Right out the door is one of Costa Rica’s highest canopy rappels, plus whitewater paddling through lush canyons. The Pacuare River surges up to Class IV this time of year—and a former one-night wonder has gone high-class to match.

See the next trip >>