My third time at Rio Celeste greeted me with lush vegetation, humid weather and nice turquoise water

Light green trees with branches covered in red bromeliads at El Copal

Encantada waterfall at Peace Waterfall Gardens can be appreciated from eye level from the lower lookout point

Late afternoon light at Cerro Pelado, with the gravel trail windling its way along the hill

I remember when I thought that Costa Rica was not very good for landscape photography, because we did not have impressive mountain ranges or crystal clear lakes. How wrong I was! For the forest provides exquisite opportunities to see the beauty of this planet and to capture it with my camera.

The forest canopy glows when hit by early sunrise light at Kekoldi, Talamanca

A cool stream running among the dense forest in Braulio Carrillo National Park

A long exposure of the beach at Tortuguero during sunset. Most people had already left, so it was a very calm moment, with the fresh wind blowing towards the beach, and the sound of waves crashing into the sand.

The exuberant forest canopy is a signature of the Caribbean slope of the country, with vast expanse of green forest covering the land

Sunrise shot at Bahia de los Piratas

A light green tree elevates itself above the dense canopy in this forest in southern Talamanca

A hiking group approaches the last ridge of Cerro Pelado as the light starts to hit from the side during sunrise

A small waterfall in Cinchona

Magia Blanca waterfall at Peace Waterfall Gardens, as seen from the lookout point from the higher portion of the trail

My third time at Rio Celeste greeted me with lush vegetation, humid weather and nice turquoise water

Templo waterfall at Peace Waterfall Gardens. The fern at the left hand side adds to the feeling of tropicalness

The Savegre river crosses through the forest in San Gerardo de Dota, then it plunges down the small pedestrian bridge on this short but intense trail

A different view of the Milky Way from Tortuguero National Park. The very big star to the left is Jupiter it seems. A little bit of light from the town was hitting the low clouds, hence the glow visible near the trees.

Sunset at Cerro Pelado during the dry season

It is a slippery climb onto a rock to be able to reach this side of the river

Mist is colored yellow during sunrise at Volcan Arenal

Small waves hit the red rock at Bahia de los Piratas during an overcast sunset

A portion of the Milky Way as seen from Tortuguero National Park at 4:00 am. BACKSTORY: I went to the edge of the beach at 8 pm the previous day, but the crescent moon was bright, so the stars looked too faint. I went to bed around 9 pm, but due the heat and a mosquito, I could not sleep a single hour. At midnight, I went to sit outside our room, where it was cooler, and just looked at the stars and people passing through the streets until about 3:30, when one of my friends got up. We packed and went for the stars at the beach. The moon had set already, so the sky was so dark and the stars just popped in brightness. Clouds started to move in and by sunrise, they had covered most of the sky. I am glad we went so early.

A look at the exuberant forest in Boca Tapada. The caribbean forests in Costa Rica are very dense and feature very tall trees

Tree species in Costa Rican highlands assume more conical shapes, reminiscent of pine forests that are found in the northern parts of the world

It is the dry season, yet multiple colors adorn trees in Palo Verde

A dramatic sunset with lighit rays breaking through the clouds

The entrance to the Agami Heron nest lies beyond this natural frame of tree branches. While most of the trail in Pacuare Reserve is about 3 meters wide, from here on the trail is very tight, which makes you feel more connected with the forest.

This shallow river runs through the exuberant cloud forest in Cinchona

Orange Sunset at Cerro Buenavista

After the sun went below the horizon, the sky turned a dramatic combination of deep blue, orange and yellow

Sunset at Cerro Pelado during the dry season

The Hanging Bridges at Monteverde are a must stop for any tourist, both foreigners and nationals

Entirely different vegetation can be seen in the highlands, with bushes replacing the tall trees characteristic of the lowlands

A view of the main river than runs through Caño Negro, an oasis for water birds

The forest canopy glows when hit by early sunrise light at Kekoldi, Talamanca

Being a tropical country, Costa Rica does not have autumn or spring seasons, but some trees do turn their leaves orange or red in specific conditions

Luck provided us a wonderful sunrise with Arenal Volcano uncovered after two days of heavy clouds

Sometimes a landscape image becomes more compelling by adding the human element. It brings scale, emotion and the ability to imagine us at that place.

La Fortuna Waterfall in long exposure

A view from the hanging bridge of the river crossing the Yorkin Indigenous Reserve at Talamanca, Costa Rica

I might need to work on better poses, but the light on this forest was just amazing.

A section of the trail at Pacuare Reserve. While the forest is full of green colors, the trail is marked by dead leaves and soil that look orange-brown. It can be seen as the path I am going through, or where I come from.

A small patch of the forest canopy that can be seen from the deck at El Copal, with exuberant green trees all around

Walking down the trail a few meters, the Templo waterfall can be appreciated from the riverside

Following the trail through Cerro Tortuguero is essentially a walk into the dense tropical rain forest. Nothing breaks the calmness of being inside so much green, except for Spider Monkeys loudly screaming and throwing branches at you.

This waterfall is the last stop at the trail in San Gerardo de Dota. Its waters are very clear, while the pond looks a deep green hue

A cool stream running among the dense forest in Braulio Carrillo National Park

La Fortuna Waterfall in long exposure

Another shallow stream that runs through the exuberant forest in Braulio Carrillo National Park

The blue color of late afternoon light at the pacific coast

A very shallow stream of water inside the exuberant rainforest. With so much humidity, rocks are entirely covered by moss and plants

A green oasis of life among the barren rock in Cerro Pelado

“Botarrama” trees ressemble a gigantic broccoli in terms of shape. I don’t like broccoli, but these trees are gorgeous

A view of the river in Tirimbina Private Reserve from the hanging bridge

A few staircase steps brings you to a closer spot to admire the beauty of Magia Blanca

A small waterfall in the highlands forest in Cinchona

A couple of leading lines that point to the offshore rock at Bahia de los Piratas