Honduras has long been just off the mainstream tourist radar, but for divers it's firmly within sight, due largely to low-cost, easy access to the world's second-largest barrier reef. And when it comes to diving in Honduras, there's Anthony's Key, and then there's the rest of the resorts. As expected from a world-class dive resort, Anthony Key's position on the northwestern coast of...

Home to the longest barrier reef in the western hemisphere, Belize has long been popular with scuba divers who head to the island of Ambergris Cay to float among the manta rays, turtles, dolphins, and sharks. As of late, however, travelers are heading inland to hike in a rainforest full of parrots and butterflies, visit rarely seen Mayan ruins, and canoe along the Macal River. This is where...

Aldous Huxley famously called Guatemala's Lake Atitlan "the most beautiful lake in the world." So if Atitlan—a 130-square-kilometer, blue-green beauty surrounded by three towering volcanoes—is the most beautiful lake in the world, then Casa Palopó, the nine-room hotel nestled in the serene hills above the lake, is the most beautiful hotel on the most beautiful lake in the world....

When Minnesota natives John and Karen Lewis sold everything they owned in 1990 to buy 930 acres of Costa Rican rainforest, they had a unique vision in mind: an ecotourism destination that would conserve the country's last lowland tropical rainforest, enhance nearby communities, and offer travelers a luxurious escape to nature.

By all accounts, they succeeded beyond even their own...

This resort has two important assets in its favor: Location and attitude. In the case of the former, location can't be overstated when you're talking about Costa Rica, everyone's favorite rainforest paradise these days. Paradisus Playa Conchal is the nicest all-inclusive in Costa Rica. And while all-inclusives in other places might be fancier or newer, none can claim that top-of-the-charts...

A mere two miles down the road from Manuel Antonio, Si Como No Resort is perched high on a ridge overlooking the Pacific. All of the 58 rooms are nestled into the lush grounds, with high ceilings, adjoining living area, and balconies offering spectacular views of both forest and sea. Splurge for a top-floor suite and the vista becomes that much more stupendous. Si Como No caters to both families...

Utila Lodge is a discerning diver's getaway on a tiny island in Honduras that lives and breathes scuba diving. Like most dedicated dive resorts, Utila Lodge offers clean, casual comfort rather than over-the-top amenities, and almost every aspect of a stay here revolves around the diving. Dive trips depart from the lodge's private dock, just outside the open-air lounge/dining room, and hearty,...

These days, you can't swing your new-fangled, hydration-compatible backpack without hitting an ecolodge in Costa Rica, which is great news for eco-minded travelers. The vexing question is how to choose one. Rafiki Safari Lodge, a luxury tented camp 20 miles south of the tourist hot spots of Quepos and Manuel Antonio, is one of the best, particularly for wildlife-watching junkies....

An aging former U.S. air-force radar tower in the Panama jungle might not seem like an obvious spot for a birdwatching lodge, but Panamanian banker-cum-conservationist Raúl Arias de Para considered it perfect. Turned out he was on to something: The best way to spot birds is, naturally, from their own vantage point—as in, up in the treetops. And this spot is in the midst of bird...

The monkeys and sloths hanging out in this verdant tropical forest are onto something: warm, hilltop breezes and sweeping views of the cobalt Caribbean amidst 250 acres of virtually undisturbed rainforest in which to frolic. The only things better about being a guest in Samasati's treehouse-like bungalows are the (human) creature comforts—warm, wood- and window-lined rooms and inviting...