We live here. Here's the good stuff.

Walk south from the main beach access to where the river meets the sea. At low tide you can cross the sand flats; at high tide it backs up into a flat green lagoon. Howler monkeys in the trees on the inland side almost every morning, and crocodile sign further up the estuary — stay out of the brackish water and keep kids close.

Local tip: Go within an hour of sunrise. Cooler, quieter, and the wildlife is actually awake.

Head north up the beach to the rocky point that makes the Little Hawaii wave. Tide pools, sea urchins, iguanas sunning on the rocks, and a great vantage point to watch surfers. Only crossable at mid-to-low tide — check the tide chart before you commit.

Local tip: Reef shoes. The rock is sharp and covered in barnacles.

Miles of quiet gravel and dirt roads through dry tropical forest inside Pinilla, connecting Bonita, Mansita and the beach club. Great cart cruising with walking loops off it — big trees, deer, coatis, and more birds than anywhere else nearby.

Local tip: Drive in, park in the shade, then walk a loop. Stay on public access roads.

At low water the reef shelf at Negra turns into a maze of natural bathtubs — warm, clear, full of little fish and crabs. The single best hour with kids on this coast, as long as everyone has shoes on.

Local tip: Time it to low tide, not to your schedule. Twenty minutes early is worth it.

The dirt road south strings together a handful of tiny coves most visitors never see. Stop where it looks good. Rutted in places, dusty in dry season, muddy after rain — go slow and watch your charge.

Local tip: Turn around at half battery. That's the rule, not a suggestion.