The majority of travelers who end up in Krabi, Thailand are on their way to Phuket and other islands of the Andaman Sea. Because the port of Krabi acts as a springboard to these popular destinations, this small city and surroundings are typically (and wrongly) overlooked as being sites of interest.

Although folks purely interested in white sands, clear waters, and beach life won’t have any reason to hang out in Krabi, eco-travelers who spend a few days in the area will be pleasantly surprised by some of the natural offerings around town. Of particular interest are the abundant mangrove forests that grow in the estuarine waters in the area.

Mangrove forests sprout out of the brackish mud in many tropical regions of the globe but those found along the coasts and river mouths of southeastern Asia are among the most biodiverse and oldest of their kind on Earth. In some places (including Krabi) they grow as tall as rain forests and harbor a variety of tropical wildlife ranging from macaques and langurs to brilliantly colored kingfishers.

The only problem with visiting mangrove forests is that they thrive in some of the muckiest, most mosquito-ridden places on Earth. You can’t exactly go for a forest stroll in mangroves even with the tallest of rubber boots because the sticky mud would stop you in your tracks. Krabi actually has the solution to this problem, however, in the form of a mangrove boardwalk.

It’s free to use and provides a rare glimpse into this difficult to access habitat. Colorful crabs scuttle around the roots of the trees, mudskippers make you think of missing links between fish and terrestrial creatures, and the melancholy calls of hidden birds are issued from the dim recesses of this semi-aquatic forest.

The other way to experience the mangroves is with a ride on a traditional, Thai boat. Tours are easy to arrange through travel agencies in town or by simply walking down to the wharf where upon seeing you, local boatmen sporting traditional sarongs shout out, “boat tour…mangroves!” and attempt to show you faded pictures of mangrove wildlife.

In general, the mangroves are quiet, peaceful places but several species of beautiful Asian kingfishers are typically seen as are other birds and monkeys. Unlike the Sunderban mangroves of India and Bangladesh, you won’t see any Tigers, but then again you won’t have to worry about getting eaten by them either.

The isthmus nation of Panama is mostly known for its ocean-connecting canal but this tropical country is also a haven for a huge variety of plants and animals that live in the rain forests of the steamy lowlands and the misty cloud forests of the highlands. Most of the latter habitat grows in the more mountainous parts of western Panama. One of the most interesting places to experience these beautiful tropical forests is at a place called the “Lost and Found Eco-Hostel”.

Situated along the main highway that connects the Chiriqui and Bocas del Toro provinces, this small hotel is easy to miss unless you can keep an eye out for the yellow and red sign that denotes its entrance. From this point, it’s a steep, uphill walk to the lodge but the views from the main buildings are worth the effort. Various forest birds can be seen in nearby tree tops and there are also scenic views of forested mountains stretching into the drier and browner lowlands when the sun breaks through the clouds.

The hostel generates its own electricity, gets its own water from pristine mountain streams, and is surrounded by primary forests of the Fortuna Forest Reserve. Trails into this reserve are open to guests and make for a good workout as they go up and down the surrounding mountains. When not huffing and puffing on these rather challenging trails, hikers could come across orchids, Emerald Toucanets, and other tropical wildlife. If you don’t see any animals on the trails (tropical wildlife is shy), the owner sometimes puts out fruit on a feeding platform that provides rare views of wild Ringtails and other strange, cloud forest night creatures.

This unique place really is for nature lovers but even the most outdoorsy of folks can tire of the rain. Nevertheless, the owners have a contingency plan in the form of an indoor game and movie room when the rain gets to be a little too much.