Sometimes a little piece of paradise lies in store in the least obvious of locales, and Gozalandia is San Sebastián's: a flurry of dramatic cascades, three miles (4.8km) north of town that tumbles into some inviting plunge pools. The crashing river here is backed by steep forest and is a truly beautiful spot to spend some hours soaking up the quietude.

　　There are two key cascades. At the lower one it is possible, with care, to climb behind the waterfall, whilst at the upper, there is a rope swing.

　　Near the parking area, Sha's restaurant rustles up great cocktails using fresh fruits, and it is rarely crowded.

　　

How to get to Gozalandia

The owner of the land on which the cascades are found still advertises the place as La Cascada del Guama even though most know it as Gozalandia. To get here, follow Route 111 north from San Sebastián and turn right onto Route 446 (the intersection next to the Total garage).

　　After around 0.74 miles (1.4km), turn right onto Sec Lechuza and across the bridge. You'll need to then drive for another three minutes or so until you see a large gate on the left and a sign for car parking. It costs $10 to park. The walk then to the falls takes around eight minutes.

　　

Opening times

Gozalandia is located on private property. It's open from daily from 9am-6pm.

　　

Think before jumping

Be wary if jumping in from the top of the waterfall. There have been reports of at least one death here.