2007 marks my 38th year traveling South and Central America and since rainforests account for a large part of the northern section of South America and a good part of Central America, it's easy to say I have had many an opportunity to visit rainforests. Or better phrased: to sweat and slush my way through rainforests.

Rainforests always leave me a bit uneasy, a bit intimidated. They are always so huge, so vast, so tall, so dense, so busy, so ... unknown. And all of that is part of their allure, part of their fascination.

Without a doubt there are many great travel experiences in the rainforest, like snuggling down beneath the sheets on your bed and listening to the pounding rain of a downpour on a thatched roof, while the thunder booms, the lighting flashes and the breezes cool. Or staring up into the canopy, often so tall the sky isn't visible. Or watching a troop of monkeys swing their way through the canopy. Or finally cooling off in a tepid but cooling shower.

Rainforests are essential to life itself. They cleanse our air. They hold the secrets to many medicinal remedies. They provide a timeless way of life to the few remaining indigenous peoples, who find abundance in the rainforest's depths.

It's easy to include a rainforest visit when visiting South and Central America. The key is to get the right rainforest for you and to be ready to experience it in it's glory. I hope this traveler's guide helps to make your selected rainforest visit the one to be cherished for a lifetime.