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Panama Experience: Cloud Forests & Canals
14 days, San José to Panama City
Itinerary
Day 1San José
Arrive at any time. Tonight, explore the La California barrio with your fellow travellers. Stop in at one of the many bars to get to know your group over a few drinks. Cheers to new friends and new adventures!
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
Your First Night Out Moment: Connect With New Friends
Connect with new friends on your first night out in a new destination. Only available on 18-to-Thirtysomethings tours.
Day 2San José/Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
Travel to Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast to the picturesque village of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. Enjoy 14km (8.7 mi) of incomparable white and black sand beaches, all surrounded by exotic tropical vegetation.
There are several optional activities available: rent a bike or hire a boat to Manzanillo, hike to Monkey Point through the Gandoca - Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge, or try snorkelling. Feeling lazy? Take it easy and explore La Isla Botanical Gardens.
Local Bus
Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Optional Activities - Day 2 HideShow
Bike Rental
Rent a bike from a local shop and head out to explore.
Finca la Isla Botanical Garden Visit
5-10USD per personJust outside the town is a tropical farm, part of which is set aside as a botanical garden. Finca la Isla is a working farm and botanical garden built from the remains of an abandoned cacao plantation. Sample homemade natural chocolate, drink tropical fruit drinks, learn about the production of black pepper and nutmeg, as well as ornamental plants. Shoot some colourful photos and be careful where you walk. Visitors are guaranteed to see the red poison dart frog, along with other frogs, reptiles, toucans and birds.
Snorkelling
65USD per personGrab a mask and snorkel and head out to explore the marine life off the coast. Check out the beaches of Punta Uva (Grape Point) and Manzanillo for some of the country's best snorkelling. See coral, fish, octopus, sea turtles and harmless nurse sharks.
Day 3Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
Hop on a bike and ride to the beach with our CEO. Opt to rent a boogie board if the waves are calling, dance the night away to reggae and calypso, taste flavourful Afro-Caribbean cuisine, and succumb to the natural beauty of this tropical paradise.
Biking Puerto Viejo
This morning, jump on a bike and take a ride around to a nearby beach with your CEO. You'll be out exploring and enjoying the scenery all day around Puerto Viejo.
Start time: 9 AM
End time: 5 PM
Your Discover Moment
There's plenty to see and do in Puerto Viejo, and we wanted to make sure that you had some time to take it all in. Feel free to relax or try optional activities like snorkelling, biking, and hiking in the Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge. Your CEO has more ideas if you need them. Just ask!
Optional Activities - Day 3 HideShow
Bike Rental
Rent a bike from a local shop and head out to explore.
Surf Lesson
65USD per personGrab a board and hit the waves. With knowledge and tips from a certified instructor you'll be hanging ten in no time.
Finca la Isla Botanical Garden Visit
5-10USD per personJust outside the town is a tropical farm, part of which is set aside as a botanical garden. Finca la Isla is a working farm and botanical garden built from the remains of an abandoned cacao plantation. Sample homemade natural chocolate, drink tropical fruit drinks, learn about the production of black pepper and nutmeg, as well as ornamental plants. Shoot some colourful photos and be careful where you walk. Visitors are guaranteed to see the red poison dart frog, along with other frogs, reptiles, toucans and birds.
Gandoca Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge Hike
65USD per personBeginning at the Cocles River south of Puerto Viejo, the Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge extends through beach communities, jungle, marshland, coves and coast all the way to the Sixaola River and the border with Panama. Begin in Manzanillo and wind your way through plantations of cacao, strangler fig and almond trees, look for capuchin and howler monkeys, sloths and raccoons. White sand beaches lead into aquamarine water, filled with 35 species of coral and tropical fish, sea turtles, lobsters and sting rays. Wear light clothing, walking shoes, and bring lots of water and insect repellent.
Snorkelling
65USD per personGrab a mask and snorkel and head out to explore the marine life off the coast. Check out the beaches of Punta Uva (Grape Point) and Manzanillo for some of the country's best snorkelling. See coral, fish, octopus, sea turtles and harmless nurse sharks.
Day 4Puerto Viejo de Talamanca/Bocas del Toro
Crossing into Panama, travel by bus, foot, then a boat to arrive to the Archipelago of Bocas del Toro, which means the bull’s mouth. Enjoy free time while here to snorkel, scuba dive, or just relax on the beach.
Local Bus
Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Border Crossing (Costa Rica - Panama)
Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list.
Local Bus
Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Local Bus
Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Boat
Climb aboard and get your float on.
Days 5–6Bocas del Toro
Enjoy free time to snorkel the blue Caribbean waters or look for red frogs at—where else?—Red Frog Beach.
Free Time
Get out and explore beautiful Bocas del Toro.
Optional Activities - Days 5–6 HideShow
Island Hopping
Hop on a boat and spend time at some of the nine islands that make up the Bocas del Toro archipelago. Look skyward to see the birds of Bird Island, head to Starfish Beach to see stunning starfish in the shallow water, swim with dolphins in Dolphin Bay and visit a Caribbean indigenous village on Bastimentos. Lots to explore, so get hopping!
Jungle Cacao Tour
35USD per personTake part in a walk through the jungle with an expert guide to learn the technique of creating 100% pure chocolate.
Sunset Snorkelling Tour
25USD per personExperience a Caribbean sunset on the ocean while relaxing on the boat, a SUP board, or experience it as you bob in and out of the water while snorkelling. Once the sun goes down, watch Bocas del Toro light up along the shore with a rum punch or beverage of choice in hand and cheers to a beautiful night in paradise.
Bat Cave Tour
35USD per personExplore a cave with an expert guide to get up close with bats. Learn more about some of the different species that call Bocas del Toro home.
Colón Expedition
40USD per personEnjoy a day out exploring Bocas del Toro's main island, Isla Colón. Playa Estrella (Starfish Beach) is known for its calm waters, swim and splash in the water while trying to spot some starfish. Relax on the sandy shore or snorkel some of the best reefs in Bocas del Toro. Move on to Isla Pajaros (Bird Island) and admire the lush vegetation that veils the entire island in a blanket of green.
Isla Bastimentos Tour
60USD per personBioluminescence Tour
25USD per personLearn about bioluminescence, micro-organisms that create light in the water, from an expert guide. Navigate by boat through the mangroves to the perfect spot to see the water light up. Stir up the water with your hand to light up the surrounding area or take a dip to see the glowing all around you like magical fairy dust.
*Please note this experience is seasonal.
Zapatilla Adventure
45USD per personSailing Snorkelling Tour
45USD per personSet out on the calm waters around Bocas del Toro and sail to Dolphin Bay, enjoy seeing Bottle Nose Dolphins play in the waves. Head to Mangrove Reef, Isla San Cristobal for some snorkelling in the diverse reefs in the area. After you've had enough of discovering urchins, anemones, and swimming with schools of tiny fish, enjoy a simple but yummy lunch on the boat on route to The Garden, Isla Solarte. Enjoy even more snorkelling around parrot fish and other sea creatures before heading back to the island.
Day 7Bocas del Toro/Boquete
Back on the mainland, settle in for a long day of travel before arriving at the mountain town of Boquete. A plethora of outdoor options await, including hiking, whitewater rafting and touring a coffee plantation.
Boat
Climb aboard and get your float on.
Local Bus
Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Day 8Boquete
Opt to go whitewater rafting, tour a coffee plantation, or hike through the cloud forest.
Your Discover Moment
There's plenty to see and do in Boquete, and we wanted to make sure that you had some time to take it all in. Feel free to relax or try optional activities like hiking, whitewater rafting, and visiting a coffee plantation. Your CEO has more ideas if you need them. Just ask!
Optional Activities - Day 8 HideShow
Coffee Plantation Tour
30USD per personHead out into the hills to visit one of the many coffee plantations in the region. Learn about the production process and have a sample or two of the locally-grown "café" while taking in the beautiful scenery.
Hiking
40-85USD per personChoose from a variety of hiking tours, from low-impact routes through botanical gardens or challenging full-day trips to see waterfalls and unforgettable wildlife. Options include the Quetzal Trail (one of the most scenic hikes in Panama) or Baru Volcano.
Lost Waterfall Hike
38USD per personDiscover three stunning waterfalls on this hike through the cloud forest. Trek through dense flora while keeping an eye out for local wildlife, before reaching the waterfalls for a refreshing swim. Dive in!
Whitewater Rafting
65USD per personBuckle up your lifejacket, strap on a helmet and head out to where white water meets green jungle on Panama’s Chiriqui Viejo River. Paddle down Class III+ rapids and hold on tight as the expert guide sets a course past boulders and over waterfalls. Feel alive and enjoy the ride.
Horseback Riding
40USD per personThrow on some long pants, grab the reins and hop up on a well-trained horse. Trail ride through the scenic town of Boquete, home to the Barú Volcano National Park.
Day 9Boquete/Santa Catalina
Enjoy a free morning in Boquete to soak up final moments in this lush remote town. After lunch, travel to the Pacific Coast for a couple more beach days. Santa Catalina has easy access to two black-sand beaches and is a great home base for fishing, snorkelling, boat trips, diving and surfing, as well as exploring numerous nature trails in the area.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Days 10–11Santa Catalina
Enjoy a couple lazy or adventurous days at the beach. This small, friendly, and laid-back town on the Pacific coast is the perfect place to wind down. Look up and see flocks of parrots as they soar the skies above the hills around Santa Catalina. Opt to hang 10 with a surfing lesson or explore beautiful Coiba National Park, part of the nation’s largest marine park, described as a cross between the Galapagos and Cocos Islands.
Free Time
Do as much or as little as you'd like during a free day.
Optional Activities - Days 10–11 HideShow
Coiba Island Marine Park Visit
70USD per personTake a boat to Coiba, the largest island in Central America Island, and visit this Panamanian marine park. Snorkel, swim, and learn more about the biodiversity of this beautiful area off the Pacific Coast.
Coiba National Park Snorkelling Tour
80USD per personKnown for its diverse marine life, Coiba National Park is a haven for snorkelers. Strap on a mask and grab some flippers and explore an underwater world filled fish and corals of all colours of the rainbow.
Santa Catalina Surfing Lesson
60USD per personGrab your swimsuit and get ready to hang ten! Learn how to find and ride the waves with surfing lessons from local experts. Enjoy the fresh sea air, and try to spot local marine life while enjoying the waters.
Day 12Santa Catalina/Panama City
Leave the beach and travel to Panama's capital. Filled with colonial architecture and cobblestone streets line with cafes and bars. Opt to spend a night on the town with the group.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Day 13Panama City
Enjoy a free day to explore this iconic city. Opt to visit the Panama Canal and Casco Viejo, a World Heritage Site. In the heart of old town, check out its plazas, murals and ancient cathedrals by day. At night check out the restaurant and nightlife scene from a rooftop bar or sidewalk cafe.
Your Discover Moment
The country’s capital is a modern, bustling city, thanks to the enormous trade and commerce that passes through each year. There are plenty of other reasons to visit the Panama City aside from the world-famous canal. Panama La Vieja (Old Panama) has some great old buildings, as well as some interesting museums that document the history of the region and the building of the canal.
Optional Activities - Day 13 HideShow
Panama Canal Visit
25USD per personVisit the Panama Canal, including the Miraflores Locks and on-site museum. The Panama Canal is considered to be one of the greatest engineering wonders of the world. It extends 77km (48 mi) over a series of lakes and locks and connects the Atlantic (via the Caribbean Sea) to the Pacific Ocean. Discover the dramatic history of its construction, beginning with the French in the late 1800's, the official completion by the US in 1914, and what’s happened since. Witness a freighter, sailboat, or maybe even a submarine, transit through a lock. It’s an experience not to be missed.
Day 14Panama City
Depart at any time.
Departure Day
Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.