Bocas del Toro & Costa Rica. Panama 15 days

DAY 1

San José

Welcome to Costa Rica!

As soon as you come out the Juan Santamaria International Airport our driver will be waiting for you to continue to the hotel. You can ask any information to your driver or you can request him to take you to our offices. He will make it possible for you.

Located in the great metropolitan area the Juan Santamaria International Airport is near the main cities in Costa Rica. Here is where most of the population is concentrated.

The capital city of San José shows the contrast between the old culture and modernization. Tough small but vibrant, it worhts your time to take a walk through its boulevards to visit some places of interest like the precolumbian museums (like the Gold Museum and the Jade Museum), the Plaza de la Cultura and the must see Central Market. You can either walk the boulevard on your own or take a guided tour to know more about the city.

Airport assistance

Once you are in Costa Rica, after crossing the customs and migration area inside the airport; a representative of the CANATUR (Cámara de Turismo de Costa Rica) will be waiting for you with your name in a board to show you the way out towards your Asuaire Travel driver.

Park Inn Hotel (or similar) - 1 night

Breakfast

Transfer Airport - San José

DAY 2

Tortuguero

Tortuguero National Park is one of the most famous national parks in Costa Rica, where you can access by plane (by an additional charge) or by boat; which is the most recommended way by crossing the canals. During the boat trip you will be able to spot a high diversity of plants and animals. It is between the months of July and October where the turtles arrive to nest in the beach.

The departure from the hotel is previously set to go to Guapiles where you will have a local costa rican breakfast after crossing the amazing Braulio Carrillo National Park.

After breakfast you will go through banana plantations and colorful towns until arriving to the small docks where a boat will be waiting for you to cross the canals towards Tortuguero.

After leaving the docks you will be amazed by the huge forests that make this remote land one of the most visited by the nature lovers from across the world. You will arrive to Tortuguero just in time to have lunch.

After your lunch you will visit the small town of Tortuguero; unique within its canals where were you won’t find any roads, cars or street signals.

It is important to understand that Tortuguero is a very small town and there will not be any specific items like medicines. You will visit the Museo de la Tortuga and the beach where turtles nest every year. Also you will have chance to check a shop to buy what you need.

Pachira Lodge (or similar) - 2 nights

Full Board (alcoholic drinks or bottled water not included)

Land and boat transfer (San José - Tortuguero - Guápiles)

Visit to Tortuguero National Park and Tortuguero village

Bilingual guide

DAY 3

Tortuguero

You will start your day with the sounds of howler monkeys, toucans and other wonders from the forest.

Today you will do a boat trip through the canals of Tortuguero in search for the local biodiversity. You will have the chance to see three different species of monkeys (howler monkey, spider monkey and whiteface cappuccino monkey), storks, herons, toucans and with a bit of luck sloths, ant eaters and neotropical otters.

Later you will have time to relax in the hotel, the pool, to visit the town on your own or maybe an trip in a kayak.

During the night you can do a tour to witness the nesting of sea turtles which happen from July to October. This tour has an additional cost and you can book it once you are in the hotel.

Tour of the canals

DAY 4

Tortuguero

You will enjoy breakfast and you will leave the area by the same way you arrived. The departure is programmed at the middle of the morning to go back to Guapiles.

Your tour guide and the transportation will stop here to deliver you to the car rental personel so you can continue with your trip.

From the lowlands of the Caribbean you will continue to your next destination where you will be able to note the nature changing from one place to the other.

The Schedule and order of the activities Will be defined by your tour guide. Weather and other external conditions may affect this order.

Puerto Viejo

Puerto Viejo is a place with a rich afro Caribbean culture, different because of its gastronomy and local music. Here in the south Caribbean you can enjoy the beach, surrounded by the Cahuita National Park and Gandoca Manzanillo refuge just some minutes away. In your free days you can enjoy some hiking tours, snorkeling, bike riding and horseback riding.

Namuwoki Lodge (or similar) - 1 night

Breakfast

DAY 5

Bocas del Toro

Bocas del Toro in panama is formed by six main islands: Colon, Popa, Bastimentos, Cristobal, Cayo Agua and Cayo Carenero; among many other smaller islands. In Isla Colon is located Bocas del Toro, where most of the activity is concentrated in a small Caribbean influenced area.

One of our representatives in the area will arrive to your hotel to take you to the border to cross to the Panama side. After crossing some 100 meters on foot you will board a different transportation to finally take a boat for a relaxing trip of one hour and half to the islands in Bocas del Toro.

We recommend some activities like snorkeling in the coral reefs, scuba diving, walking through the beach and dolphin watching in a guided tour.

Important information about border crossing to Bocas del Toro

For the transportation to Bocas del Toro it is necessary to pay the exit taxes to leave Costa Rica by land. $8 USD per person, plus $4 USD to enter Panama and another $4 USD when leaving Panama. This payment is made in the frontier. To enter Costa Rica again there is no need to pay any other taxes.

It is important to carry a copy of your flight tickets to show your departure date with flight number and seat number. Also, you need to take the original passports with more than three months of lifespan remaining. Otherwise it will not be possible to make the crossing.

Playa Tortuga Hotel (or similar) - 2 nights

Breakfast

Shared tourist transfer Puerto Viejo - Bocas del Toro

DAY 6

Bocas del Toro

Day off! So you can enjoy the activities that the area has to offer or to enjoy from the hotel amenities.

Breakfast

DAY 7

On this day you head back to Costa Rica by a shared tourist transfer from Bocas del Toro to Puerto Viejo.

Important information about border crossing to Bocas del Toro

For the transportation to Bocas del Toro it is necessary to pay the exit taxes to leave Costa Rica by land. $8 USD per person, plus $4 USD to enter Panama and another $4 USD when leaving Panama. This payment is made in the frontier. To enter Costa Rica again there is no need to pay any other taxes.

It is important to carry a copy of your flight tickets to show your departure date with flight number and seat number. Also, you need to take the original passports with more than three months of lifespan remaining. Otherwise it will not be possible to make the crossing.

Puerto Viejo

In Puerto Viejo, besides enjoying its beautiful beaches and the afro Caribbean culture you can enjoy other activities like hiking, snorkeling, bike riding and horseback riding.

Namuwoki Lodge (or similar) - 1 night

Breakfast

Shared tourist transfer Bocas del Toro - Puerto Viejo

Rental car for 8 days (Unlimited Mileage, authorization for 2 drivers, GPS, full coverage insurance)

DAY 8 & 9

Arenal

The Arenal National Park is located here with the famous volcano of the same name, along with the landscapes, La Fortuna will be one of your favorite places during your vacations here in Costa Rica.

In the province of Alajuela, in the flat lowlands of San Carlos is located the Arenal Volcano. Inside the national park located 17 kilometers away of the main town of La Fortuna.

You will also find some renowned hot springs and other activities like trips through the hanging bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall and some adventure tours like rafting and zip lines with amazing landscapes.

Volcano Lodge (or similar) - 2 nights

Breakfast

DAY 10 & 11

Monteverde

The region of Monteverde is special for its surrounding cloud forests; its great biodiversity and the fact of being right in the middle of the continental divide. Which allow travelers from all across the world to fall in love with this amazing place and to consider returning over and over again.

The Biological reserve of Monteverde Cloud Forest near the town of Santa Elena is vast and green all along the year with a cool weather, amazing landscapes and an exceptional biodiversity with activities like hanging bridges through the forest canopy, zip lines and wildlife watching during a forest hike.

You just need to pick the one that suits you the most! Here you may find an activity for your own taste for every age and preferences.

Poco a Poco Hotel (or similar) - 2 nights

Breakfast

DAYS 12 -14

Manuel Antonio

In the pacific coast of the country you will find the region of Manuel Antonio; which has world class beaches and landscapes. Bright white sand beaches, deep blue warm water and sunsets that will take your breath away. You can combine relaxing in the beach along with many other available nature and adventure activities.

Between the town of Quepos and the National Park there are numerous beaches surrounded by forests where monkeys play, Iguanas rest in the sun and sloths show themselves to entertain the visitors. You will have access to a wide variety of activities like hiking through the Manuel Antonio National Park, surfing, swimming or simply relaxing while watching the sunset.

In this place you can watch all the four monkey species in Costa Rica. Howler monkey, white faced cappuccino monkey, spider monkey and the squirrel monkey (the smallest of all). Here it is also possible to see sloths in and out the national park.

This National park is closed on Mondays.

Costa Verde Hotel (or similar) - 3 nights

Breakfast

DAY 15

San José

After having breakfast at the Manuel Antonio hotel, you will head back to San José where you will return the car at the Car Rental offices near the Airport.

Rental car delivery