Compare The Panama Canal & Costa Rica - Eastbound 2023 by Tauck vs Panama in 7 days - Panama City & All-Inclusive Playa Blanca - Superior by Exoticca

Day 1 Arrive San José

Tour begins: San José. Welcome to Costa Rica! A transfer is included from Juan Santamaria International Airport to the Costa Rica Marriott Hotel San José or InterContinental Costa Rica at Multiplaza Mall. Join us this evening for a welcome reception and dinner at the hotel.

MEALS : D

LODGING : InterContinental Costa Rica at Multiplaza Mall

PORTOFCALL : San José, Costa Rica

Day 2 San José gold & Sarchi crafts

San José city sightseeing today includes visits to the Baroque-style, 19th-century National Theatre, a grand symbol of civic pride dating back to 1897 – its interior glistens with Baroque gold overlays and Carrara marble – and the Gold Museum, which houses pre-Columbian works of gold crafted by indigenous islanders. After lunch at a local restaurant, visit Sarchi, an artisans' hamlet outside of San José where workshops display the traditional painted carretas (ox carts) and other handmade products bearing the colorful starburst designs that have become a symbol of Costa Rica. After returning to the hotel, the rest of the afternoon and evening is free to spend as you wish in San José.

MEALS : B, L

LODGING : InterContinental Costa Rica at Multiplaza Mall

PORTOFCALL : San José, Costa Rica

Day 3 Coffee, waterfalls, wildlife & your cruise begins

Near-perfect growing conditions have made coffee one of Costa Rica's most important exports. Today you'll visit the Doka Coffee Plantation, located on the fertile slopes of Alajuela's Poás Volcano, where the soil and altitude make for ideal growing conditions. Your guide explains how the beans are produced and roasted and how different microclimates affect the taste. Also explore and have lunch at La Paz Waterfall Gardens, a private rainforest eco-park and wildlife refuge known for spectacular waterfalls and flowing white rivers; this protected reserve buzzes with the sounds and sights of wildlife including toucans, butterflies, spider monkeys, two-toed sloths and red-eyed leaf frogs – to name a few of the 100+ species. Embark your ship late this afternoon in Puntarenas for the start of your Panama Canal cruise.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Le Bellot

Day 4 A choice of excursions at Playa Herradura

Your ship arrives at Playa Herradura for a choice of shore excursions offering a range of eco-activities. One includes a walking tour in Carara National Park with a local naturalist guide, after which you'll learn about various coastal bird and wildlife species on a mangrove boat tour just outside the national park; another choice offers a more active, faster-paced walk in the park, followed by the mangrove cruise. A third choice features a visit to Tropical Forest Sky Walk near the boundary of Carara Biological Reserve, where you'll hike across suspended cable bridges skimming the top of the rainforest, up to 126 feet above the ground; from your lofty perch, you'll see the marshlands of the Tarcoles River and views of the ocean in the distance. Your guide will point out species of birds, monkeys, butterflies and other mammals that you may encounter. Still another possibility is a visit to the spectacular Pura Vida Gardens, whose beautifully manicured gardens are bordered by one of the tallest waterfalls in the country. Pura Vida is home to over 60,000 flowering plants, including 60 varieties of heliconia, ten varieties of ginger, and orchids; look for butterflies, macaws, parrots, parakeets, toucans, kingfishers, birds of prey, and waterfowl. After your tour, enjoy a traditional lunch in the garden restaurant.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Le Bellot

Day 5 Adventures at Quepos

Call on the city of Quepos this morning, a perfect jumping off point for a day of activities in Costa Rica's eco-wonderland. Your day begins with a walking tour in Manuel Antonio National Park accompanied by a naturalist guide, where you'll find coral reefs and white sand beaches, considered among the most beautiful in Costa Rica. Following your walk, you'll have choice of excursions including; a scenic drive through Quepos and a stop at Espadilla Beach; an exciting river float trip* on the Savegre River (which will include lunch); or a horseback ride through a mountain forest. Back aboard the ship, enjoy dinner at your leisure tonight, as your ship sets out from Quepos, bound for the Pacific Ocean.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Le Bellot

Day 6 A day at sea on the Pacific

Enjoy a relaxing day at sea today, taking advantage of your Explorer Class ship's many amenities as you make your way across the Pacific Ocean waters off Panama's coast, bound for the remote Darien region of Panama. Throughout the day, your Tauck Directors and naturalist guides will circulate about the ship answering questions – sharing their experiences and scanning the horizon for marine mammals and pelagic birds – and will also offer compelling lectures.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Le Bellot

Day 7 The Embera people of the Darien

Today you'll stop in the beautiful but remote Darien region of Panama, calling on Play del Muerto for a wet landing by Zodiac craft to visit an indigenous community of the Emberá people, whose lifestyle remains largely unaffected by modern times. You'll meet the locals, watch them perform traditional dances, see how they live, and perhaps purchase some of their "Cocobolo" wood or "Tagua" vegetable ivory carvings. Return to the ship for lunch; enjoy a naturalist lecture this afternoon as your yacht begins preparations for tomorrow's entrance into the Panama Canal.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Le Bellot

Day 8 Transiting the Panama Canal

This morning, your ship begins to position for her transit of the Panama Canal. Opened in 1914 and considered an engineering marvel of the 20th century, the Panama Canal opened trade to the Americas by creating a transit path between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Thanks to the canal, today ships traveling from New York to San Francisco save over 7,000 miles by not having to chart a course around South America. Before our crossing, we'll welcome aboard a canal pilot, the local navigation professional who will guide our ship under the Bridge of the Americas, through Miraflores and Pedro Miguel locks, into the narrow Gaillard cut and into Gatun lake, before finally clearing the Gatun Locks on the Atlantic side of the isthmus. Your Tauck Director, Tauck Naturalist and an official of the Panama Canal Authority will provide both technical and historical information about this engineering wonder.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Le Bellot

Day 9 The Guna people of the San Blas Islands

Your yacht arrives in the archipelago of San Blas today, where you'll transfer by Zodiac for a wet landing at Holandes Cayes. Here, you'll visit Guna Indians, whose language and customs reflect lives with few outside influences, women sell handmade molas – reverse-appliquéd fabrics with brilliant images of fish, birds and jungle animals – and fishing is still done by canoe. After your visit to a Guna village, you can spend a leisurely afternoon swimming and snorkeling before returning by Zodiac to your ship. Join us for the Captain's farewell dinner tonight, as your yacht sails to Colon, Panama.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Le Bellot

Day 10 Gamboa Rainforest & crossing the Isthmus

After completing the Panama Canal crossing, your Explorer Class vessel arrives this morning at the port of Colón, where you'll disembark and bid your ship and its crew a fond farewell. Once ashore, learn more about the Panama Canal on a visit to the Agua Clara locks. Then start across across the Isthmus of Panama; during a stop at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort, you'll choose between an aerial tram ride with a naturalist through the rainforest at eye-level with exotic birds and animals (aboard the only gondola of its kind in Panama), or a boat cruise along waterways leading to hidden islands, where you might spot monkeys at play. After lunch at a local restaurant, continue across the Isthmus to Panama City; check into your hotel in the city's heart this afternoon. Spend the rest of the day and evening as you wish in historic Panama City.

MEALS : B, L

LODGING : Hilton Panama

PORTOFCALL : Panama City, Panama

Day 11 Exploring Panama City

Begin today's exploration of Panama City in its key historic district, Casco Viejo; a walking tour will show you this walled cobblestoned city, built in the 1670s at the foot of Ancon Hill, to provide safety from attack. The area is a gem of Spanish colonial architecture in various stages of redevelopment, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site; you'll also have free time to explore on your own. After lunch at a local restaurant, tour the former Canal Zone, driving through Ancon Hill, a lush residential enclave that was home to US military facilities until a 1977 treaty granted Panamanian sovereignty over the "Zone;" Albrook, a former US Air Force Base; and Clayton, once a US Army base. Then enjoy a fascinating visit to the exhibits and gardens of the Biomuseo, the Panama City biodiversity museum designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry. Please join us tonight to cap your memorable Panama Canal cruise experience with a farewell reception and dinner at your Panama City hotel.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Hilton Panama

PORTOFCALL : Panama City, Panama

Day 12 Journey Home

Tour ends: Panama City. A transfer from the Hilton Panama or JW Marriott Panama to Tocumen International Airport is included. Please allow at least 3 hours for check-in formalities.

MEALS : B

PORTOFCALL : Panama City, Panama

Day 1: US - Panama City

Arrive at your US departure airport, ready for a flight to Panama City. Arrive in the capital of Panama, a metropolis of contrasts, home to the iconic Panama Canal. Transfer to the hotel and overnight stay in Panama City. * * If either your outbound or inbound flights depart in the early hours (before 4:00 a.m.) you must arrive at the airport the night before the indicated departure day.

Day 2: Panama City

Breakfast at the hotel. Set off on a guided walking tour of Casco Viejo, the oldest part of Panama City. See the most emblematic landmarks of this charming neighbourhood such as Panama Cathedral, Santo Domingo Covent and the National Theatre. Admire the impressive Bolivar Palace and stroll through the narrow 17th-century streets to Paseo Las Boveda, a waterfront walkway with views of Puente de las Américas where you can watch the ships lining up to enter the Panama Canal. Spend the remainder of the day exploring Panama City at your leisure. Overnight stay in Panama City.

Day 3: Panama City

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy the day at your leisure, enjoying the delights of the city or setting off on an optional excursion to either the dreamy San Blas Islands or for an exciting Rainforest Day Trip.* Overnight stay in Panama City. * Optional Full-Day San Blas Islands Excursion (shared service): Explore some of the worlds most remote and pristine islands. Set off early in the morning along the Pan-American Highway towards the port of Carti. Board a motorboat and set about exploring these tiny untouched islands where you can swim in the turquoise waters and relax amongst the palm trees on the shore. Traditional lunch included. Return to Carti and transfer back to Panama City. Note: You will need to take your passport with you. * Gamboa Rainforest Day Trip: Head to the rainforest to discover the abundant wildlife of Panama. Get up close to slow-moving sloths at a sloth sanctuary and discover many butterfly, orchid and frog species as you delve deeper into the verdant rainforest. Climb the observation tower for uninterrupted views of the canopy and enjoy an exciting high-speed boat cruise on the Panama Canal and Gatun Lake. Lunch included.

Day 4: Panama City - Playa Blanca

Breakfast at the hotel. At the indicated time, check-out and transfer to Playa Blanca, a dreamy beach resort region on the tropical Gulf of Panama. Check-in, begin your All-Inclusive stay, enjoying all the amenities on offer at your hotel. Overnight stay in Playa Blanca.

Day 5: Playa Blanca

All-Inclusive at the hotel. Spend the day relaxing at your leisure, soaking up the sunshine, swimming in the turquoise waters or simply relaxing on the beach. Alternatively, we recommend an optional excursion to the Embera Indigenous Village.* Overnight stay in Playa Blanca. * Optional Embera Indigenous Village visit: Head deep into the rainforest to meet the Embera people, a unique tribe who will share their culture and history with you. See traditional dancing and enjoy an authentic Embera lunch as you get to know the locals.

Day 6: Playa Blanca

All-Inclusive at the hotel. Enjoy a day at your leisure. We recommend relaxing on the beach and enjoying the fantastic facilities of your hotel. Why not treat yourself to a beach-side massage? Alternatively, we recommend an optional excursion to the beautiful Las Yayas Waterfall.* Overnight stay in Playa Blanca. * Optional Las Yayas Waterfall Excursion: Experience the natural beauty of the amazing Las Yayas Waterfalls, which gush across the volcanic rocks into glistening crystal clear pools. Enjoy the refreshing climate and lush natural surroundings, take in the views from a small viewpoint and swim in the refreshing natural pools. Snacks included.

Day 7: Playa Blanca - US

Breakfast at the hotel. At the indicated time, transfer to the airport for your return flight back to the US. Arrive in the US and end your trip.