train/bus travel Cruise from Puerto Limon to Puntarenas — 13 Days

Land Tour (Land Tour)

Puerto Limon

Puerto Limón is Costa Rica’s Caribbean gateway, where Afro-Caribbean heritage meets a lush tropical coast. Visit Cahuita National Park for coral reefs and rainforest trails, or travel inland through banana country toward the jungle. Limón’s markets and waterfront offer a closer look at the region’s food, music and daily life. For a longer excursion, explore Tortuguero’s canals by boat and watch for wildlife in the Caribbean lowlands.

• Land Tour (Land Tour)
• Land Tour (Land Tour)
• Land Tour (Land Tour)

Bocas del Toro, Panama

Bocas del Toro is a Caribbean archipelago where rainforest meets clear water and coral reefs. Your first stop is likely Isla Colón, home to Bocas Town, the islands’ hub for cafés, markets, and water taxis. From here, boats reach Red Frog Beach and Bastimentos Island National Marine Park. Spend your time snorkeling, exploring mangrove channels, or enjoying lunch beside the sea.

Panama Canal, Panama

Few journeys change your sense of scale like a passage through the Panama Canal. This 50-mile waterway links the Atlantic and Pacific, lifting ships through locks and across Gatun Lake. Watch the gates close, water rise, and a vast vessel move within inches of concrete walls. On deck, the engineering is the spectacle; beyond it, rainforest edges the route. Bring binoculars, and stay outside for the crossing.

Panama City, Panama

Balboa sits at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal, where ocean-going ships begin their passage between continents. From the port, Panama City’s skyline rises beyond the canal’s working waters. Visit Casco Viejo for restored colonial streets, independent cafés and views across the bay. Or follow the Amador Causeway toward the Biomuseo and sweeping views of ships awaiting transit. Balboa rewards travelers who look beyond the canal to a capital shaped by trade, history and the sea.

Pearl Islands Panama, Panama

Scattered across the Gulf of Panama, the Pearl Islands offer a quieter counterpoint to the capital’s bustle. Ferries connect Panama City with Contadora, known for sandy coves, clear water and nearby beaches. The archipelago includes more than 200 islands and islets, many uninhabited; Isla del Rey is the largest. Come for swimming, boat trips and a glimpse of island life shaped by fishing. The name recalls pearl beds prized by Spanish colonists in the sixteenth century.

Playa Muerto Panama (Ask Travel Agent)

Cebaco Island Panama (Scenic Stop)

Golfito

Golfito lies between the forested slopes and sheltered waters of Golfo Dulce, on Costa Rica’s southern Pacific coast. The town grew around a banana port built by the United Fruit Company in the 1930s. Boat trips cross the gulf, with chances to see dolphins, sea turtles and migrating whales. Inland, steep green hills lead toward Piedras Blancas National Park and its rainforest.

Quepos

Quepos puts Costa Rica’s central Pacific within easy reach. The town grew around its harbor and remains a working gateway to sport fishing, coastal excursions and rainforest. Manuel Antonio National Park lies just south, where forest trails descend toward white-sand coves and Pacific waters. Browse the marina, sample fresh seafood or watch afternoon light settle over the bay. Bring swimwear, walking shoes and time to linger.

Tortuga Island Costa Rica

Off Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, Tortuga Island sits in the Gulf of Nicoya, a boat ride from the mainland. White sand and clear water set the scene for swimming and snorkeling among offshore reefs. Day visitors can also kayak or relax beneath the palms, with little to distract from the coast. Bring sun protection: services are limited, and this is a beach escape, not a town visit.

• Curu Wildlife Reserve (Scenic Area)

Puntarenas

Step ashore in Puntarenas, Costa Rica’s long, narrow port city on the Pacific coast. From here, rainforest reserves, coffee country and the Nicoya Peninsula lie within reach. Walk the waterfront promenade for seafood and views across the Gulf of Nicoya. Or head inland to Monteverde’s cloud forest. Plan one excursion and allow time for the road; Puntarenas is best enjoyed at an unhurried pace.