Costa Rica by Sea: Wildlife and Rainforests of the Pacific Coast – with Smithsonian Journeys

In alliance with Smithsonian Journeys. 

This cruise is part of a collection of PONANT voyages that are specially-tailored for English-speaking travelers who want to engage with the world. In addition to the usual elements of the PONANT experience, the listed price for these voyages includes transfers to and from the ship, talks and discussions aboard ship by world class experts, and a shore excursion or activity in each port of call that encourages guests to embrace the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of the local environment and culture. 

Costa Rica has done more than any other Central American country to preserve and protect its natural treasures, and this voyage takes full advantage of the results, as we explore the luxuriant tropical vegetation and fascinating fauna that inhabit this remarkable country. Cruising up and down Costa Rica's Pacific coast, our itinerary focuses attention, first, on the Osa Peninsula, described as one of the most biologically intense regions on earth, and then on the parks in and around the Gulf of Nicoya, including iconic Manuel Antonio National Park.

Departing from San José airport for embarkation in Puntarenas. Sail southward along Costa Rica's Pacific Coast to call at Puerto Jiminez, to explore the rich biodiversity of the Osa Peninsula. You may visit a cacao farm to learn about the production of chocolate or join a guided walk through La Perica garden, showcasing sloths in their natural environment. If you prefer to be on the water, you may choose a guided kayaking adventure through the mangrove, or board a local catamaran and cruise one of the most biologically diverse marine ecosystems in the world. A second day on the Peninsula is spent exploring Rio Esquinas, where the ship's naturalists lead walks through the lush green forest that lines the banks of the river, watching for the squirrel monkeys, white ibis, ospreys, toucans, and great blue herons that can be found here.

Day four of the voyage finds you at Manuel Antonio National Park, the crown jewel of Costa Rica's parks and reserves, where you may join a naturalist-guided tour of this remarkable place, where the rainforest meets the beaches, to search for the amazing variety of terrestrial wildlife and birdlife that calls the park home. Other options for the day include a boat cruise through the mangrove of the Damas Islands Estuary; a walk along the Rio Seco that leads to an inviting waterfall; and a rafting adventure down the Savegre River.

Bahia Coco, the northernmost point of the voyage, offers a choice of excursions into the interior, both of which include a lunch of Costa Rican specialties. One takes you to the Vandara Hot Springs, where you are invited to soak in mineral-rich waters and luxuriate in a mud bath. The other explores Rincón de la Vieja National Park, with its volcanic landscape of bubbling muds and fumaroles. For those who prefer to stay near the coast, a catamaran cruise of the bay, including time for swimming and snorkeling, will also be available.

At the mouth of the Gulf of Nicoya, Playa Mantas is your gateway to Carara National Park and the Tarcoles River. Choose between an easy walk on beautifully maintained paths in the park, famous for its population of brilliant scarlet macaws, or a cruise through dense mangrove along the banks of the river that is famously home to large colonies of crocodiles. Alternatively—for a completely different perspective on the jungle—visit the Tropical Forest Skywalk, where elevated walkways, and suspension bridges allow you to literally walk through the treetops and observe life in the forest canopy.

The final day of your voyage begins with a morning of discovery at the Curú Wildlife Refuge, the oldest protected park in Costa Rica and a research center for scientists from around the world. The forest here is home to Costa Rica's most emblematic species—spider monkeys, scarlet macaws, sloths, and iguanas—as well as more than 200 species of birds. During lunch aboard ship, Le Bougainville sails to Tortuga Island for an afternoon of lazing on the beach, before continuing to Puntarenas.

The encounters with the wildlife described above illustrate possible experiences only and cannot be guaranteed.