Day notes
Welcome to Panama!
You will be met at the gate of your plane upon arrival and assisted through an expedited Immigration line. Next, comfortably wait at the airport’s VIP lounge while your luggage is collected and taken directly to your vehicle. Once everything is completed, a 30-minute private transfer will take you to your luxury hotel in the vibrant Casco Viejo neighborhood of Panama City.
Transfer from Tocumen International Airport [PTY] to Hotel La Compañia
25 Jan 2023
Transfer
Tocumen International Airport [PTY]
Hotel La Compañia
Check-in to Hotel La Compañia
Included:
Breakfast
Lunch
Excluded:
Dinner
Day notes
Begin your Panama exploration with an overview of Panama City - literally. The day begins with a short hike to Cerro Ancon for a spectacular 360° view of Panama City and the Canal. Here, your guide will set the stage for your visit to Panama, from the building of the Canal to the US Presence to the modern country Panama is becoming.
Next, visit the Miraflores Locks of the Panama Canal. Here, your guide will introduce you to some of the most important and unique details of this marvel of engineering. You will learn about the history and construction of the first set of locks at the Visitor's Center and Museum and will have the opportunity to watch massive vessels transit through the locks.
Continue to the city's famous fish market, where a delicious ceviche tasting awaits. The Japanese government donated the market in 1989, and it opened in 1994. The idea behind the market was for local fishermen to have the means to create a sustainable living for themselves and their families. Today, the fish market is a must-see when visiting Panama City.
Lunch will be provided in picturesque Casco Viejo, commonly called the walled city. The Spaniards founded casco Viejo in 1673 after the original city (Old Panama) was destroyed. Together with Old Panama, Casco Viejo is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is appreciated worldwide for its unique historical and artistic value. The neighborhood's character comes alive with a walk through its narrow cobblestoned streets to admire the beautiful colonial and neoclassical architecture, squares, and monuments.
Panama is well known for the Canal, but few people know that this beautiful Central American country is also a top producer of some of the best coffee. Produced in the highlands of the Chiriqui Province between 1,500 and 1,900 meters above sea level, the Geisha variety is the most expensive coffee in the world, having sold in 2019 for a record price of $1,029 per pound. Today, experience the unique opportunity to learn about Panamanian coffee while exploring Panama City's Old Quarters, tasting different varieties (including the Geisha!) while your Barista explains its complexity.
Return to your hotel late this afternoon and have the evening at leisure.
Included:
Breakfas
Excluded:
Lunch
Dinner
Day notes
Experience Panama's rich diversity today on a full-day excursion to Portobelo on the Caribbean coast. Departing from Panama City, the route parallels the canal and winds through the verdant rainforest until it reaches the Caribbean Sea. Panama's coast is blessed with miles of secluded beaches, unspoiled rainforests, and a strong African heritage, making Portobelo fascinating and unique to other parts of the country.
This old port town on the northern coastline of Panama's isthmus is a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A little known fact is that Portobello Road, the famous market lane in London, was named after it, following a successful British attack against the Spanish here in 1739. After time strolling through the charming town of Portobelo, walk to the docks to board a private boat for a few hours of snorkeling spots and time on one of the area's beautiful secluded beaches. The Portobelo National Marine Park is a protected sanctuary providing the unique opportunity to
snorkel along coral reefs and walls abundant with marine life.
Today, we invite you to engage with the local community in a genuinely authentic way on an Evolved Experience. The Evolved Traveler believes travel is "evolving" into something more than we have previously experienced or knew it to be. There is a desire for it to be more meaningful, more impactful, more enriching, and certainly more engaging. We understand our guests wish to travel with a purpose and to engage with the cultures they visit, and that is why we have created the Evolved Experience.
Evolved Experiences are a core and unique component to all our journeys that provide you, our Evolved Traveler, with experiences that far exceed the par-for-the-course of luxury travel. Evolved Experiences allow our guests the opportunity to make a lasting impression on the communities they visit, extend their hand in a gesture of global community, and create memories that can be cherished for years to come, not only for themselves but for those they visit.
Your Evolved Engagement today will be aiding in restoring Portobelo's coral reefs. Like other locations around the world, climate change and pollution have taken a toll on Panama's coral reefs and marine life. Join marine biologists making a difference by inserting native coral species tied to manmade structures so they can grow and re-populate the region and bring life back to these waters. This will be one of the best and most meaningful snorkel trips you've ever taken!
Later, time permitting, kayak along the Cascajal River with its unique mangrove systems abundant flora and fauna unique to this region of the country. The trip will be set to the soundtrack of the jungle and the calls of Howler monkeys.
Return to Panama City after a fun and full day.
Included:
Breakfast
Lunch
Excluded:
Dinner
Day notes
Journey today to what surely can be considered paradise, the San Blas Islands located on the southeastern coast of Panama's mainland. The San Blas Islands comprise approximately 365 idyllic little islands and cays. While the majority of the islands are uninhabited, the larger ones are home to the friendly population of indigenous Kuna Indians who have managed to protect their traditional culture and the archipelago itself against mass tourism. The result is a pristine slice of heaven complete with deserted palm-fringed beaches and excellent swimming and snorkeling opportunities in the crystal-clear Caribbean waters alongside various colorful fish and marine life. The islands are free of large resorts and crowded beaches and genuinely appreciated by visitors seeking an authentic island experience in a quiet, undeveloped little pocket of paradise.
Depart this morning for Panama City's domestic airport to board a private plane to the airstrip on Corazon de Jesus in San Blas. Upon landing, you will be welcomed by your local boat driver and set out on a 50-minute boat transfer to Cayos Holandeses Islands. Known to be the most iconic, isolated, and best-preserved beaches in the San Blas region, Swin and snorkel in crystal clear waters and visit a natural pool full of starfish and marine life.
Lunch will be prepared by a private chef at the beach in a picture-perfect beach setting surrounded by palms, white sand beaches azure waters.
Return to Panama City late this afternoon aboard your private plane. Traveling from 'ocean-to-ocean,' soar over the Panama Canal, taking in a unique aerial perspective witnessing the day-to-day operations from above. Cross over the lush rainforest seeing indigenous Embera villages before traveling over Panama City and its most important points of interest—including Casco Viejo, the Causeway, and the city's modern skyscrapers—before landing domestic Albrook Airport.
Return to the hotel late this afternoon and have the evening at leisure.
Included:
Breakfast
Lunch
Excluded:
Dinner
Day notes
Your adventure continues today in Panama's Chiriqui Highlands.
Depart Panama City for the international airport and a domestic flight to Boquete. Close to the Costa Rican border, the small town of Boquete is renowned as a retirement retreat for expats from all corners of the globe. Boquete boasts an eternal spring climate as it is perched 4000 feet above sea level, high up in the cooler reaches of Panama's interior. Dubbed 'The Valley of Flowers,' it is renowned for its coffee plantations, lush vegetation, and an impressive kaleidoscope of colorful flowers. Boquete offers breathtaking views from all directions. Discover traditional Panama in surrounding rural villages venture along with the stunning Sendero de los Quetzales trail, and the Volcan Baru, the highest point in Panama.
After checking in at the hotel, and time for lunch, venture out on a panoramic tour of Boquete by e-Bike.
Today's excursion is a wonderful way to learn about the locals, their culture, and their daily lives as you pass by many of the produce and coffee farms that are so important for the local economy. Pedal through some of the picturesque landscapes and stop for a visit in one of the charming mountain villages. Get close to amazing waterfalls right alongside the road, as the fresh scent of eucalyptus trees perfumes the air as you pass by.
The evening will be at leisure in Boquete.
Check-out from Hotel La Compañia
Transfer from Hotel La Compañia to Tocumen International Airport [PTY]
29 Jan 2023
Transfer
Hotel La Compañia
Tocumen International Airport [PTY]
Scheduled Flight from Tocumen International Airport [PTY] to Enrique Malek International Airport [DAV]
29 Jan 2023
Scheduled Flight
Tocumen International Airport [PTY]
Enrique Malek International Airport [DAV]
Transfer from Enrique Malek International Airport [DAV] to Hotel Panamonte
29 Jan 2023
Transfer
Enrique Malek International Airport [DAV]
Hotel Panamonte
Check-in to Hotel Panamonte
Included:
Breakfast
Lunch
Excluded:
Dinner
Day notes
Set out this morning to explore the numerous microclimates of the Chiriquí Highlands. This is the most accessible region of Chiriquí's Highlands and is home to the beautiful Quetzal bird thanks to the conservation of the forest and the "Aguacatillo" tree, which provides the Quetzal with its favorite fruit. Hike along the ecological paths of Baru National Park while learning about the various bird species that inhabit this unique ecosystem. These trails will lead you through coffee plantations and the tropical forest of Boquete.
Lunch will be at a local coffee farm with spectacular views of the plantations and the mountains surrounding them.
Later, experience the process of coffee making from bean to cup, and you can even roast your own cup of Geisha Coffee, one of the most expensive varieties in the world! Another unique feature of today's experience is a personal coffee tasting to determine what type of coffee beans and roast are your true favorite! This coffee tour is semi-private to provide an in-depth, hands-on experience.
Enjoy some time at leisure this afternoon to explore Boquete independently.
Included:
Breakfast
Lunch
Excluded:
Dinner
Day notes
Depart Boquete and the highlands today for Isla Palenque Island Resort, an undiscovered private island sanctuary located in the Gulf of Chiriquí, Panama, The island's nearly 400 acres of lush jungle is framed by seven pristine beaches, which house a number of wilderness trails, and hidden spaces to be explored by guests of the barefoot-luxury property.
As guests check in to Isla Palenque, they open the door to a world of new experiences and undisturbed nature, enhanced by architecture and interior design that effortlessly blend into the tropical surroundings. The hotel's atmosphere balances sophisticated and private comfort, combined with peacefulness, relaxation, and playfulness. The service
provided by the staff is so personalized, professional, and detail-oriented that the Resort feels exclusive and at the same
time familiar; guests feel free to explore and at the same time feel taken care of.
Settle into your beachfront casita and begin to take in the natural beauty surrounding you on this enchanted isle.
(All non-motorized tours and activities are included at Isla Palenque. Additional private activities can be arranged.)
Check-out from Hotel Panamonte
Transfer from Hotel Panamonte to Boca Chica Marina
31 Jan 2023
Transfer
Hotel Panamonte
Boca Chica Marina
Cruise from Boca Chica Marina to The Resort at Isla Palenque
31 Jan 2023
Cruise
Boca Chica Marina
The Resort at Isla Palenque
Check-in to The Resort at Isla Palenque
Included:
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day notes
Enjoy a day of lesiure and the activities of your choice on Isla Palenque.
Included:
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day notes
Revel in another day of being in the tropical paradise of Isla Palenque.
Included:
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day notes
This morning, depart Isla Palenque by boat for the mainland. A private transfer will take you from the marina to Boquete airport for your domestic flight back to Panama City, where you will connect to your return flights home.
Check-out from The Resort at Isla Palenque
Cruise from The Resort at Isla Palenque to Boca Chica Marina
3 Feb 2023
Cruise
The Resort at Isla Palenque
Boca Chica Marina
Transfer from Boca Chica Marina to Enrique Malek International Airport [DAV]
3 Feb 2023
Transfer
Boca Chica Marina
Enrique Malek International Airport [DAV]
Scheduled Flight from Enrique Malek International Airport [DAV] to Tocumen International Airport [PTY]
3 Feb 2023
Scheduled Flight
Enrique Malek International Airport [DAV]
Tocumen International Airport [PTY]
Included:
Breakfast
