Craters, Coasts & Highland Mountains: Costa Rica to Panama (Self-Launched)

Fly into Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO). Take an official orange taxi (~£22) or the Mepe bus into the centre. Check into a hostel in Barrio Amón or Barrio Escalante and use the afternoon to wander the Mercado Central, the National Theatre and Morazán Park. Book your onward bus to Puerto Viejo tonight (either at the Terminal Caribeño or online via a local operator) — the 6am departure is the reliable one.

🚌Airport taxi ~£22; walking

🛏Hostel dorm in Barrio Amón/Escalante (~£14)

• →Airport transfer to hostel
• →Self-guided walk of central San José
• →Book onward bus ticket to Puerto Viejo

Take the direct MEPE/Autotransportes Mepe bus from San José's Terminal Caribeño to Puerto Viejo (~4.5 hrs, ~£9). Check into a hostel a few streets back from the beach and walk the town to get oriented — the main street runs along Playa Negra and the reef side. Grab a casado (rice, beans, plantain, protein) for dinner at a local soda for around £5.

🚌Local bus San José–Puerto Viejo ~£9

🛏Beachside hostel dorm (~£13)

• →Scenic Caribbean-coast bus ride
• →Orientation walk of Puerto Viejo
• →Sunset at Playa Negra

Rent a bike for the day (~£7) and ride the coastal road south to Playa Cocles, Playa Chiquita, Punta Uva and, if you've got the legs, Manzanillo (about 14km each way). Stop for smoothies and wildlife spotting — sloths are common in the trees around Punta Uva. Add a surf lesson at Cocles (~£45) if the swell is on. Dinner back in town at a reggae bar or Caribbean-Italian spot.

🚌Bicycle ~£7

🛏Beachside hostel dorm (~£13)

• →Bike rental to Cocles, Punta Uva and Manzanillo
• →Optional surf lesson at Playa Cocles
• →Snorkel and swim stops

Hop on a local bus or shared shuttle south to Sixaola at the Panama border (~1 hr, ~£4). Exit Costa Rica on foot, walk the bridge and enter Panama at Guabito — pay the small entry stamp fee (~£3) and carry US dollars cash. From Almirante take the ferry or shared water taxi across to Isla Colón, Bocas town (~£8-10, 30 min). Check into a hostel in Bocas town and take an evening stroll past the colourful timber houses — you'll hear guari-guari, calypso and reggae.

🚌Bus/shuttle ~£4, border fees ~£3, boat ~£9

🛏Hostel dorm on Isla Colón (~£13)

• →Cross the Sixaola–Guabito border on foot
• →Boat transfer to Isla Colón
• →Evening walk through Bocas town

Pick your adventure: a half-day snorkel and reef tour out to the Cayos Zapatillas (~£25-30), kayaking or paddleboarding the mangrove channels (~£12), or a bioluminescence night tour (~£20). Or simply claim a hammock at a waterfront bar and swim off the dock. Book tomorrow's Starfish Beach trip with a local boatman at the market — around £15-20 per person when you share the boat.

🚌Walking; optional boat tours ~£25

🛏Hostel dorm on Isla Colón (~£13)

• →Optional Cayos Zapatillas snorkel tour
• →Kayak or paddleboard mangroves
• →Optional bioluminescence night tour

Take a shared boat to Playa Estrella (Starfish Beach) on Isla Colón's north shore (~£15 round trip, 20 min) — shallow turquoise water with dozens of starfish visible from the surface. Remember not to touch or lift them. Spend the afternoon swimming and eating grilled fish from a beach shack, then boat back and join whoever's up for a seafood dinner and dancing in Bocas town.

🚌Shared boat ~£15 round trip

🛏Hostel dorm on Isla Colón (~£13)

• →Shared boat to Starfish Beach
• →Swimming and snorkelling
• →Seafood dinner in Bocas town

Boat back to Almirante, then take the local bus to David (~2.5 hrs, ~£5) and connect to Boquete (~1 hr, ~£2.50). Ask a local Ngäbe guide or tour operator in Boquete to arrange a short cacao visit — a community visit and chocolate-making demonstration typically runs £12-18 and supports families directly. Arrive in Boquete by late afternoon; it's cool up here, so dig out a jumper.

🚌Boat ~£9, buses ~£8

🛏Guesthouse or hostel dorm in Boquete (~£14)

• →Local buses across the isthmus
• →Ngäbe community cacao and chocolate presentation
• →Evening walk through Boquete's plaza

Book a guided Lost Waterfall hike or the Pipeline Trail through a local Boquete operator (~£30-35) — the pipeline route is the easiest introduction to the cloud forest and great for birdlife. Alternatively, take a shared taxi to the Sendero Los Quetzales trailhead and hike a section yourself. Warm up in the evening with a coffee cupping session at one of the town's specialty roasters (~£6).

🚌Shared taxi to trailheads ~£5

🛏Guesthouse or hostel dorm in Boquete (~£14)

• →Lost Waterfall or Pipeline Trail hike
• →Cloud forest wildlife spotting
• →Optional coffee cupping session

Choose your thrill: whitewater rafting on the Chiriquí Viejo (~£50), horseback riding through the valley (~£30), or zip-lining across the coffee hills (~£40). Or take a full coffee plantation tour (~£22) to see the bean-to-cup process on Caldera's slopes. Book directly with the operator the day before — walk-ins are often fine in low season.

🚌Walking; operator transfers included in activity

🛏Guesthouse or hostel dorm in Boquete (~£14)

• →Optional whitewater rafting
• →Optional horseback riding or zip-lining
• →Optional coffee plantation tour

A long travel day: bus Boquete–David (~1 hr), then David–Santiago–Penonomé or David–Panama City with a change (~7-8 hrs total, ~£15-18). From Penonomé, take a short colectivo or taxi up into the crater (~£4). Arrive in the cool green bowl of an extinct volcano — one of the few towns in the world built entirely inside a caldera. Settle into a guesthouse and eat at one of the small plaza restaurants.

🚌Local buses ~£16, colectivo ~£4

🛏Guesthouse in Valle de Antón (~£15)

• →Cross-country bus connections
• →Arrive in the volcanic crater town
• →Evening plaza dinner

Tackle Cerro El Gaital (1,000m+) for panoramic crater views — hire a local guide at the trailhead for around £15-20, which is strongly recommended and often required. Shorter walks to Chorro El Macho waterfall and the Pozos Termales hot springs (~£3 entry) are easier options. Hire a bike in the afternoon to loop the crater floor, or jump in the Laguito swimming hole. Cool evenings make this the best sleep of the trip.

🚌Walking; local guide ~£18

🛏Guesthouse in Valle de Antón (~£15)

• →Cerro El Gaital crater-rim hike
• →Chorro El Macho waterfall
• →Pozos Termales hot springs
• →Optional bike rental

A leisurely morning, then the local bus or colectivo down to Penonomé and the express coach into Panama City (~2.5-3 hrs, ~£8). Check into a hostel in Casco Viejo and take yourself on an evening walk: Plaza de la Independencia, the Catedral Metropolitana, the French Plaza and the old city walls. Finish with rooftop drinks looking over the skyline — Panama City's nightlife is the real finale here.

🚌Local buses ~£10

🛏Hostel dorm in Casco Viejo (~£16)

• →Bus to Panama City
• →Casco Viejo self-guided walking tour
• →Rooftop sunset and night out

Take a taxi or Uber to the Miraflores Visitor Centre (~£10) and watch the lock gates move ships between oceans (entry ~£20). In the afternoon explore the ruined original city of Panama Viejo (~£10) or the Metropolitan Natural Park trails (~£3). In the evening, eat ceviche and Panamanian classics at the Mercado de Mariscos.

🚌Taxi/Uber ~£10

🛏Hostel dorm in Casco Viejo (~£16)

• →Miraflores Locks visitor centre
• →Panama Viejo ruins
• →Mercado de Mariscos dinner

Book a three-night San Blas stay in advance through a Guna-run operator (~£110-140 covering 4x4 transfer from Panama City, boat crossings, basic island hut accommodation and most meals). The 4x4 leaves early from the city for the Cartí dock (~2.5 hrs on rough road), then it's a short lancha ride to your island. Spend the afternoon swimming, snorkelling the reef right off the beach and doing absolutely nothing else.

🚌4x4 and boat transfer included in San Blas package

🛏Basic Guna-owned island hut, multi-share with hammock or bunk (~included in package)

• →4x4 transfer to Cartí and boat to island
• →Reef snorkelling from the beach
• →Sunset over the Caribbean

Most San Blas packages include a boat trip to a neighbouring cay and a visit to a Guna village, where you'll learn about mola textiles and the comarca's autonomous governance. Buy molas directly from the makers — this is one of the most direct ways tourism money reaches the community. Snorkel a shipwreck or coral patch in the afternoon. Note: there is very little phone signal or electricity, so charge devices before you arrive.

🚌Island boat hops included in package

🛏Basic Guna-owned island hut, multi-share (included in package)

• →Boat trip to neighbouring islands
• →Guna village visit and mola shopping
• →Snorkelling coral reef

A completely free day for hammocks, snorkelling, coconut water and long swims. Many islands offer a lobster or fresh fish dinner for a small supplement (~£8-12) — arrange it with your host in the morning. Bring cash (US dollars) for any extras as there are no ATMs on the islands.

🚌Walking and swimming

🛏Basic Guna-owned island hut, multi-share (included in package)

• →Beach and hammock time
• →Snorkelling
• →Optional fresh seafood dinner

Boat back to Cartí and the 4x4 return to Panama City (usually included in your package). Check back into a hostel, shower off the salt and treat yourself to a proper dinner in Casco Viejo. If you've got energy, the Amador Causeway is a lovely evening bike ride or stroll with skyline views.

🚌Return transfer included in San Blas package

🛏Hostel dorm in Casco Viejo (~£16)

• →Boat and 4x4 back to the capital
• →Casco Viejo dinner
• →Evening walk on the Amador Causeway

Depending on your flight, squeeze in a final coffee and a wander through the Mercado de Artesanías, then take an Uber to Tocumen International Airport (~£20-25, 40 min). If your flight is later, the Biomuseo on the Causeway is worth two hours.

🚌Uber to Tocumen ~£22

🛏None — departure day

• →Last-minute souvenir shopping
• →Airport transfer