Panama's Spectacular Islands & Highlands -8 Days & 7 Nights

Discover the best of what Panama has to offer on our spectacular "Islands and Highlands" vacation package. During this incredible adventure you'll explore the beautiful, white sand beaches of Panama's Caribbean coastline and then head to the cloud forests along the slopes of Volcan Baru, the highest point in Panama. Upon arrival at Panama's international airport, you'll be met by one of our bilingual guide/drivers and transferred by private vehicle to the Westin Caesar Park Hotel where you can relax and enjoy the resort atmosphere of this deluxe hotel property. The hotel features a European-style casino and four outstanding restaurants, all set in a lush tropical setting.

The next morning your driver will pick you up at the hotel and transfer you to Panama City's domestic airport for your flight to the Caribbean coastal area known as Bocas del Toro. An idyllic paradise of small islands, secluded inlets, palm-fringed white sand beaches and breathtaking blue-green water, Bocas del Toro has a quaint charm and easy going attitude that's hard to find in the better known Caribbean destinations. To say that Bocas (as this area is often called) is undiscovered is an understatement. Although frequented by adventurers traveling from Costa Rica, mainstream tourism has yet to find this Panamanian gem. Just a 55-minute commuter flight from Panama City, Bocas is a short trip from the city but a world away in romantic atmosphere. Secluded beaches and an archipelago of tiny islands fringe the surrounding area and the unique combination of tropical beauty and lush rainforest makes Bocas del Toro an unforgettable destination. Kayaking, snorkeling, diving and fishing are all available within minutes from your doorstep.

While in Bocas del Toro, you'll stay at the newly built Punta Caracol Eco-Resort. Accommodations at this unique property are in private bungalows, each with spectacular ocean views. The Punta Caracol Eco-Resort is the perfect romantic hideaway you won't soon forget. During the next three days you'll relax in the Caribbean sunshine and enjoy this special retreat. After spending three nights of tropical, Caribbean bliss, you'll take a short boat ride from the resort back to the airport in Bocas Town for your flight to David, the capital of Panama's Chiriqui Province.

Upon arrival in David (just a twenty minute flight by scheduled commuter from Bocas del Toro) you'll be met and transferred to the spectacular Chiriqui Highlands, where cool, sparkling streams flow from rugged, high mountain peaks. Here you'll find a valley filled with church steeples surrounded by orchards and farms, coffee plantations, horse ranches, fields of flowers and a temperate climate marked by a soothing rain that gently falls most evenings. Although these scenes may conjure up images of a small European village, they actually describe the quaint and charming town of Boquete, located in Panama's Chiriqui Highlands.

Nestled at the foot of 11,340 foot Volcan Baru, Boquete is a unique blending of small, family run farms, magnificent cloud rainforest and a climate that seems surreal in a Central America location. Warm sunny days are followed by cool, comfortable evenings and the slopes of the nearby, dormant volcano provide a spectacular backdrop to this magical setting. Located in the Boquete Valley, our choice of accommodations is the Los Establos Hotel, a newly constructed bed & breakfast style property with incredible vistas of nearby Volcan Baru.

Spend the next two days exploring the awe-inspiring cloud forests where the elusive resplendent Quetzal (a bird rarely seen elsewhere) is a frequent visitor. If you feel more adventurous, try some of the best white water rafting in Central America. Of course, you can always sit back and relax and soak in this unforgettable environment. Whatever you choose to do, the nights you spend in Boquete will always be a fond remembrance. Oh, and don't forget to take a sweater. The cool evenings in the mountains are a refreshing contrast to the warm days found in this area. All good things must come to an end, so after your all-to-brief stay in Boquete you return to the airport in David for your flight back to Panama City. Spend your last night in Panama at the luxurious Westin Caesar Park Hotel before your private transfer back to the airport the next day.