It’s something of an insider secret, cruising the extreme southern edge of the Caribbean. But those who explore beyond the traditional islands know that this is where you find the epicenter of colonial history, amazing biodiversity, the Tico-influenced cuisine and cultures that illuminate those you find further north.
This is the heart of the Spanish Main, where untold wealth boarded galleons bound for Europe and colonial forts thwarted off pirate attacks. It’s the narrow isthmus that holds the Panama Canal, an epic engineering feat that irrevocably changed the course of world trade. And it’s the home of indigenous tribes like the Kogi, the Ngobe-Buglé, and the Kuna, who have managed to maintain their traditional ways of life despite living at one of the planet’s busiest crossroads.
These shores are also some of the most beautiful and biodiverse on earth, home to marine-rich coral reefs, subterranean bat caves, and the greatest bird diversity in the world. Yet with all the attractions, you don’t have to go far to find untouched islands or jungle-shrouded channels where sloths casually hang from tree branches.
All this in seven days, on a ship perfectly designed for adventure.