10 nights onboard Le Bellot

Secrets of Central America

PONANT takes you to discover Panama and Costa Rica with an 11-day expedition cruise. A circuit of extraordinary beauty around the isthmus of Panama, a link between two continents, which concentrates a biodiversity that is unique in the world; from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, you will experience dream islands, natural reserves and encounters with the fascinating local communities.

San Lorenzo’s Fort is the first port of call on your cruise aboard Le Bellot. Admire this unusual fortress built by the Spanish Crown to protect transatlantic trade. Now classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is an exceptional example of military architecture from the 17th and 18th centuries.

You will then discover the golden sand and crystal-clear waters of the coral islets of the San Blas Islands. The Kuna live among the palm trees and pirogues; this people perpetuates, among other things, the traditional craft of molas, weaved textiles in sparkling colours.

After crossing the legendary Panama Canal that connects the Atlantic to the Pacific, Le Bellot will sail to the heart of the Pearl Islands, nestling in the Gulf of Panama. There, our naturalists will offer to take you on an outing in a zodiac dinghy.

Your ship will then head for the magnificent Darien National Park in Panama. This little corner of paradise is a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to remarkable plants and wildlife. Sandy beaches, rocky coastlines, mangroves, swamps and tropical rainforests vie with each other for beauty and offer a feast for photographers. This will also be an opportunity to meet the astonishing semi-nomadic Emberas community.

During the final stop in Panama, in front of Cebaco Island, you will have the possibility to enjoy the beach or to take walks nearby.

Your ship will then take you to Costa Rica. The next stage of your cruise: Rio Esquinas. You will ride aboard one of our zodiac dinghies to observe this lush environment where monumental mangroves and emblematic species reign supreme.

After a day spent discovering Drake Bay, your final visit will be the stunning Curú nature reserve. Deep inside the tropical rainforest you may be lucky enough to see multicoloured birds, monkeys, iguanas and sloths.

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

Leaving from: Colón

Cruise ship: Le Bellot

Visiting: Colón • Fuerte San Lorenzo • San Blas Islands • Pearl Islands •

Ponant

When searching for a luxury yacht expedition cruise, there’s one name above all else that you need to know – Ponant Cruises. Founded in 1988 by former French Merchant Navy officers, Ponant combines succulent luxury with authentic adventures on all seven continents.

From classic Mediterranean itineraries and Caribbean sailings, to bucket-list expeditions around Greenland and Antarctica, Ponant cruises proudly counteract the banality of mainstream voyages with a unique take on the concept of small-ship cruising. It’s the absolute trip of a lifetime.

184

Passengers

110

Crew

2020

Launched

9900t

Tonnage

131m

Length

18m

Width

Decks

EUR

Currency

Cruise Itinerary

Day 1

Colón, Panama

Day 2

Fuerte San Lorenzo, Panama

Day 3

San Blas Islands, Panama

Days 4 - 5

River travel

Day 5

Pearl Islands, Panama

Day 6

Darién National Park, Panama

Day 7

Cébaco Island, Panama

Day 8

River travel

Day 9

Bahía Drake, Costa Rica

Day 10

Curú Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica

Day 11

Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Day 1

Colón, Panama

The provincial capital of Colón, beside the canal's Atlantic entrance, is named for the Spanish-language surname of Christopher Columbus, though the Americans called it Aspinwall in the 19th century.. The city was founded in 1850 by Americans working on the Panama railroad and named Aspinwall for one of the railway engineers. Following completion in 1855, Colon gained in importance, which was furthered by the plans for an isthmian canal. During the time of the French canal attempt, a fire in 1885 burned the city nearly to the ground and left thousands of people homeless. Colon was rebuilt in the architectural style then popular in France. Buildings from that era plus the ones constructed by Americans between 1904 and 1914 are still in use today, although the majority is on the verge of collapse. In addition to its importance as a port, Colon boasts the world’s second largest duty-free zone, known as Zona Libre, which is contained in a huge fortress like, walled-off area with giant international stores. However, most of the merchandise is sold in bulk to commercial businesses throughout the country.

Day 2

Fuerte San Lorenzo, Panama

Day 3

San Blas Islands, Panama

The San Blas archipelago is located off the Caribbean coast, east of Colon, and is made up of 365 islands that range in size from tiny ones with a few coconut palms to islands on which hundreds of Kuna Indians live. Only about fifty are inhabited. The Kuna rule the San Blas Territory with internal autonomy, and have tightly preserved their language and cultural traditions over the centuries despite influences from European colonies. In addition to their own language, Spanish is widely spoken and many men work on the mainland, but live on the islands. Women wear costumes with unique designs based on local themes, geometric patterns, and stylised fauna and flora. The island of El Porvenir is one of the main seats of government for the Kuna Indians. Many Kunas from the other islands came to settle on El Porvenir, bringing with them their traditional arts and crafts, including the famous molas. These intricately hand-sewn designs are made by the women of the tribes as part of their blouses and dresses. With the increased tourism, molas are now a favoured souvenir and craft item for visitors.

Days 4 - 5

River travel

Day 5

Pearl Islands, Panama

Day 6

Darién National Park, Panama

"The remote Darien Jungle has one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world. It is also one of the world’s top ten birding sites, with the colourful Crimson-collared Tanager, Chestnut-fronted Macaws, and Snow-bellied Hummingbirds found here. Mammals include tapirs and Black-headed Spider Monkeys. In this roadless stretch of forest, rivers provide the best access. Visitors to the Darien Jungle are rare with fewer than 1,000 tourists visiting each year. The Embera are one of several indigenous groups that live here in relative isolation offering ornate handcrafted baskets and carvings for sale in their traditional villages."

Day 7

Cébaco Island, Panama

Day 8

River travel

Day 9

Bahía Drake, Costa Rica

Day 10

Curú Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica

Located on the southeast tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, the Curu Wildlife Refuge is known for its pristine, white-sand beaches and impressive variety of species ranging from monkeys to sand crabs. In total the refuge covers 3,707 total acres and 656 feet of coastline. Travelers to the Curu Wildlife Refuge will quickly notice that they are in the minority at the site, with only a few people in the area among the abundance of animals and sea creatures. All of your senses will be captivated by this overwhelming amount of wildlife at the reserve, which offers some of the best eco-tourism in Costa Rica. Curu officially received support from the Costa Rican government to protect its wildlife in 1981 and the area officially became known as the Curu Wildlife Refuge in 1983. Today, the refuge is privately owned, extremely-well cared for and even more exclusive than many of the national parks in the country. If you're looking to participate in some of the vast eco-tourism opportunities in Costa Rica, the refuge should be a top priority because of its exclusivity and the ability of visitors to personally interact with the diverse animal population. The refuge also features 17 peaceful trails, where travellers can check out this abundant wildlife in a number of different ecosystems, including mangrove swamps and both dry and wet tropical forests.

Day 11

Puntarenas, Costa Rica

This town is not on the Nicoya Peninsula, but rather on Costa Rica's mainland. It is best known as a cruise-ship port and launching pad for ferries heading southeast to the coast of the Nicoya Peninsula and for cruises sailing out on the Gulf of Nicoya. Puntarenas is also a major fishing port with a lively fish market. The town’s reputation suffers from the unimpressive parts you see from your car as you roll through town on the way to the ferry dock. But the town has a lot of character off the main drag, thanks to its illustrious past as an affluent port town and principal vacation spot for San José's wealthy, who arrived by train in the last century. Once the port was moved and roads opened to other beaches, Puntarenas's economy crashed, but it's making a comeback. Sitting on a narrow spit of sand—punta de arenas literally means "point of sand"—that protrudes into the Gulf of Nicoya, the town boasts a beautifully groomed, wide Blue Flag beach with views of the Nicoya Peninsula and spectacular sunsets, along with a public swimming pool, the San Lucas Beach Club, and a marine-life museum. Ticos arrive by bus and car to enjoy the beach and stroll the Paseo de los Turistas, a beachfront promenade lined with tree-shaded concrete benches and seafood restaurants. Crowds of locals, called porteños, cruise by on bicycles, the town’s most popular form of transport.

Ship Details

Ponant

Le Bellot

Featuring innovative and environmentally-friendly equipment, elegantly designed staterooms, spacious suites with large windows, and lounge areas that open onto the outside, this new limited-capacity yacht boasting∘ just 92 staterooms and suites will offer you a truly unique cruising experience.

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