Yacht-Style cruises are a different way to discover some of the most beautiful areas of Costa Rica, places that are best accessed by ship.

We already went through the information on itineraries and tours offered by Windstar Cruises in the first part of this article.

Now we will go over the options offered by Lindblad Expeditions- National Geographic to tour Costa Rica.

First thing you should be aware of is that Lindblad offers a unique experience catered to those that love exploring and that wonderful mix of eco-tourism and adventure-tourism; experts in different areas such as Naturalists give you insightful information of the places you visit.

Costa Rica and the Panama Canal: You can embark on the National Geographic Sea Lion or National Geographic Quest, both 62-guest ships, (comfortable but not luxurious), in Colon, Panama, from there you will be taken in a 8 day tour that will begin at the Gatun Lake where you can choose to visit the Barro Colorado Nature Monument; later that evening you will go through the Panama Canal, (this is done at night time). On day 3 you will experience navigating the tiny islets of the Gulf of Panama; day 4 will be your last in Panama, where you’ll get to visit Isla Coiba National Park, an ideal location to swim, snorkel, do stand-up paddle boarding or if you prefer just walk through the forest trails. Day 5 will be your first in Costa Rica, arriving at Golfo Dulce where pristine waters and rich wildlife awaits. Discover the Osa Peninsula on your 6th day, where the world regarded Corovado National Park will simply take your breath away. Day 7 will bring you to the Manuel Antonio National Park in Quepos, one of Costa Rica’s most popular tourist destinations. The last day of your trip, you will be disembarking in Herradura, a small beach on the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, just about an hour and a half away from the capital city of San Jose; at your arrival to Herradura you can start your land tours to ensure you have a complete experience.

Lindblad also offers 11 and 15 days expeditions including both destinations

The 11 days option departs from San Jose Costa Rica, taking you to a land tour of Monteverde Cloud Forest and from there to Herradura in the Pacific Coast to embark. The tour has the same stops as the one described previously but it is done in the opposite order (Manuel Antonio-Osa Peninsula, Golfo Dulce, Isla Coiba (Panama), Gulf of Panama, Panama Canal, and finally you’ll disembark in Colon, Panama.

The 15 days expeditions, has the same itinerary as the first one described here but once you disembark in Herradura it includes visits to some of Costa Rica’s most incredible places: Monteverde Cloud Forest, Arenal Volcano and Tortuguero.

Two great alternatives you can choose from depending on your preferences; either way, both will show you some of the most amazing places Costa Rica has to offer.