Why visit? Both Panama and Costa Rica are ideal destinations for the off the beaten path explorer. From forested mountains to giant lakes, picturesque Caribbean islands and some of the world’s most unique wildlife, Costa Rica offers everything a nature lover’s heart desires.
Usually, Australians start their Costa Rica tour in San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital, situated in the centre of the country. A short trip to Tortuguero can introduce you to one of Costa Rica’s most popular ecotourism destinations. Discover the canals, rivers and beaches, famous nesting grounds for seat turtles, as well as an abundance of Costa Rican wildlife, on a boat tour through this rainforest paradise.
The Arenal Volcano in the north of Costa Rica is a stunning sight and the surrounding National Park hosts a wealth of activities such as rafting, hiking and canopy tours. East from Arenal lies Monteverde, where you can witness Costa Rican flora and fauna at their most spectacular on a nature tour through the renowned Cloud Forest Reserve.
In Panama, a canal cruise can introduce you to the lush rainforests and the wildlife of this famous region, and you will have the opportunity to learn about its rich history by meeting with the ancestral Embara Indians who can give you an insight into their traditions and lifestyle.
How to get there? Generally, the easiest and quickest way for Australians to get to Panama City and San Jose is via LA on Qantas, United Airlines or Delta.
Panama City is one of Central America’s largest airport hubs and can be reached from either LA or Dallas. From Panama City it’s possible to travel to almost any destination across Central America.
More information: You'll find all of our Signature Costa Rica and Panama trip itineraries below.
Still wondering? Contact us—we're always here to help, so please give us a call or drop us an email and let us do the hard work for you, planning your perfect Costa Rica and Panama trip from Australia.
Costa Rica is a country rich with renewable energy. In fact, it gets 90% of all its electrical energy from clean sources, and it’s aiming to be the first country to become carbon neutral.
Some of Costa Rica’s energy sources include geothermal energy, the burning of sugarcane waste and other biomass, solar and wind energy. However, the largest source of energy is hydroelectricity — its hydroelectric dams provide more than 82% of the country’s electricity.
However, Costa Rica’s efforts to minimize its own contributions to global warming have made it especially vulnerable to climate changes caused by other countries. The reason is rain. Even a tiny shift in rainfall patterns could leave the country without enough water to meet its growing demand for electricity. And scientists say climate change is likely to have a significant effect on rainfall.
To respond to this fact, wind power has come to forefront in Costa Rica — a large wind farm with 22 turbines has been working in Tilarán, Guanacaste, Escazú and Santa Ana. Additionally, a new geothermal plant, using naturally-existing superheated water to power steam turbines, was implemented in 2010 to be produce electricity near Rincón de la Vieja Volcano, in the province of Guanacaste.
Also in 2010, President Arias launched the program "Peace with Nature”, that was designed to reduce human impact on the environment in Costa Rica. The goal of reaching 100 percent renewable energy has been the core element of the program that his successor Laura Chinchilla has continued to carry forward into the future.
We offer you flexible travel options in Latin America at an affordable price.
We have refined, simplified, and perfected our travel itineraries over two decades, giving you the ultimate experience in each location.
We know each Latin American country by heart and will work with you to determine which activities and accommodations are best suited to your needs.
From your initial enquiry until your trip ends, you will be assigned a personal Destination Specialist who will offer a full service for your travel needs: we can book flights, insurance and any ancillary travel required to complete your journey.
We have offices across South America so you can be assured that ground staff are close at hand to assist whilst you are travelling.
Looking for blogs on Costa Rica, Panama, or Latin America? If so, we have you covered! The Chimu blog is updated regularly with new articles and packed with great content on planning your trip, what to pack, and amazing adventures in each destination.