13 December - At sea

14 December to 15 December

Colombia: Cartagena

Cartagena was founded by Spanish conquistadors in 1533, and the beautifully preserved centre is a real highlight of Colombia’s Caribbean coast. The walled old town, the Ciudad Amurallada, is a camera-friendly collection of cobbled streets and colourful, colonial-era buildings.

16 December - At sea

17 December

Panama: Bocas del Toro

The Bocas del Toro archipelago is one of Panama’s most appealing tourist destinations, a collection of idyllic Caribbean islands blessed with beautiful beaches, lush mangroves and wildlife including sloths, iguanas and turtles.

18 December

Panama: San Blas Islands

Situated just off the coast of Panama, the idyllic San Blas islands are home to the Kuna Indians, who enjoy political autonomy from the mainland and have an unusual degree of control over tourism to their homeland. Visiting these simple island communities is a privilege, and an insight into an indigenous way of life unsullied by mass tourism.

19 December - At sea

20 December

Panama: Fuerte Amador (Panama City)

The port of Fuerte Amador sits at the southern edge of Panama City, near the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. The shining skyscrapers of the Panamanian capital are a testament to the city’s status as a key financial centre, while the tiny Casco Viejo is home to pretty colonial streets, hip hotels and happening bars.

21 December - At sea

22 December

Panama: Isla Parida

Beautiful Isla Parida lies within the protected Gulf of Chiriquí National Park, its tranquil beaches lapped by warm, crystal clear waters where you’ll find an abundance of marine life. This is a great place to kick back and chill out for a day, in idyllic tropical surroundings.

23 December

Costa Rica: Golfo Dulce

Seldom visited by tourists, the lush and humid Golfo Dulce is home to Piedras Blanca National Park, an area of pristine rainforest teeming with wildlife. Amongst the mangroves that line the coast lurk crocodiles and river otters, while the canopy above is home to nimble monkeys and colourful toucans.

24 December

Costa Rica: Quepos

The little town of Quepos is the gateway to Manuel Antonio National Park, a nature-lover’s paradise that’s home to monkeys, iguanas and the reclusive three-toed sloth. The area around Quepos also boasts some of the best beaches in Costa Rica, and the town itself has some nice restaurants.

25 December

Costa Rica: Punta Leona

26 December

Costa Rica: Curú Reserve

The Curú Wildlife Refuge is situated on Costa Rica’s lush Nicoya Peninsula, thick with primary forest and fringed by tiny coves and beaches. It’s a real haven for wildlife, where you might spy ocelots, anteaters or capuchin monkeys rustling about in the foliage.

27 December

Costa Rica: Playa Flamingo

28 December

Arriving in Puerto Caldera

Puerto Caldera is a major port on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, about an hour and a half from the capital, San José. Nearby attractions include the beach town of Puntarenas, the fantastic wildlife of the Carara Biological Reserve and Tortuga Island, a beautiful spot for snorkelling.