San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
In the 1849 Gold Rush, before the Canal was built, the way you went from the Atlantic to the Pacific was via Cornelius Vanderbilt’s trans-isthmus steamboats, which took you up the Rio San Juan across Lake Nicaragua and then via rail to San Juan del Sur, the Pacific terminus, where you’d catch a clipper for San Francisco. Today you can easily drive to Lake Nicaragua, one of the largest lakes in the world and home to a species of fresh water shark, and take a more modern tourist boat to the twin-volcanic peaked island of Ometepe, a magical Eden-like place held in almost mystical regard by Nicaraguans.
Samara, Costa Rica
A stone’s throw from Puerto Carrillo lies Serene Samara, a small undiscovered beach resort with a lot of charm. A short kayak paddle takes you to little Choro Island for bird watching, or saddle up and ride to Tobacco Falls for a swim. And for the truly adventurous, you can hitch yourself to a steel cable zip-line for the ride of a lifetime through the canopy forest.
Quepos, Costa Rica
Quepos has long been a favorite R&R destination for sport fishers and eco-adventurers alike. The astonishing beauty of nearby Manual Antonio National Park will entice you to discover another world - an amazing natural wonderland of colourful flora and fauna, lush jungle and secluded beaches. The nearby Rio Naranjo is a magnet for thrill-seeking river rafters.
Puerto Carrillo, Costa Rica
It’s the playa that brings people to the little fishing village of Puerto Carrillo. Slung like a huge horseshoe between two towering headlands, the pristine white sands are bordered by a road that winds through rows of palm trees. Purportedly, this beach has the sunniest weather in Costa Rica.
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Playa Flamingo, Costa Rica
Home to Costa Rica’s largest sport fishing fleet and the only full-service marine between Acapulco and Panama, the palatial mansions of many wealthy Americans and Costa Ricans sprawl atop the hills or along private coves. Another attraction to residents and visitors is the superb Robert Trent Jones 18-hole golf course. And if that doesn’t appeal to you, the magnificent beach offers surfers a thrilling ride.
Playas del Coco, Costa Rica
Playas del Coco was one of Costa Rica’s first beach destinations for the laid-back and cool. The Guanacoste beaches are justly famous for surfing and they are also the nesting places for many species of marine turtles. Inland the vast savannahs and dry rain forests are a completely different climate from the rest of Costa Rica.
Islas Tortugas National Reserve, Costa Rica
Tortuga is an exquisite little island of off Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula. Giant manta rays, dolphins and the occasional humpback whale are frequent visitors here and the volcanic reef is home to dozens of marine species. Nearby on the Nicoya Peninsula, the Curu Wildlife Reserve offers an up-close look at the amazingly diverse marine life of the Curu River mangrove estuary.
Isla Iguana, Panama
 As you approach the remote uninhabited island of the Isla Iguana wildlife reserve on Panama’s Pacific coast, the first thing you’ll notice are the frigate birds, 5,000 of them, in fact, soaring and diving in breathtaking aerobatics. And the reason they are here is the abundance of the island’s coral reefs. Their lure is as irresistible to snorkelers and divers as it is to the frigate birds, but if you’d rather stay topside, you can laze in a hammock under a palm tree and watch all the action from the beach.
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Plan your Sailing 