Few coastlines still feel undiscovered, but the Pacific shores of Costa Rica and Panama come remarkably close. This untamed and unhurried stretch of Central America, with its dramatic bays, mangrove channels, and verdant rainforests, offers a solitude seldom found today. A journey aboard the expedition yacht Kontiki Wayra provides an immersive experience to discover why this region is a special super-yachting adventure.
The journey begins in Boca Chica, a sleepy town in Panama's Chiriquí Province. Guests are transferred by tender to the 39-metre explorer yacht Kontiki Wayra, a former liveaboard dive boat refitted for luxury expeditions. The yacht sets sail towards the Islas Secas archipelago, a private chain of islands where only one is developed by a boutique resort. Here, the water glows with bioluminescence at night, and guests can enjoy activities like whale watching and scuba diving.
Leaving Islas Secas behind, Kontiki Wayra enters the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor, a vast ecosystem of protected marine reserves stretching from Panama to the Galápagos. Snorkeling off Isla Canales de Afuera reveals an abundant reef with sea turtles and eels. The journey then takes them to Coiba National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This remote island, once a penal colony, is home to endemic species like the Coiba howler monkey and offers some of the eastern Pacific's largest coral reefs, attracting discerning divers.
Further south, the yacht reaches Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula, the heart of Corcovado National Park. This area is celebrated as one of the most biologically intense places on Earth, nearly half of Costa Rica's biodiversity is packed into this small landmass. Wildlife here is remarkably unfazed by human presence, allowing for intimate encounters with monkeys, tapirs, and scarlet macaws. The inaccessibility of the park, reachable only by boat, adds to its pristine allure.
Time spent on shore is just as intriguing. In Golfito Bay, an IGY marina popular with sport fishers serves as a gateway to the Golfo Dulce, one of the world's four tropical fjords. A testament to rewilding, this lush habitat was declared a national park in 1975 after being mined during the gold rush. Inland, the highlands of Chiriquí offer adventure in Boquete, with cloud forests, zip-lining, and coffee tastings at world-renowned estates.
As owner Carlos Núñez explains, Kontiki Expeditions offers a different type of luxury: 'a luxury of immersive experiences, where you really get to see a location from within.' The indulgence is the rare feeling of having a corner of the world entirely to yourself, all surprisingly close to home.
