Panama Wellness Retreat: Yoga, Snorkelling and Jungle Hikes in Bocas del Toro

The trip runs with a maximum of 16 women and is led by one or two local guides plus an Adventures in Good Company guide, depending on group size. You arrive at Tocumen International Airport (PTY) by 16:00 on day one, meet in the hotel lobby at 17:30, and have a group welcome dinner. The first two nights are at the Radisson Hotel Panama Canal (or similar).

Day two is the cultural centrepiece: a dugout canoe ride upriver to an Emberá village, guided by a Certified Interpretive Naturalist Guide. You're welcomed as guests rather than tourists, and the day is spent with stories, music, food and art. Day three starts early with a boat ride on Gatun Lake and the Panama Canal, then a domestic flight to Bocas del Toro, a water taxi to Casa Cayuco, an organic lunch, and a first swim. If there's time, there's a loop hike on the Casa Cayuco Sendero through the surrounding jungle.

From there the days mix water and land. The Isla Zapatillas snorkel trip visits two uninhabited islands with what the operator describes as the best-conserved coral reefs on the Caribbean coastline — expect angelfish, groupers, parrot fish, butterfly fish, lobsters and moray eels. The Pelicano Trail day starts with a walk through Salt Creek, the indigenous village where all the lodge's employees and their families live, then climbs over a hill to Los Pelicanos beach on the eastern coast of Isla Bastimentos, with a swim before looping back. The mangrove snorkel morning takes you to a reef of soft corals and sponges where you might see octopus, crabs, starfish and dolphins on the boat ride home.

On day seven there's a second dock yoga class, then a free morning. You can stay put, snorkel off the lodge, or take the optional guided bat cave tour on Bastimentos — that one involves spelunking, wading through water up to your waist, and climbing over boulders with a headlamp and helmet, accompanied by your guide and a local team. The afternoon is the cacao ceremony. Day eight is a last morning of yoga or beach time, then a flight back to Panama City, a night at the Bristol Hotel (or similar), and a farewell dinner. Day nine you depart at any time, with transport arranged around your flight.

Casa Cayuco is a self-sustaining eco-lodge on the coast, backed by dense jungle, and the group has the run of it. The food gets consistent praise in reviews — chef-prepared breakfast, lunch and a three-course dinner, mostly plant-based with locally caught fresh fish. The lodge provides kayaks and paddleboards, and there's an AGC-guided paddling lesson one afternoon.

What's included

- 1 to 2 local guides plus an Adventures in Good Company guide, depending on group size - Eight nights double occupancy lodging (some single supplements available for an additional fee) - All activities specified on the itinerary: kayaking, snorkelling, stand up paddle boarding, yoga, one massage and hiking - All transportation within Panama, including internal flights - Meals as specified on the itinerary - Gratuities for drivers and day guides

What's not included

- Travel to Panama City - Guide gratuities - Alcoholic beverages - Extra massages beyond the one included - Travel insurance