Caribbean : Star Flyer - Costa Rica and Nicaragua Cruise

Arrive in the city and transfer to the Star Flyer. Locate your cabin and explore this epic vessel before setting sail northwards on your Nicaragua cruise, journeying firstly along the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

Enjoy a most relaxing start to your holiday as you soak up the sun on Star Flyer’s outdoor deck as we sail northwards towards Nicaragua. Today on your Nicaragua cruise you can take it easy, perhaps having the occasional dip in the swimming pools or borrowing a book from the ship’s library.

Steeped in the history of the 1849 Gold Rush, this beachfront town is a joy to explore on a Nicaragua cruise. Take a trip to Lake Nicaragua which is one of the largest lakes in the world and home to freshwater sharks, or take a boat trip to the nearby volcanic island of Ometepe. Alternatively, you could simply relax on the gorgeous crescent shaped beach and watch the surfers catching their waves.

Today your Nicaragua cruise takes you to one of Costa Rica’s first beach resorts which is popular with surfers and scuba divers. Its name derives from the unusual cocoa-coloured sand, and it is a common place for spotting marine turtles. Inland you will find vast expanses of savannah grassland and tropical dry rainforest.

This tiny fishing port is the gateway to two national parks, Guanacaste and Santa Rosa. Santa Rosa was the country’s first national park, established in 1972 and it serves to protect the largest remaining area of tropical dry rainforest in Central America. Discover the park’s wealth of wildlife on this Nicaragua cruise and look out for sea turtles for which the park is an important nesting site.

Samara is a charming beach resort which is only a stone’s throw away from Puerto Carrillo. Later today on the Nicaragua cruise we visit the tiny fishing village of Puerto Carrillo which is perfect for discovering authentic Costa Rica. Its wide, crescent-shaped bay is lined with palm trees and the turquoise waters are perfect for swimming and snorkelling. Laze on the bright white sand, or walk up to the small animal shelter that houses monkeys, porcupines and vampire bats among other interesting species.

*On 2012 and 2013 voyages the Star Flyer Costa Rica and Nicaragua cruise does not visit Samara*

The Nicaragua cruise takes you to explore the mangrove estuary of the Curu River today, an important nature reserve for animals and birdlife. Later, we head to Isla Tortugas, a true island paradise just off Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula. Manta rays, dolphins and whales are often spotted on a Nicaragua cruise in the volcanic reef that surrounds the island, and snorkelling is a popular pastime here because of the abundance of colourful marine life.

Star Flyer returns to Puerto Caldera where your Nicaragua cruise ends. You can choose to take your return flight back to the UK, or spend additional nights exploring the vibrant city.