Day 8: Bocas del Toro
Flight from David to Bocas del Toro. The rest of the day is free to explore this Afro-Antillean town. Overnight: Hotel Bocas del Toro (B)

Day 9: Bastimentos Tour
After breakfast you have a full day snorkeling tour. The tour begins with a visit to Dolphin Lagoon, an important feeding area for bottle-nosed dolphins. These playful creatures enjoy visitors and often chase after boats. Then the boat will continue to navigate through red and white mangroves to Coral Cay for snorkeling and lunch. This is a private restaurant surrounded by mangroves. Here there is a variety of tropical fish and animal life. Some people choose to snorkel close to the restaurant where a number of fish can be observed while others choose to snorkel further away.

Sergeant Major, Green Moray, Gray Angelfish, and several different species of Dameslfish and Parrotfish can be observed. In addition, several different types of marine invertebrates are present, such as the sea anemone, long-spined sea urchin, sea star, leafy stinging coral, bristle worm, and tube sponge.

The tour will continue to Red Frog Beach, reached by a short walk through mangroves. Along the path keep your eye out for the Red Frog that is endangered and once was used by the natives for its venom for hunting. Enjoy, relax and swim on the beach before heading to Hospital Point for more snorkeling.

Two kilometers east of Bocas del Toro town lies Hospital Point. It was once the central medical center for the United Fruit Company, which established its headquarters in Bocas del Toro in 1899. The facility is now under private ownership and serves as tourist attraction for many who visit Bocas town. It is also known as the perfect spot for diving and snorkeling. Overnight: Hotel Bocas del Toro (B)

Day 10: Return to Panama City
To ensure flexibility for early departing flights we will return to Villahermosa. We should arrive mid-afternoon in time for a visit to La Venta Park. While not quite as mystical as Palenque, it is an astounding cultural collection of the Ancient Olmec. The Olmec were the founding civilization in the region pre-dating the Maya. They are most famous for the gigantic round head sculptures. It is an excellent finish to an amazing trip. Overnight: Hotel Country Inn & Suites Amador (B)

Day 11: Departure
Transfer to Tocumen International Airport for the flight back home. (B)

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

WEATHER:
The weather, depending on our location, will vary from warm and sunny to cloudy, misty, foggy or rainy. We can expect daytime temperature highs in the low 90s. Precipitation is one of the key factors in creating the rain forest ecosystem and we can expect heavy rain any day even in the dry season.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS:
A US passport valid beyond your anticipated date of return to the US and tourist card (available on flight) is required. Currently no visas or immunization certificates are required. Those with foreign passports should contact the Embassy of Panama for details.

FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS:
The fee for the tour is $1,995 per person based on double occupancy from Panama City. Single rates are an additional $799.

The tour includes:
- Meet & greet upon arrival
- 10 nights of lodging in comfortable, mid-range hotels
- Private transportation with a/c throughout the tour
- Meals as specified each day: B=breakfast, L=lunch or D=dinner
- Entrance fees to national parks and other attractions as specified
- English-speaking guide throughout the tour
- Domestic flights
- Information kit
- Lodging taxes, indigenous taxes .

The tour does not include:
- Optional activities
- International airfare and taxes
- Departure taxes ($20.00 per person for Panama and $26.00 for Costa Rica)
- Meals not specified in the itinerary
- Alcoholic beverages
- Personal equipment
- Extras in hotels (laundry, phone calls, room service, etc.)
- Gratuities

Rates are based upon group tariffs; if the group does not have sufficient registration a small party supplement may have to be charged.

HEALTH PRECAUTIONS:
For comprehensive information please contact the Center for Disease Control and Prevention on the Internet at www.cdc.gov or by phone at 404-332-4559. The CDC information is a comprehensive listing of any disease reported in a particular region or state.

STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL ADVISORIES:
Currently there are no travel advisories for traveling in Panama. You will be updated on any significant developments that pertain to our trip. http://travel.state.gov

TOUR REGISTRATION:
To register for the tour, fill out the registration form and include a deposit of $500 per person. Full payment of the tour fee is due ninety days prior to the tour.

CANCELLATION POLICY:
Refunds are made according to the following schedule: If cancellation is made eighty days or more before departure date, the deposit less $150 is refundable. If cancellation is made between seventy-nine and sixty days before departure date, the deposit is not refundable, but any payments covering the balance of the fee will be refunded. If cancellation is made fifty-nine days or less before departure date, no refund is available except for amounts recoverable through our agents. We recommend that you purchase trip cancellation insurance which you will receive upon registration.

If the Mesoamerican Ecotourism Alliance (MEA) cancels the tour or the tour must be postponed during a time period starting seven days before tour departure and /or through the duration of the tour, MEA will refund all money recoverable through our agents, not yet spent and/or all refundable deposits. MEA reserves the right to cancel, postpone or suspend any tour based on the judgment of MEA, its staff and representatives, in order to insure the safety of our guests.

RESPONSIBILITY:
The Mesoamerican Ecotourism Alliance (MEA), and/or their Agents act only as agents for the passenger in regard to travel, whether by railroad, motorcar, motorcoach, boat, or airplane and assume no liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay, or irregularity which may be occasioned either by reason of defect in any vehicle or for any reason whatsoever, or through the acts or default of any company or person engaged in conveying the passenger or in carrying out the arrangements of the tour. They can accept no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air or other services, sickness, weather, strike, war, quarantine, or other causes. All such losses or expenses will have to be borne by the passenger as tour rates provide for arrangements only for the time stated. The right is reserved to substitute hotels of similar category for those indicated and to make any changes in the itinerary where deemed necessary or caused by changes in air schedules. The right is reserved to cancel any tour prior to departure, in which case full refund will constitute full settlement to the passenger. No refund will be made for any unused portion of the tour. The right is reserved to decline, to accept, or to retain any person as a member of the tour. Baggage is at owners' risk.