Along the piers of Balboa, the port marking the Pacific terminus of the Panama Canal, you’ll see yachts from all over the world. Balboa was built to house American administrative headquarters for the Canal and many of the buildings are handsome examples of the American colonial style of the early 1900’s.
Bridgetown is an interesting town full of contrasts. George Washington actually slept here! Trafalgar Square reminds you that the laid back, rum-and-fun-loving island’s British-influenced heritage includes revered traditions like cricket and high tea.
Pink flamingos, divi-divi trees, Papiamento and the best diving in the Caribbean - You can only be in Bonaire. The blinding white salt flats of Bonaire were once marked by tall obelisks of red, white, blue and orange (the colors of the old Dutch flag) to guide mariners. Today they are marked by clouds of pink – enormous flocks (500 or more!) of fluttering flamingos feasting on the orange brine shrimp that gives the flamingos their unmistakable color.
Cartagena is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Located on the north coast of Colombia, Cartagena host a spectacular collection of buildings and massive fortifications dating from the early 1600’s. The Fortresses were built to protect Cartagena from pirates. City highlights include Saint Philip of Barajas Fortresses and the Fort Ferdinand Fort.
The aromas of nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla baking in the sun - these are the tropical flavors of Grenada. From the horseshoe-shaped Carenage at St. George’s, follow the Sendall Tunnel (hand-built in 1895) to the Esplanade and old Ft. George for a spectacular view of Grenada.
Thirty islands and specks of sand make up the gloriously untouched Grenadines. We’ll call on one of these islands for a blissful, laid-back beach day. We’re sure you’ll never be disappointed.
Only 25 miles north of Venezuela coast, Isla Margarita is the favorite getaway for Cariocans. Margarita means pearl in Greek, and the island was once the center for harvesting egg size pearls. Porlamar, though founded in 1536, is a modern shopping mecca because of its duty free status. World class windsurfers gather on the Playa El Yaque beach, but those in search of quieter pleasures can explore the mangrove lined Lagoon La Restinga to see flamingos and 100 other resident bird species.
Once the hideaway for a Dutch pirate of the same name, Jost van Dyke welcomes visitors with first-rate hiking trails and the best beaches in the British Virgin Islands. Be sure to have a drink at the famous Foxy’s Tamarind Bar in Great Harbor.