On the Pacific Coast, Puerto Quetzal is a cruiser’s entryway to Guatemala, with seemingly endless ways to explore the country. Just to the north is the small colonial town of Antigua, a UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with museums, churches, art galleries and cafes and situated between three volcanos.
Acajutla is El Salvador’s principal seaport on the Pacific coast. Visitors to this charming seaside resort are welcomed by friendly people enjoying marvelous beaches. At Los Cabanos Beach, divers can take an extended diving tour to see reefs and other marine life. Deep-sea and reef fishers can hop on a chartered boat and hit the water for an afternoon of fishing. For the more adventurous, just inland from the port, the forests of Apaneca are a prime spot for a zip-line tour with spectacular views.
Mother Nature was especially gracious when she created the ‘Nature Island’ of Dominica. Life here is less about pool parties and more about throwing yourself into an eco-adventure at one of the island’s many natural attractions, like its Boiling Lake or Champagne Reef. Sitting on Prince Rupert Bay, Portsmouth is the island’s second-largest town and a great base for visiting Cabrits National Park or Indian River.
Outside Costa Rica’s capital of San José lies the port town of Puerto Caldera, which serves as the home base for travelers looking to venture into the lush wildlife the country is known for. Gateway to the province of Puntarenas, the port is a short distance away from several national parks, like Carara National Park, a biological reserve with over 400 species of birds, the Tarcoles River and the Poas Volcano.
In the northern part of Costa Rica’s Puntarenas province on the central Pacific coast lies the small booming harbor town of Quepos. With a variety of outdoor adventure and nightlife, the village center composes six blocks of restaurants, bars, art galleries and gift shops all resting beside the main beach and sport fishing fleet. With one of the prettiest and most impressive marinas in Costa Rica, Quepos is known to many as one of the best places in the world for big-game sport fishing.
A gateway to the eastern Tropical Pacific, Marina Papagayo is a year-round yachter’s paradise in the Costa Rican province of Guanacaste. Palm-lined beaches and rocky bays define the coast of this water sports and recreation haven. Relax on white sandy beaches or ride on horseback along the black sand beneath the cliffs at Playa Ocotal. Enjoy a boat ride to the wetlands in Palo Verde and visit the old wooden Hacienda El Viejo. This family-owned estate offers a variety of activities from a cultural tour to a rum-m
Costa Rica’s southernmost port town of Golfito is often referred to as the last frontier, and its only city situated within a declared protection area. In a remote and secluded region of the country, it’s an escape from the hustle and bustle of the more popular tourist-filled destinations.
Sitting on Spain’s glorious Costa Blanca, Alicante is the epitome of Mediterranean elegance. Wander along its palm-fringed waterfront promenade; lose yourself in the narrow streets of the old Barrio de la Santa Cruz district; enjoy some well-deserved beach time at San Juan or Almadraba; or climb up to the medieval Castillo de Santa Bárbara, where you’ll be rewarded with sweeping views of the Mediterranean. Peruse the works of Dalí and Picasso in the Museuo de Arte Contemporáneo de Alicante, or learn all about round-the-world yacht-racing at the Museo Volvo Ocean Race.
Towering cliffs, impossibly blue grottoes, bougainvillea-draped villas and undeniably chic residents – the island of Capri is everything you imagine it to be. Spend a happy morning exploring the ruins of the impressive Villa Jovis, which was built by the Emperor Tiberius. The view over the Bay of Naples there is stunning. Surround yourself in dilapidated grandeur at the Art Nouveau Villa Lysis, or bathe in blue light at the famous Grotta Azzurra, where sunlight enters through a small chasm and is refracted through the water.
Beautiful and bold, Istanbul stands astride the continents of Europe and Asia. Start your day with a silky Turkish coffee before making your way to the Byzantine basilica of Haghia Sophia. With its gold mosaics and awe-inspiring dome, this is one of the world’s most beautiful buildings. Follow this with a visit to the Blue Mosque, the grand project of Sultan Ahmet I, and a tour of the harem at the opulent Topkapi Palace. In the afternoon, take a boat trip between Europe and Asia or practice your haggling skills at the colorful Grand Bazaar.
