CARB

Sightseeing meets Colombian culture on this fun musical tour in Cartagena’s historic center. Enjoy rum cocktails and traditional Afro-Colombian music while riding aboard a chiva, a colorfully painted, open-sided bus more typical of Colombia’s mountain regions but one that has become a national symbol. The route takes you past many of the city’s most important colonial-era buildings and landmarks. In the heart of the historic district, you’ll go inside a local venue for a private showcase featuring four local dancers.

Enjoy a cold and refreshing passion fruit or coconut limber — a frozen Puerto Rican treat — on your walk along Old San Juan’s famed blue cobblestone streets. As you pass picturesque churches, statues and sculptures, your guide illuminates the history of this charming district. Along the way, stop for café con leche and Mallorca, a delicious sweet bread inherited from the Spanish.

Experience the unique beauty of the Grenadines on this scenic sail to the tiny uninhabited islet of Mopion. Like a deserted island from the movies, a lone palapa stands in the middle of the islet’s white sands that seem even brighter compared to the many hues of blue of the surrounding seas. Part of the Tobago Cays Marine Park, the waters at Mopion are incredibly clear and usually calm, sheltered by the surrounded reefs, making for wonderful swimming and snorkeling. Relax on the hour-long sail to get there on a route that showcases the beauty of the Grenadines archipelago.

A short but vigorous hike to the summit of Mount Royal is a wonderful opportunity to connect with the beauty of the island as the sun makes her descent below the horizon. Along the forested trail, admire the local flora, and you may spot hummingbirds along the flowering trees and plants. Mount Royal is Canouan’s highest point at nearly 900 feet, offering a unique vantage point to take in the splendor of the Grenadines. From tiny, boot-shaped Canouan, the views extend south to her sister islands of Mayreau, Union Island, Carriacou, and Petit St. Vincent, all bathed in golden light.

The uninhabited Tobago Cays are the main feature of Tobago Cays Marine Park, a 1,400-acre lagoon, and there is no better way to experience their stunning beauty than on a catamaran cruise that takes you island hopping. On Jamesby Island, a sugary white sand beach melts into sparkling azure waters, and lazy iguanas sun themselves on craggy rocks as they await your arrival. When you stand in the shallow waters, playful blackfish, groupers and snappers dart boldly around your legs, unthreatened by your presence as fishing is prohibited here.

Discover the fascinating history of Tobago, a 116-square-mile tropical paradise that changed hands numerous times during the colonial era before eventually becoming a ward of Trinidad in 1889. A relaxing drive from Scarborough follows the island's main road to the city of Plymouth and two must-see sites: Fort James, overlooking Great Courland Bay; and the tombstone of Betty Stiven, with its cryptic inscription that has baffled visitors for centuries.