Progreso boasts the world's longest pier, which juts nearly five miles into the Gulf of Mexico and anchors to the oceanfront amidst a gorgeous beach with a promenade that itself stretches a mile. Standing sentry over it all is the 120-foot Faro de Progreso, an active lighthouse built in 1893. Progreso has a beach-town vibe, and the center is easily explored on foot. At the biological reserve of El Corchito, observe lush flora and fauna and take a dip in one of the Yucatán’s famous cenotes – collapsed caverns that created freshwater swimming holes.

An ecological paradise of unbridled diversity, Costa Rica certainly lives up to its name, which means “rich coast.” The city of Puerto Limón has a few attractions, including the waterfront Parque Vargas and an interesting ethnohistory museum, but most visitors head to one of the many astounding national parks outside the city. A cruise through the canals of Tortuguero National Park offers the chance to observe endangered sea turtles, sloths, monkeys and even jaguars.

Tortola is at the heart of the British Virgin Island’s world-renowned sailing culture. Long, narrow and just over 21 square miles in area, the largest island of the BVI boasts a quintessentially Caribbean coastline of secluded white sand beaches, hidden coves and great natural anchorages. Inside a horseshoe-shaped harbor, the BVI capital of Road Town is the friendly, laid-back center for commerce, dining on fresh seafood and exploring nearby islets, tiny cays, reefs and dive sites.

Rugged mountains, rainforest, black sand beaches and natural wonders: this is Dominica, the Nature Island. Volcanoes forged the striking interior of high peaks, deep gorges, rivers and waterfalls. Geothermal forces are still at work, from roiling the waters of Boiling Lake to blowing bubbles at Champagne Reef. The dramatic underwater topography of boulders, plunging stone walls and ancient craters is filled with colorful tropical fish, making for great diving and snorkeling as well as whale watching.

With it's tranquil blue waters, 28 miles of beaches and some nine miles of coves, the Bay of Roses has been ranked one of the most beautiful bays in the world. Tempted by this harbor, the Greeks came in the 5th century BC to set up a commercial village. Various settlement remains can still be seen, including the monastery of Santa Maria. Other top sights include the 16th-century Castell de la Trinitat and the Dolmen de la Creu d’en Cobertella, the largest megalithic monument in Catalonia.

The Samaná peninsula is the Dominican Republic’s natural treasure, a region of verdant mountains, waterfalls, a beautiful bay and miles of pristine beaches. The port town of Santa Bárbara de Samaná overlooks Samaná Bay, where the annual winter gathering of thousands of Atlantic humpback whales is the top attraction. At the bay’s western end, Los Haitises National Park preserves and protects a diverse collection of subtropical plants and birds amid the forests and mangroves. Samaná’s famous beaches are on the northern coast along the Atlantic.