Grand World Voyage - X210C

Fort Lauderdale is a city on the Atlantic coast of the U.S. in the state of Florida. As well as being a major yachting centre, it has a large and intricate canal system that results in its also being known as the ‘Venice of America’. While once home to a series of forts, today there are three forts named ‘Fort Lauderdale’. Read more about Fort Lauderdale, USA

In the SE West Indies is Scarborough, the chief town, administrative centre, and deepwater harbour of Tobago, one of the two islands of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Located on Rockly Bay and overlooking Scarborough Harbour, the town is steeply laid out on the bottom slopes of a hill 13 km from the island’s southwestern tip. On top of the hill is Fort King George (built by the British in the late 1700s), with a prison, barracks, officer’s mess, and many cannons. It also includes a museum of Tobago’s history, a craft shop, the National Fine Arts Centre, and above all, fabulous views. Read more about Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago

Devil’s Island (14ha), along with Île Royale (28ha) and Saint-Joseph Island (20ha), form the Salvation’s Islands, lying 13km NE off the coast of French Guinana in the Atlantic Ocean. The islands were part of the penal colony of Cayenne from 1852 to 1953, that also included mainland sites. Most of the 80,000 prisoners never returned to metropolitan France, dying from tropical diseases and brutal conditions. Devil's island, Île du Diable, housed no more than 12 persons in moderate freedom due to the difficulty of escape. Read more about Devil's Island, French Guiana

Arguably, no other place is more critical for human survival than the Amazon rainforest. The Amazon River, covering almost half of Brazil in South America, is the widest river in the world, the second longest, and plays a key role in global carbon cycles and climate. Due to its thousands of lengthy tributaries - 17 are over 600 km in length – it produces 20 percent of the world’s fresh river water. Indeed, its river water reaches 320 km out to sea and till this day ships anchor in the outflow to remove the salt water marine life, especially barnacles, attached to their hulls. Read more about Amazon River, Brazil

Arguably, no other place is more critical for human survival than the Amazon rainforest. The Amazon River, covering almost half of Brazil in South America, is the widest river in the world, the second longest, and plays a key role in global carbon cycles and climate. Due to its thousands of lengthy tributaries - 17 are over 600 km in length – it produces 20 percent of the world’s fresh river water. Indeed, its river water reaches 320 km out to sea and till this day ships anchor in the outflow to remove the salt water marine life, especially barnacles, attached to their hulls. Read more about Amazon River, Brazil

Macapa, Brazil, is a river port and capital of the territory of Amapa, lying on the northernmost and largest arm of the Amazon River delta, opposite the Marajo archipelago. The city lies exactly on the Equator, and the football stadium is the only one in the world where each half of the field is located in opposite hemispheres. Macapa retains some of the history of the region in its monuments. One of these is Sao Jose Fort, at the entrance to the city. Read more about Macapa, Brazil

Arguably, no other place is more critical for human survival than the Amazon rainforest. The Amazon River, covering almost half of Brazil in South America, is the widest river in the world, the second longest, and plays a key role in global carbon cycles and climate. Due to its thousands of lengthy tributaries - 17 are over 600 km in length – it produces 20 percent of the world’s fresh river water. Indeed, its river water reaches 320 km out to sea and till this day ships anchor in the outflow to remove the salt water marine life, especially barnacles, attached to their hulls. Read more about Amazon River, Brazil

Santarem in Brazil, some 800 km up the Amazon, is located on the southern bank of the clear emerald blue waters of the Tapajos River, a tributary of the Amazon. Not far from here these waters encounter the muddy waters of the magnificent Amazon River. A natural phenomenon, the two rivers flow side by side and are known as the ‘meeting of the waters’. The city has a bustling harbour full of riverboats and ancient dugout canoes. Read more about Santarem, Brazil

Located at the confluence of the Amazon and the Valeria rivers in Brazil, Boca da Valeria is a small remote Indian village consisting of a wharf, wooden homes on stilts, a school, a church and a bar that doubles as the village meeting place. It is hidden amid jungle lake lands where the screeches of colorful parrots fill the air and trees stand waist-high in water. Be sure to take your camera on the tender ride, because there is a very distinct line where the waters of the Valeria River meet the Amazon. Amazingly the rivers remain separate for a few kilometres before finally blending into muddy water. Read more about Boca da Valeria, Brazil

Manaus is a main port on the banks of the Negro River 1450 km inland in the heart of the Amazon rain forest, and is the main transport hub for the entire upper Amazon Basin. It also attracts crowds of tourists who find a variety of land and boat trips into the jungle. Wildlife is plentiful, even within the city, and it is home to the Pied Tamarin, one of Brazil's most endangered primates. Tour boats take visitors to see the point where the black waters of the Rio Negro meet the Solimoes River's brown waters and then flow next to each other without mixing for nine kilometres. Read more about Manaus, Brazil

Parintins is a major river port with a population of 114,000, situated on Tupinambarana Island amid the largest archipelago of the mid-Amazon. It is one of the most isolated medium-sized cities in the world, and is accessible only by air or boat. The community can trace its history back through two centuries and still proudly celebrates its traditional Indian culture. The town is famous for its annual ‘Boi Bumba Festival’, a fantasy derived by the mixture of Indian and European cultures that revolve around a bull, and is a very well-known world class event. Read more about Parintins, Brazil

Santarem in Brazil, some 800 km up the Amazon, is located on the southern bank of the clear emerald blue waters of the Tapajos River, a tributary of the Amazon. Not far from here these waters encounter the muddy waters of the magnificent Amazon River. A natural phenomenon, the two rivers flow side by side and are known as the ‘meeting of the waters’. The city has a bustling harbour full of riverboats and ancient dugout canoes. Read more about Santarem, Brazil

Arguably, no other place is more critical for human survival than the Amazon rainforest. The Amazon River, covering almost half of Brazil in South America, is the widest river in the world, the second longest, and plays a key role in global carbon cycles and climate. Due to its thousands of lengthy tributaries - 17 are over 600 km in length – it produces 20 percent of the world’s fresh river water. Indeed, its river water reaches 320 km out to sea and till this day ships anchor in the outflow to remove the salt water marine life, especially barnacles, attached to their hulls. Read more about Amazon River, Brazil

Arguably, no other place is more critical for human survival than the Amazon rainforest. The Amazon River, covering almost half of Brazil in South America, is the widest river in the world, the second longest, and plays a key role in global carbon cycles and climate. Due to its thousands of lengthy tributaries - 17 are over 600 km in length – it produces 20 percent of the world’s fresh river water. Indeed, its river water reaches 320 km out to sea and till this day ships anchor in the outflow to remove the salt water marine life, especially barnacles, attached to their hulls. Read more about Amazon River, Brazil

St. George's is the capital of Grenada, British West Indies. The city surrounds a horseshoe-shaped harbour, and is an attractive colonial-era town with a distinctly Mediterranean feel that appears to spill down the hill side. When a ship arrives at the new docks, the town explodes into a frenzy of activity, market stalls open up on shore, restaurants and bars fill up, and street vendors as well as local guides come out in force. Read more about St George's, Grenada

In the southern Caribbean, Oranjestad is the capital of the small island of Aruba, and an island territory of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is an attractive and historic harbour town just 27 km north of Venezuela. It can be divided into Upper and Lower Towns. There are a number of colonial era 18th C. Read more about Oranjestad, Aruba, Aruba

Named one of the seven modern wonders of the world by the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Panama Canal is a 77 km ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1903 to 1914, nearly 850,000 vessels have passed through the canal. Interestingly, the 8-10 hour journey from the Pacific Ocean in the west and the Atlantic Ocean in the east is one from SE to NW. Crossing the Canal is something that we would all like to experience, and subsequently many passenger ships provide a narrator giving excellent information during the crossing. Read more about Panama Canal, Panama

Named one of the seven modern wonders of the world by the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Panama Canal is a 77 km ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1903 to 1914, nearly 850,000 vessels have passed through the canal. Interestingly, the 8-10 hour journey from the Pacific Ocean in the west and the Atlantic Ocean in the east is one from SE to NW. Crossing the Canal is something that we would all like to experience, and subsequently many passenger ships provide a narrator giving excellent information during the crossing. Read more about Panama Canal, Panama

Named one of the seven modern wonders of the world by the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Panama Canal is a 77 km ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1903 to 1914, nearly 850,000 vessels have passed through the canal. Interestingly, the 8-10 hour journey from the Pacific Ocean in the west and the Atlantic Ocean in the east is one from SE to NW. Crossing the Canal is something that we would all like to experience, and subsequently many passenger ships provide a narrator giving excellent information during the crossing. Read more about Panama Canal, Panama

Quepos, located in a tropical inlet surrounded by rainforest, is a city in Puntarenas Province on the Central Pacific coast of Costa Rica. It has moved on from its banana-growing roots to be a premier holiday destination. The locals go out of their way to make visitors welcome, and their ‘love of life’ is reflected by the fact that dancing in the streets is a local pastime, that culminates and explodes in the month long Festival del Mar. The village centre consists of restaurants, bars, hotels, bakeries, art galleries and gift shops, all fronted by the main beach and the ports fishing fleet. Read more about Quepos, Costa Rica

Puerto Vallarta is located on the Western Pacific coast of Mexico, and renowned for its beaches and its vibrant centre of art. Surrounded by the impressive mountains of the Sierra Madre and the sparkling waters of Banderas Bay, it is always waiting to offer visitors the very best choices. Initially made popular by Movie stars such as Liz Taylor and others as a great place to have a holiday home, visitors soon followed. The old part of Puerto Vallarta has its own architectural style. Read more about Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Hilo is the largest settlement on The Big Island of Hawaii, the southernmost of the Hawaiian islands, in Polynesia. It overlooks Hilo Bay, at the base of active Mauna Loa (4169m) and dormant Mauna Kea (4207m) volcanoes. Hilo is an impressively beautiful town overlooking beaches, caves, rivers, and waterfalls within its limits. On the peak of Mauna Kea are some of the world’s best ground-based astronomical observatories. Read more about Hilo, USA

Lahaina is the largest town in West Maui Hawaii and is the gateway to the famous Kaanapali and Kapalua beach resorts north of the town. The banyan tree in Courthouse Square is noteworthy for its size. As a strangling fig, it has grown by dropping roots from its branches that then become additional trunks, allowing it to cover two-thirds of an acre. Lahaina's Front Street, along the waterfront – with stores offering a broad variety of food and entertainment – has been ranked one of the ‘Top Ten Greatest Streets’ by the American Planning Association, and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Read more about Lahaina, USA

The birthplace of Barack Obama, the 44th President of the Unites States, Honolulu is the cultural, industrial, commercial, and governmental centre of Hawaii, with Waikiki Beach the epicentre of the tourist industry. It is a thriving world-class city, with nearly one million people in its metropolitan area. Oahu is the most popular of the Hawaiian Islands, and as the city is packed with sights, activities, and tourist attractions, it is easy to understand why there is so much to do in this southernmost major U.S. city. Read more about Honolulu, USA

The narrow Majuro Atoll is the capital and the most developed atoll in the Marshall Islands of Micronesia, having a port, shopping district, hotels, and an international airport. The Atoll consists of extremely narrow land masses, and it is fascinating to be able to walk from the lagoon side to the ocean side within minutes. Indeed, at some places it is sufficiently narrow to be able to throw a rock from one side to the other. In some areas, such as the road to the major population centre of Delap - where the government buildings and several large shops are located - the capital only consists of a single two-lane paved road with houses on either side. Read more about Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands

Chuuk (‘Mountain’ in Chuukese) is an island group in the south western part of the Pacific Ocean. (It is on the same longitude as Sydney, but lies 820km N of the Equator.) It comprises one of the four States of the Federated States of Micronesia, and geographically it is also part of the larger Caroline Group. The main population centre of Chuuk State is the Chuuk Lagoon, a large archipelago with mountainous islands surrounded by a string of islets with an undersea coral reef beneath clear waters. The Lagoon has a diameter of about 60 km and is studded with 11 major islands and 87 smaller ones: the Chuuk islands. Read more about Chuuk, Micronesia (Federated States of)

The Island of Guam, the western-most (or should we say eastern-most?) territory of the United States, is an island in Micronesia in the western South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines. Along the Tumon Bay beachfront, the island's glitzy duty-free shopping centre is a shopper’s paradise, while the gleaming white sand and crystal clear, warm waters for swimming, snorkelling, or just relaxing, are equally as appealing. In Tumon visit the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral Basilica, and the National Museum of the Dulce Nombre de Maria that features changing displays of inspirational art created by local artists. Interestingly, many visitors now take the time to visit the entire island. Read more about Guam, Guam

Saipan Island is one of the Northern Mariana Islands located in the tropical waters of the western Pacific Ocean. It competes with Guam for the hordes of Japanese tourists who flock to its shores. It has the distinction of being the fastest-growing island in Micronesia. Held by the Japanese during WWII, Saipan today is a modern, clean and thriving community comprising several villages that are more like small towns. Read more about Saipan, Guam

Ishigaki is the largest city for the Yaeyama Island Group, and is located on Ishigaki Island, as is the area's major boat terminal, Ishigaki Port. It is the southernmost of the Ryukyu (or Nansei) Islands chain, of which the largest is Okinawa. The island enjoys a thriving culture steeped in traditions that are a mixture from Japan, China, nearby Taiwan (230km to the west), and its former trading partners. Much of the island and surrounding waters including Mount Omoto and Kabira Bay are protected as part of Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park. Read more about Ishigaki, Japan

Naha is the capital and main city of the Okinawa Prefecture in Japan, and is located on Okinawa Island, the largest of a long stretch of islands between mainland Japan and Taiwan. With the only sub-tropical climate in all of Japan it is a major tourist destination for the Japanese. Till recently there were not many foreign tourists to these shores, but this is quickly changing. The city's main street, Kokusai-dori, or International Avenue, is a 1.6 km stretch of fascinating stores, restaurants, and bars. Read more about Naha, Japan

Tokyo, located on the eastern side of the main island of Honshu, is the core of the most populated area in the world (urban area 38M). The small fishing village of Edo was fortified in 1457 with Edo Castle (The Imperial Palace now stands at this location) and became one of the largest cities in the world by the 18th C. Its stringent policy of seclusion ended in 1854 and opened Japan to outside trade. In 1869, the 17-year-old Emperor Meiji moved to Edo, and the city was renamed Tokyo (meaning Eastern Capital). Read more about Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo, located on the eastern side of the main island of Honshu, is the core of the most populated area in the world (urban area 38M). The small fishing village of Edo was fortified in 1457 with Edo Castle (The Imperial Palace now stands at this location) and became one of the largest cities in the world by the 18th C. Its stringent policy of seclusion ended in 1854 and opened Japan to outside trade. In 1869, the 17-year-old Emperor Meiji moved to Edo, and the city was renamed Tokyo (meaning Eastern Capital). Read more about Tokyo, Japan

Shimizu is located on the coast of Suruga Bay, 140km SW of Tokyo, on the island of Honshu, facing the Pacific Ocean. Shimizu-ku is actually a ward or sub-division of the city of Shiuoka. The Kakita River flows through the town. It is one of Japan's three most beautiful ports because of nearby Mt. Read more about Shimizu, Japan

Kobe is the capital of the Hyogo Prefecture and lies on the southern side of the main island of Honshu, Japan. A cosmopolitan port city with an international flavour it is hemmed in by Mt. Rokko, and it constantly comes up number one in expatriate rankings of the best place to live in Japan. The Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, with its collection comprising sculptures, prints and paintings, built following the horrific earthquake in 1995, is a tribute to the spirit of mankind. Read more about Kobe, Japan

Kobe is the capital of the Hyogo Prefecture and lies on the southern side of the main island of Honshu, Japan. A cosmopolitan port city with an international flavour it is hemmed in by Mt. Rokko, and it constantly comes up number one in expatriate rankings of the best place to live in Japan. The Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, with its collection comprising sculptures, prints and paintings, built following the horrific earthquake in 1995, is a tribute to the spirit of mankind. Read more about Kobe, Japan

Fukuoka, the capital of the Prefecture of the same name, is located on Kyushu Island in Japan, and spreads out around scenic Hakata Bay. It is an interesting city with its attractive coastlines, shrines and relics of the aborted Mongolian invasion. Surrounded by mountains and sea and an untouched natural environment, interestingly its attractions are contemporary rather than traditional, but they are still very much worth seeing. For example, the Kyushu National Museum with its fascinating modern facade reflecting its use of technology, also elevates the focus of history over art. Read more about Fukuoka, Japan

Dalian is a port of the Republic of China, lying in the Yellow Sea midway between Tanggu (the port for Beijing) to the west, and the coastline of North Korea to the east. The city’s history in modern times included occupations by Britain, Russia (as a port and rail terminal), and Japan. Post WWII, Russia passed the peninsula to the Chinese and it was renamed Dalian in 1981. Much of the occupational heritage architecture remains. Read more about Dalian, China

Beijing, in Tanggu Province, northern China, is the capital of the People's Republic of China and the nation's political, economic, cultural and educational centre. It is also China's most important centre for international trade and communications. Each year sees about 4.4 million international visitors join with 140 million Chinese tourists to visit this popular tourist destination. Renowned tourist attractions include the: Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven, the Ming Tombs, the National Stadium, and not least Tiananmen Square. Read more about Beijing (Tanggu), China

Beijing, in Tanggu Province, northern China, is the capital of the People's Republic of China and the nation's political, economic, cultural and educational centre. It is also China's most important centre for international trade and communications. Each year sees about 4.4 million international visitors join with 140 million Chinese tourists to visit this popular tourist destination. Renowned tourist attractions include the: Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven, the Ming Tombs, the National Stadium, and not least Tiananmen Square. Read more about Beijing (Tanggu), China

Shanghai, at the mouth of the Yangtze River on the mid-coast of mainland China, is the most populous city in the People's Republic. It is the largest centre of commerce and finance on mainland China, and the show-piece of the world's fastest-growing major economy. It is a major cruise port rivalling Hong Kong and Singapore, and the largest container port in the world. Check your visa requirements. Read more about Shanghai, China

Shanghai, at the mouth of the Yangtze River on the mid-coast of mainland China, is the most populous city in the People's Republic. It is the largest centre of commerce and finance on mainland China, and the show-piece of the world's fastest-growing major economy. It is a major cruise port rivalling Hong Kong and Singapore, and the largest container port in the world. Check your visa requirements. Read more about Shanghai, China

Hong Kong, situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and the South China Sea, is a kaleidoscope of life, a sophisticated fusion of East and West, a city of diversity where new and old meet at every turn. Hong Kong offers a host of memorable tourist attractions within its compact area. Victoria Harbour and the Giant Buddha are among the most awe-inspiring. Then take the famous Escalator and the Tram to the Peak, the tallest point on the island, with some of the most expensive homes to be found anywhere. Read more about Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Hong Kong, situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and the South China Sea, is a kaleidoscope of life, a sophisticated fusion of East and West, a city of diversity where new and old meet at every turn. Hong Kong offers a host of memorable tourist attractions within its compact area. Victoria Harbour and the Giant Buddha are among the most awe-inspiring. Then take the famous Escalator and the Tram to the Peak, the tallest point on the island, with some of the most expensive homes to be found anywhere. Read more about Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Da Nang, Vietnam's dominant port and 4th largest city, is located on the southerly curve of a vast well-protected bay on the South China Sea coast, midway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The city has a strong industrial base, a traditional fishing industry, and growing tourism market. Stroll along the Han riverfront with its modern hotels, apartments and restaurants. Spectacular new bridges span the river, and in the north the landmark new D-City is rising from the flatlands. Read more about Da Nang, Viet Nam

The port of Phu My in the Mekong delta is a gateway to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC; 2 h. NW) and the seaside resort of Vung Tau (40 min. SE). Ships dock at a commercial port, and tourists take a tour connection to HCMC or Vung Tau. Read more about Phu My, Viet Nam

Singapore is an island nation located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. It lies 137 km N of the Equator, just south of the Malaysian state of Johor. One of the few remaining city-states in the world, Singapore is a thriving cosmopolitan city that is brimming with diversity and has a multiplicity of culture, language, arts and architecture and a world famous variety of cuisine. You'll find historic sites like the Thian Hock Keng temple, superlative shopping, including gargantuan malls, and numerous beaches. Read more about Singapore, Singapore