Caribbean Amazon Culture

Miami, located on the Atlantic coast at the southern tip of Florida, where outdoor sports are open all seasons and dress is casual, is a melting pot of cultures. Miami and Miami Beach are in effect two distinctly different cities, as Miami Beach is almost exclusively tourist orientated, while Miami is a cosmopolitan city with a distinctly Latin American flavour. Don’t miss the South Beach section where fashion designer Gianni Versace lived and died that is one of the trendiest neighbourhoods in the world. Read more about Miami, USA

With acres of unspoiled coastal land, vast natural resources and rich historic and cultural influences, Costa Maya offers visitors true insight into the essence of Mayan culture and the heritage of the Mexican Caribbean. While the port itself is home to: a modern tourist shopping mall; a central plaza with saltwater pools and swim-up style bars; as well as stores selling a mixture of souvenir items, most visitors enjoy going further afield. Costa Maya has the highest concentration of Mayan archeological sites and the largest existing Mayan population in Mexico. Read more about Costa Maya, Mexico

Harvest Caye, on an island 800m off the coast of Belize in the Caribbean, is Norwegian Cruise Line’s latest island development. Ships berth directly at the 75 acre resort. Features include: bars, 3 ziplines running from the ‘lighthouse’ over a giant pool, waterfall, private beachfront cabanas (pay), a nature centre, food outlets, and a variety of ship-sponsored shore excursions. Read more about Harvest Caye, Belize

Roatan (aka Ruatan, Rattan) is the largest of the Bay Islands, which are a part of Honduras, lying just over 48 km from the northern coast of the Honduran mainland. It is known around the world for its scuba diving. The reef surrounding the island attracts beautiful tropical fish and snorkellers alike. Read more about Roatan, Honduras

Puerto Limon - aka Limon - is the capital of Limón Province in Costa Rica. It is the country's main Caribbean port, and most of its citizens are of African descent. Originally from Jamaica, these workers were brought to the area in the late 19th century to build the railroad line from San José to Limón. Read more about Puerto Limon, Costa Rica

Cristóbal lies at the northern entrance to the Panama Canal. It is part of the province of Colón, a port city at the entrance to Limon Bay, at the Atlantic (Caribbean) entrance of the canal. (Interestingly, Cristóbal Colón is the Spanish translation for Christopher Columbus.) The port, Old Cristóbal, was first built by the Panama Railroad Company in the 1850s, and dredged material became landfill for the present Cristóbal. Read more about Cristobal, Panama

Cartagena is a large beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region. While in recent years many new skyscrapers have been constructed, Cartagena's colonial walled city with its amazing architecture, such as The Vaults that were originally built as dungeons and from the top of which the Caribbean Sea is visible. There is also the Castillo de San Felipe, a fortress built in 1657 by the Spanish for protection against pirates. Read more about Cartagena, Colombia

Read more about Willemstad, Curaçao, Curaçao

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. Read more about Oranjestad, Aruba, Aruba

Castries is the capital of the volcanic island country of Saint Lucia, part of the Lesser Antilles in the eastern Caribbean Sea. Its popularity stems from the tropical weather (the dry season runs from December through May), scenery, and numerous beaches. Saint Lucia's population is predominantly of African and mixed African-European descent, and while the official language is English, French-Creole is spoken by 95% of the population. Read more about Castries, Saint Lucia

The city of Bridgetown is the capital and largest city of the island country of Barbados, a major tourist destination in the West Indies. The city has numerous attractions, landmarks, monuments, museums, and art galleries of an international standard. It is also a starting point for visiting many other popular cities on the island. Read more about Bridgetown, Barbados

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. Read more about Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago

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’. 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. 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. Read more about Manaus, 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. Read more about Manaus, Brazil

Paranaguá, with its excellent port facilities, is located in the state of Paraná in Brazil. It is the sea port for Curitiba, the capital of the state. The seafront with its colourful buildings is charming and romantic. Read more about Paranagua, 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’. Read more about Santarem, Brazil

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. Read more about Devil's Island, French Guiana

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. Read more about St George's, Grenada

Îles des Saintes is an archipelago in the French Antilles, a dependency of Guadeloupe, which in turn is an overseas department of France. The large island of Guadeloupe lies 12km to the north. Les Saintes consists of two very mountainous volcanic inhabited islands, Terre-de-Haut Island and Terre-de-Bas Island, with seven other uninhabited islets. Read more about Les Saintes, Guadeloupe

Pigeon Island is a 40 acre islet with artificial causeway built in 1972 joining it to Gros Islet commune, on the northern tip of the island-country of Saint Lucia. Saint Lucia is part of the Lesser Antilles in the eastern Caribbean Sea. The island as a whole has switched hands between the British and French throughout its existence. Read more about Pigeon Island, Saint Lucia

The city of Bridgetown is the capital and largest city of the island country of Barbados, a major tourist destination in the West Indies. The city has numerous attractions, landmarks, monuments, museums, and art galleries of an international standard. It is also a starting point for visiting many other popular cities on the island. Read more about Bridgetown, Barbados