Atlantic Coast & Panama Canal Quest - 6269A

Montreal is the largest city in Quebec, Canada, and is also the largest inland port in the world. Situated between a majestic mountain and the sparkling St Lawrence River, sailing into the port with its impressive skyline of grand 19th century grey stone buildings never loses its fascination for passengers. Old Montreal is one of the main attractions, where visitors can travel by horse-drawn carriages, stroll along the cobble stone streets, visit museums, art galleries, chic boutiques and vintage coffee shops. It is regarded as one of the most well-preserved ‘Old Towns’ west of Europe, which makes it a truly different North American city. Read more about Montreal, Canada

Quebec, capital of the Canadian province of the same name, is so ‘French’ it is said that to visit Quebec is to experience France without crossing the Atlantic. French must be the predominant language on signs, retail or food service employees always greet customers in French, and there are even laws dictating whether parents can send their children to English or French school. The architecture, ambience and mostly French-speaking citizens are proof that some of France has been permanently ingrained in North America. In addition to its European flair, Quebec City is the only remaining walled city north of Mexico. Read more about Quebec, Canada

The 96 km Saguenay River is a major river of Quebec, Canada. It is bordered by steep cliffs and has a very high flow rate. The river drains into the Saint Lawrence River at Tadoussac, where its cold waters merge with the warmer waters of the St. Lawrence River, creating a krill-rich feeding ground that draws marine mammals and birds. Read more about Saguenay River, Canada

The 96 km Saguenay River is a major river of Quebec, Canada. It is bordered by steep cliffs and has a very high flow rate. The river drains into the Saint Lawrence River at Tadoussac, where its cold waters merge with the warmer waters of the St. Lawrence River, creating a krill-rich feeding ground that draws marine mammals and birds. Read more about Saguenay River, Canada

Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia, the Gateway to Atlantic Canada, is a lively and colourful combination of urban and rural living at its best. It is situated on the world’s second largest harbour, and the beautifully restored waterfront buildings recall the city's centuries-old maritime heritage, which is also cleverly explained at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Visit the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, and the Halifax Citadel that explores the unique local heritage. Dine on the fresh seafood, taste the local award-winning wines, and then explore the Chapel Hill Gift shop at Spring Garden Road renowned for its great selection of dresses, purses, and gifts. Read more about Halifax, Canada

Shelburne is a small town (population 1700) in SW Nova Scotia, Canada, about 170km south on the same coast as Halifax, the provincial capital. It lies about 18km from the open ocean. This maritime region was part of the French colony Arcadia in the early 1600s. Their small fishing village was raided by English colonists in the early 1700s, who created a fishing station at Cape Roseway in 1715 – now known as Shelburne. Read more about Shelburne, Nova Scotia, Canada

Bar Harbour, nestled on the east side of Mt. Desert Island in Maine New England, USA is said to be a magical mixture of romance, adventure. With its rock-bound coast and soaring granite cliffs, the stonewall-lined and tree-covered road leading you into our town, to the sweeping vistas from atop Cadillac Mountain, there is a special mystique to Bar Harbor that has welcomed visitors for over a hundred years. It is also worth noting that Bar Harbor is home to the USA's eighth oldest golf course which wraps itself between the mountains and the shore, and visitors can try to sink a putt through a waterfall. Read more about Bar Harbor, USA

New York’s port on the Hudson River in Manhattan is four blocks from Central Park. New York is situated on the Atlantic coast of NE United States. With its world-class museums, big statues, even bigger buildings - certainly the Manhattan skyline with its many skyscrapers is universally recognizable - and being the most linguistically diverse city in the world, the Big Apple’s hyperactive rush keeps drawing more and more people to it. The City of New York is a densely packed mass of humanity and all this living on top of one another makes the New Yorker a special kind of person. Read more about New York (Manhattan), USA

New York’s port on the Hudson River in Manhattan is four blocks from Central Park. New York is situated on the Atlantic coast of NE United States. With its world-class museums, big statues, even bigger buildings - certainly the Manhattan skyline with its many skyscrapers is universally recognizable - and being the most linguistically diverse city in the world, the Big Apple’s hyperactive rush keeps drawing more and more people to it. The City of New York is a densely packed mass of humanity and all this living on top of one another makes the New Yorker a special kind of person. Read more about New York (Manhattan), USA

The city of Charleston is located just south of the mid-point of South Carolina's coastline, at the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper rivers, which flow together into the Atlantic Ocean. It is well-known across the United States and beyond for its unique culture, which blends West African, traditional southern American, and French elements. Charleston's numerous parks and scenic, tree-lined streets provide ample space and a beautiful backdrop for walking, jogging and cycling. As an old colonial city with 18th century homes lining cobblestone streets in historic downtown Charleston, it is a delightful tourist destination. Read more about Charleston, USA

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. Certainly the beaches have an international flair and attract tourists from around the world. Read more about Miami, USA

Key West is a city on an island of the same name that lies off the coast of Florida USA. One of the biggest attractions on the island is a concrete replica of a buoy at the corner of South and Whitehead Streets, which claims to be the southernmost point in the continental 48 states. Although Key West today has been revitalised for the tourists, the town has retained some of its sense of individualism and isolation, especially away from the main streets. Walking tours are the best way to see the island's intriguing architecture, courtyards and gardens. Read more about Key West, USA

Belize City, the largest city in the Central American nation of Belize, is located at the mouth of the Belize River on the coast of the Caribbean Sea. For those who spend some time at this small but somehow sprawling metropolis - rather than leave immediately to visit the northern cays - the city will reveal a distinguished history, and several superb sights. These include the Cayo District's caves and the Maya archaeological sites along the Macal and Belize rivers. Through interaction with the city’s inhabitants, visitors appreciate that the city’s astonishing energy and contrasting easy-going Caribbean atmosphere is principally due to the wonderful variety of ethnic groups. Read more about Belize City, Belize

Trujillo is located on a bluff overlooking the Bay of Trujillo, on the Caribbean side of Honduras. The old Spanish fort, with its canons as well as the history of this colonial town, sits on the. An almost volcano-like mountain looms behind the city, making for a magnificent physical setting. It is a tropical paradise in the rough, and not a Holiday Inn or Motel in sight. Read more about Trujillo, Honduras

Bocas del Toro Archipelago is situated in an isolated region on the coast of Panama in the Caribbean Sea, in the Bay of Chirqui. Located on Colón Island, it is the capital city of Bocas del Toro Province. The entire island group is a unique place with its lush tropical vegetation and fauna found only in this part of the world. Add to this the great combination of races and ethnicities that live in harmony with the indigenous Western Caribe peoples and Latinos. Read more about Bocas del Toro, 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

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

Located on Costa Rica’s south Pacific coast near the border of Panama, the small port city of Golfito is a spectacular tropical hideaway situated across from the Osa Peninsula on the Golfo Dulce. It lies on a narrow strip of land along Golfito Bay and is backed against steep green hills covered with pristine rain forest. Once a major banana growing region, due to disease and worker unrest the company closed down. To help the economy, the government established a duty-free zone that attracted shoppers from other regions and the tourist industry started to grow. Read more about Golfito, Costa Rica

Puntarenas is the capital and largest city in the province Puntarenas, on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, and is one of the country’s most important tourist regions. Its coasts are decked with plenty of islands, inlets, beaches and beautiful natural treasures, many of which lie within protected zones, and it is also home to some of the country’s highest mountain peaks. Of great interest is a small ‘old town’ where the buildings are of both historical and architectural interest. There are also many National Monuments, while the old San Lucas Penitentiary on San Lucas Island is very often visited. Read more about Puntarenas, Costa Rica

San Juan del Sur is a municipality and coastal town on the Pacific Ocean in SW Nicaragua. San Juan del Sur started off as a fishing village, and its history makes it such an interesting town. It retains its historical and brightly painted original wooden houses, making sure that the place maintains its charm. San Juan del Sur is popular among surfers, and is a vacation spot for tourists with its mix of solitude, culture, activity and fiesta. Read more about San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

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

Fuerte Amador (Fort Amador, located at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal, is part of an artificial peninsula jutting out into the Pacific from Balboa, which connects four small islands to the mainland. On the west side of Fuerte Amador is the Pacific entrance to the Canal, and on the east side is Panama Bay facing Panama City. The surrounding ocean is always filled with vessels patiently awaiting their turn to transverse the Canal, while on the skyline a few kilometres to the north are the skyscrapers of Panama City. The peninsula itself is home to two marinas and road causeway only. Read more about Fuerte Amador, Panama