Panama Canal Cruise - from Miami - 131036

Miami is a city at the South-East coast of the US state of Florida. The "Coconut Grove" district was the heart of the settlement in 1884. Today, the city is dominated by elegant boutiques and pavement cafés. Often, free street concerts are held in the side streets - usually reggae or jazz music. The city has numerous high-rise buildings, hotel complexes, areas with palm trees, shopping centres, cultural and recreational facilities. Sights include: the Southeast Financial Center - the tallest building in Florida at 55 storeys high; Dade Country Courthouse; Metro Dade Cultural, a cultural centre that houses Miami Dade Main Library; the Centre for Fine Arts and the Historical Museum of Southern Florida.

Puerto Plata is one of the oldest cities in the Dominican Republic, founded in 1496 by Columbus' brother, Bartolomeo. In the 19th century the city experienced an economic boom on account of the harbour. The old town centre, featuring mainly wooden houses built in that Victorian gingerbread-house style, is well worth a visit. In the small streets around the Parque Central with a nostalgic glorieta pavillion there are lots of little shops, restaurants and cafés. The sights include San Felipe fort, built in the 16th century as protection against the many pirate attacks. Just next to it is the harbour, where stranded ships are a reminder of the hurricanes that have ravaged the coast.

Kralendijk is on Bonaire, one of the ABC Islands. It is a charming little island capital with a small harbour and a number of lovely old colonial houses dating from the 18th and 19th century. Fort Oranje, a Carribbean fort from the 19th century, the governor's palace - today the seat of the island parliament, the old port authority and the small fish market are all well worth a visit. Karel's Beach Bar is where people meet to watch the sun set in Kralendijk. The main shopping street is Kaya Grandi, where you can find anything you might need in the gift shops, boutiques and the large supermarket towards the city centre. Restaurants and bars are located mainly by the coast road with a view of the harbour.

Willemstad is the capital of Curaçao, the largest of the ABC Islands and a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site since 1997. The city is divided in two by the entranceway to the port and the famous Emma Bridge connects the two parts. The floating market with sailors and schooners from South America who sell fish, fruit and even monkeys direct from their ships is a must-see. Other sights include Fort Amsterdam, built in the 17th century, the Curaçao Museum with its old furniture and the oldest synagogue in the western world, Mikve Israel Emmanuel Synagogue, which dates from 1732. The houses in the old town, built in the Dutch colonial style, are also well worth a look. The vibrant port town is the perfect place to take a stroll and do some shopping, since it has many shops and shopping arcades

Oranjestad is the capital of Aruba, the smallest of the ABC-Islands and is closest to Venezuela. Oranjestad is a lively little town with many shopping arcades and restaurants. The new houses are a rather bold and colourful echo of the old colonial style, making it seem at times like one has landed in a Caribbean version of Disneyland. This is also where visitors can find the lovely schooner harbour, where there is a daily market. Zoutman Fort, the oldest building on the island, houses the Historical Museum. Every Tuesday a mini music festival is held in the courtyard, providing an insight into island culture. The Archaeological Museum, the Geological Museum and the Numismatics Museum are also worth a visit. Oranjestad is famous for its excellent shopping facilities and the shopping street of Caya Betico Croes offers the greatest choice. In terms of tourism, Aruba is the most developed of the islands. The shops entice passengers with duty free luxury articles; or visitors can choose to spend a day at the beach or get carried away by the nightlife in one of the island's many casinos. To the North-West of Oranjestad is where the main beach, measuring 12 kilometres in length, begins. It is a lovely sandy beach lined by palm trees and hotels ranging from up-market to pure luxury high-end. Anyone spending any length of time on Aruba should definitely take a trip inland to see the huge monoliths and the ancient rock paintings of the indigenous peoples in the caves at Fontain and Canashito and at the cliffs of Arikok and Ayo.

Cartagena was founded in 1533 by Pedro de Heredias, a Spaniard and companion of Columbus, as a naval port. The historic old town and the harbour are listed and have been a World Heritage Site since 1984. Due to the flourishing trade in gold from Peru, silver from Bolivia and emeralds from Muzo, the city developed quickly and magnificently. Today, mainly oil coffee and platinum are exported and the city has been able to make a name for itself as one of the most beautiful colonial cities of South America. Sights include: the Gold Museum, the cathedral dating from the 16th/17th century and the San Felipe de Barajas fort with its amazing system of tunnels.

Puerto Limon is the port and capital of the province of Limon at the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and the most important Atlantic port for the export of bananas and coffee. The busy town centre is dominated by a multicultural atmosphere. The main attractions include Vargas Park, where there are lots of Banyan trees in which you can sometimes see up to thirteen sloths snoozing!

In the middle of Central America lies the tropical region of the Panama Canal with its lush vegetation and rainforests. The Panama Canal is a technical masterpiece and one of the most important waterways in the world. It takes just a day to travel along the canal, but visitors are sure to remember the trip for many a long year.

In the middle of Central America lies the tropical region of the Panama Canal with its lush vegetation and rainforests. The Panama Canal is a technical masterpiece and one of the most important waterways in the world. It takes just a day to travel along the canal, but visitors are sure to remember the trip for many a long year.

Oranjestad is the capital of Aruba, the smallest of the ABC-Islands and is closest to Venezuela. Oranjestad is a lively little town with many shopping arcades and restaurants. The new houses are a rather bold and colourful echo of the old colonial style, making it seem at times like one has landed in a Caribbean version of Disneyland. This is also where visitors can find the lovely schooner harbour, where there is a daily market. Zoutman Fort, the oldest building on the island, houses the Historical Museum. Every Tuesday a mini music festival is held in the courtyard, providing an insight into island culture. The Archaeological Museum, the Geological Museum and the Numismatics Museum are also worth a visit. Oranjestad is famous for its excellent shopping facilities and the shopping street of Caya Betico Croes offers the greatest choice. In terms of tourism, Aruba is the most developed of the islands. The shops entice passengers with duty free luxury articles; or visitors can choose to spend a day at the beach or get carried away by the nightlife in one of the island's many casinos. To the North-West of Oranjestad is where the main beach, measuring 12 kilometres in length, begins. It is a lovely sandy beach lined by palm trees and hotels ranging from up-market to pure luxury high-end. Anyone spending any length of time on Aruba should definitely take a trip inland to see the huge monoliths and the ancient rock paintings of the indigenous peoples in the caves at Fontain and Canashito and at the cliffs of Arikok and Ayo.

St. George's is the capital of Grenada, which is one of the prettiest ports in the Caribbean with its narrow, steep streets running between the houses and churches. The horseshoe-shaped harbour basin of the Carenage in the town centre is encircled by Wharf Road. Along the quay promenade there are old warehouses from the French and British colonial era, some of which have been restored and converted into restaurants, shops or offices. On the elevated area around St. George are the remains of old fortifications, such as Fort George, behind which rises the silhouette of the forested mountainsides.

Roseau is the capital and the economic and cultural centre of the island of Dominica, in the Lesser Antilles. Directly by the harbour is 'Market House', which dates from 1810, and the lovingly restored 'Old Market', where tourists can buy souvenirs. The Anglican church is particularly worth seeing, as is 'State House', once the seat of the governor, and the new parliament building dating from 1811. The Methodist Church, the Botanic Gardens and the Roman Catholic cathedral are also worth a vist. The elevated plateau at Morne Bruce - once an excellent defence post -provides a fantastic view of the capital and the bay. But what the island of Dominica is most famous for is the extinct volcanoes, the huge tropical forests with hot springs, waterfalls and deep blue lakes.

Basseterre is a port on the Antilles Island of Saint Kitts and is the capital of the islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis. The city has a population of 12,600, who live mainly from the textiles industry. The deep-water harbour was only recently completed. The city's architecture is greatly influenced by the British and French colonial periods, particularly around "Independence Square". The most important sights include "The Circus", "Independence Square" and St. George's Church. The crafts and trade house is also interesting. You should definitely take the time to explore the Brimstone Hill fort and the "Black Rock", which are not far from the capital. The Caribelle batik factory is also worth a look. The Great Ape Research Centre, the "Frigate-Bay-Development", the South-East peninsula and the Mount-Liamuiga crater are other interesting places for excursions.

Tortola, the "pigeon island", is the largest and most densely populated of the British Virgin Islands. At 543 m, Mount Sage is the highest point on the island and offers the best view of the coral reefs and many bays. Large areas of the forest are nature reserves. Not far from Road Town, the capital of the island, are the remains of the British fort, Fort George, which dates from the 18th century, and Harrigan's Hill still has the remnants of Fort Charlotte. Fort Recovery is assumed to have been established by the first Dutch settlers. The ruins of "The Dungeon", which can be seen by Pockwood Pond are also well worth a visit. Even today, you can see pictures scratched into the walls of the vaults.

Miami is a city at the South-East coast of the US state of Florida. The "Coconut Grove" district was the heart of the settlement in 1884. Today, the city is dominated by elegant boutiques and pavement cafés. Often, free street concerts are held in the side streets - usually reggae or jazz music. The city has numerous high-rise buildings, hotel complexes, areas with palm trees, shopping centres, cultural and recreational facilities. Sights include: the Southeast Financial Center - the tallest building in Florida at 55 storeys high; Dade Country Courthouse; Metro Dade Cultural, a cultural centre that houses Miami Dade Main Library; the Centre for Fine Arts and the Historical Museum of Southern Florida.