CARIBBEAN
Cruises in the Caribbean can stretch from the Florida Keys to the Coasts of Mexico, and the adventures are as numerous as the destinations. Day trips in the Gulf of Mexico allow visitors to explore the Mayan ruins found on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, the giant barrier reef off the coast of Belize, or the rainforests and white water rapids of Costa Rica.
The Caribbean contains its share of attractions in the form of scuba diving trips to reefs rife with ocean creatures, and rich market towns. The Bahamas range over 700 hundred islands and have world-class resorts, golf courses and casinos, one of the largest aquariums in the world, and even pink sand beaches on Harbour Island perfect for relaxing with one of the local concoctions of rum and punch.
Bahamas
The 700 islands of the Bahamas offer everything from mangrove forests, coral reefs, soft sandy beaches and old world architecture. With an interesting past involving privateering and pirates, these islands attract birdwatchers, beach goers and divers, who are drawn to the Great Bahama Bank, an underwater plateau and reef, and to the sunken Bimini Road, rumored to be a lost outpost of Atlantis.
The Bahamas have recently become a modern banker’s oasis, where any whim can be catered to accordingly. Other Bahamian treasures can be found in the Lucayan National Park, which has an extensive and explorable cave system and the beautiful Gold Rock Beach
Belize
English speaking Belize, located in Central America on the Caribbean Sea, shares the relaxed feel of the neighboring islands and mixes it with the dramatic ruins and Mestizo Indian culture found on the mainland. Known for its eco friendly tourism,
Belize offers handsome colonial architecture, a diving haven just offshore of Placencia, where the second largest barrier reef in the world is located, seaside parks, pristine jungle and busy shopping plazas in Belize City, in addition to its crystal clear Mayan Mountain waterfalls. Belize encourages exploration and has opened many of the restored and unexcavated Mayan ruins to the public.
Costa Rica
Divided between the Caribbean Sea on the East and the Pacific Ocean on the West, Costa Rica is rife with prime surf & turf and adventure. Climb to the summit of Volcano Arenal, trek through the rainforest preserved in the Reserva Biológica, or take a quicker tour of the forest by zip-line. Costa Rica spreads its mixture of exotic nature and luxury resorts over 35 beaches, 20 natural parks, unique golf courses and relaxing spas.
Florida Keys
A home to artists, writers and musicians, the Keys are famous for their inhabitants, including writers Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, and Shel Silverstein. The Conch Republic draws heavily from its pirateering roots and from the artists who have lived and continue to live here. Ernest Hemingway’s former residence has become a museum and sanctuary for his six-toed cats.
The Keys offer everything from the watery wilderness of the Everglades National Park, which extends into Key Largo to Pride Fest, a celebration founded by Key West’s gay population. The Florida Keys promise a colorful vacation, rife with culture, nature, history and a touch of the literary.
