Day 1 Miami, Florida, United States
Miami is one of the world's most popular holiday spots. It has so much to offer; from its countless beach areas, to culture and museums, from spa and shopping days out, to endless cuban restaurants and cafes. Miami is a multicultural city that has something to offer to everyone.
Day 3 Cozumel, Mexico
Cozumel, a Caribbean gem off Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, is celebrated for its crystal-clear waters, vibrant coral reefs, and rich Mayan history. A haven for divers and snorkelers, the island is home to the Mesoamerican Reef, teeming with colorful marine life. Beyond the sea, explore ancient ruins like San Gervasio, enjoy local charm in San Miguel's markets, or relax on pristine beaches. Eco-parks like Punta Sur offer lush landscapes and wildlife encounters. Blending natural beauty, cultural heritage, and adventure, Cozumel promises a tropical escape that captivates every traveler.
Day 4 Belize City, Belize
Belize City, a coastal gem, seamlessly blends history and modern vibrancy. Colonial architecture graces lively streets, narrating tales of Mayan roots and cultural richness. A welcoming atmosphere emanates from friendly locals, and diverse festivals celebrate Belize's heritage. The city serves as a gateway to natural wonders, from serene river rides to the renowned Belize Barrier Reef. Pristine beaches like Old Belize Beach invite relaxation. Culinary delights abound, showcasing Belizean flavours. In this enchanting city, every smile, historical landmark, and cultural celebration embodies the warmth and charm that make Belize City an unforgettable destination.
Day 5 Roatán Island, Honduras
Experience true Caribbean island bliss, during your time on the immaculate paradise of Roatan, which is the largest of the Bay Islands. This slim island is framed by glorious powdery white beaches, and rich ocean beds carpeted with diverse coral reefs - alive with fish and marine life. Curious dolphins roll through the waves just offshore, while beach dwellers soak up the sun, and enjoy coconut cocktails, beside leaning palm trees. The beaches here are nothing short of dreamy - with wooden piers teetering out over the water, and thatched roofs providing welcome shade, as you dangle your legs towards the water.
Day 7 Puerto Limón, Costa Rica
Christopher Columbus became Costa Rica's first tourist when he landed on this stretch of coast in 1502 during his fourth and final voyage to the New World. Expecting to find vast mineral wealth, he named the region Costa Rica ("rich coast"). Imagine the Spaniards' surprise eventually to find there was none. Save for a brief skirmish some six decades ago, the country did prove itself rich in a long tradition of peace and democracy. No other country in Latin America can make that claim. Costa Rica is also abundantly rich in natural beauty, managing to pack beaches, volcanoes, rain forests, and diverse animal life into an area the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined. It has successfully parlayed those qualities into its role as one the world's great ecotourism destinations. A day visit is short, but time enough for a quick sample.
Day 8 Bocas del Toro, Panama
Translated as Mouths of the Bull, Bocas del Toro is both a province and an archipelago in the northwest Caribbean Sea in Panama. The archipelago contains 10 larger islands (including the main Isla Colon, where the town of Bocas del Toro is situated), 50 cays and 200 tiny islets. The region contains Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park, Panama's first national marine park that covers over 32,000 acres and protects forests, mangroves, monkeys, sloths, caiman, crocodile and 28 species of amphibians and reptiles. The park also contains Playa Larga, an important nesting site for sea turtles. With all there is to see in this region, visitors should also pause to enjoy the pristine white beaches lined with palm trees that lie all along the surrounding clear waters of the Chiriqui Lagoon
Day 9 Fuerte Amador, Panama
Day 10 Fuerte Amador, Panama
Day 14 Callao, Peru
When people discuss great South American cities, Lima is often overlooked. But Peru's capital can hold its own against its neighbors. It has an oceanfront setting, colonial-era splendor, sophisticated dining, and nonstop nightlife.It's true that the city—clogged with traffic and choked with fumes—doesn't make a good first impression, especially since the airport is in an industrial neighborhood. But wander around the regal edifices surrounding the Plaza de Armas, among the gnarled olive trees of San Isidro's Parque El Olivar, or along the winding lanes in the coastal community of Barranco, and you'll find yourself charmed.In 1535 Francisco Pizarro found the perfect place for the capital of Spain's colonial empire. On a natural port, the so-called Ciudad de los Reyes (City of Kings) allowed Spain to ship home all the gold the conquistador plundered from the Inca. Lima served as the capital of Spain's South American empire for 300 years, and it's safe to say that no other colonial city enjoyed such power and prestige during this period.When Peru declared its independence from Spain in 1821, the declaration was read in the square that Pizarro had so carefully designed. Many of the colonial-era buildings around the Plaza de Armas are standing today. Walk a few blocks in any direction for churches and elegant houses that reveal just how wealthy this city once was. But the poor state of most buildings attests to the fact that the country's wealthy families have moved to neighborhoods to the south over the past century.The walls that surrounded the city were demolished in 1870, making way for unprecedented growth. A former hacienda became the graceful residential neighborhood of San Isidro. In the early 1920s the construction of tree-lined Avenida Arequipa heralded the development of neighborhoods such as bustling Miraflores and bohemian Barranco.Almost a third of the country's population of 29 million lives in the metropolitan area, many of them in relatively poor conos: newer neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city. Most residents of those neighborhoods moved there from mountain villages during the political violence and poverty that marked the 1980s and '90s, when crime increased dramatically. During the past decade the country has enjoyed peace and steady economic growth, which have been accompanied by many improvements and refurbishment in the city. Residents who used to steer clear of the historic center now stroll along its streets. And many travelers who once would have avoided the city altogether now plan to spend a day here and end up staying two or three.
Day 15 Callao, Peru
When people discuss great South American cities, Lima is often overlooked. But Peru's capital can hold its own against its neighbors. It has an oceanfront setting, colonial-era splendor, sophisticated dining, and nonstop nightlife.It's true that the city—clogged with traffic and choked with fumes—doesn't make a good first impression, especially since the airport is in an industrial neighborhood. But wander around the regal edifices surrounding the Plaza de Armas, among the gnarled olive trees of San Isidro's Parque El Olivar, or along the winding lanes in the coastal community of Barranco, and you'll find yourself charmed.In 1535 Francisco Pizarro found the perfect place for the capital of Spain's colonial empire. On a natural port, the so-called Ciudad de los Reyes (City of Kings) allowed Spain to ship home all the gold the conquistador plundered from the Inca. Lima served as the capital of Spain's South American empire for 300 years, and it's safe to say that no other colonial city enjoyed such power and prestige during this period.When Peru declared its independence from Spain in 1821, the declaration was read in the square that Pizarro had so carefully designed. Many of the colonial-era buildings around the Plaza de Armas are standing today. Walk a few blocks in any direction for churches and elegant houses that reveal just how wealthy this city once was. But the poor state of most buildings attests to the fact that the country's wealthy families have moved to neighborhoods to the south over the past century.The walls that surrounded the city were demolished in 1870, making way for unprecedented growth. A former hacienda became the graceful residential neighborhood of San Isidro. In the early 1920s the construction of tree-lined Avenida Arequipa heralded the development of neighborhoods such as bustling Miraflores and bohemian Barranco.Almost a third of the country's population of 29 million lives in the metropolitan area, many of them in relatively poor conos: newer neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city. Most residents of those neighborhoods moved there from mountain villages during the political violence and poverty that marked the 1980s and '90s, when crime increased dramatically. During the past decade the country has enjoyed peace and steady economic growth, which have been accompanied by many improvements and refurbishment in the city. Residents who used to steer clear of the historic center now stroll along its streets. And many travelers who once would have avoided the city altogether now plan to spend a day here and end up staying two or three.
Day 16 Pisco, Peru
Lending its name to the clear brandy that is Peru's favorite tipple and a source of fierce national pride, the coastal town of Pisco and its surroundings hold a special place in the national psyche. It's the point where the Argentinean hero General San Martín landed with his troops to fight for Peru's freedom from Spanish rule. It's the city from which pisco was first exported, and it's also an important seaport that had its heyday during the 1920s, when guano (bird droppings used as fertilizer) from the nearby Islas Ballestas were worth nearly as much as gold.Modern-day Pisco shows little evidence of its celebrated past. Instead, what you'll find is a city struggling to get back on its feet after the disaster of August 2007, when a magnitude 8 earthquake shook the town for three minutes. Disregard for planning permission, illegal building extensions, and the use of adobe (mud brick) as the main building material had left a vast number of Pisco's buildings unable to withstand the quake, and hundreds of lives were lost as homes, churches, and hospitals collapsed during the tremor.Most travelers now base themselves in Paracas, just a few kilometers down the coast. For travelers wishing to assist in Pisco's recovery, there are numerous opportunities to volunteer. Organizations active in the area vary over time, but a good place to start looking for current opportunities is www.idealist.org. Even those without the time to volunteer should know that every nuevo sol spent in local businesses is contributing to rebuilding the region's economy.
Day 19 Coquimbo, Chile
The name Coquimbo is derived from a native Diaguita word meaning 'place of calm waters'. In fact, Charles Darwin had noted that the town was 'remarkable for nothing but its extreme quietness'. Since then, Coquimbo has developed into a bustling port and the region's major commercial and industrial centre from which minerals, fish products and fruits are exported. Used during the colonial period as a port for La Serena, Coquimbo attracted attention from English pirates, including Sir Francis Drake, who visited in 1578. Visitors enjoy strolling around the town, admiring some of the elaborate woodwork handcrafted on buildings by early British and American settlers. These wooden buildings are among Chile's most interesting historical structures. Out of town, the area offers some fine beaches in a desert-like setting. Coquimbo serves as a gateway to the popular resort town of La Serena and trips farther into the Elqui Valley, known as the production centre for Chile's national drink, pisco sour. The valley is also home to several international observatories that take advantage of the region's exceptional atmospheric conditions.
Day 20 Valparaiso, Chile
Valparaíso's dramatic topography—45 cerros, or hills, overlooking the ocean—requires the use of winding pathways and wooden ascensores (funiculars) to get up many of the grades. The slopes are covered by candy-color houses—there are almost no apartments in the city—most of which have exteriors of corrugated metal peeled from shipping containers decades ago. Valparaíso has served as Santiago's port for centuries. Before the Panama Canal opened, Valparaíso was the busiest port in South America. Harsh realities—changing trade routes, industrial decline—have diminished its importance, but it remains Chile's principal port. Most shops, banks, restaurants, bars, and other businesses cluster along the handful of streets called El Plan (the flat area) that are closest to the shoreline. Porteños (which means "the residents of the port") live in the surrounding hills in an undulating array of colorful abodes. At the top of any of the dozens of stairways, the paseos (promenades) have spectacular views; many are named after prominent Yugoslavian, Basque, and German immigrants. Neighborhoods are named for the hills they cover. With the jumble of power lines overhead and the hundreds of buses that slow down—but never completely stop—to pick up agile riders, it's hard to forget you're in a city. Still, walking is the best way to experience Valparaíso. Be careful where you step, though—locals aren't very conscientious about curbing their dogs.
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