Sail from Central America and Colombia into an island-hopping odyssey stretching from the southern beaches of the Caribbean all the way north to Philipsburg, St. Maarten. Cook up cornmeal Arepas stuffed with chicken or avocado, bake fresh fish inside Bijao leaves, and chop up fresh salsa toppings as you master Colombian regional dishes in Cartagena's old city. Trot your faithful steed past gentle surf, iconic lighthouses and into Aruba's unique desert surroundings during a horseback tour outside Oranjestad. Glide above mesmerizing coral reefs and colorful tropical fish as you paddle glass bottom kayaks in a protected harbor before snorkeling at Bonaire Marine Park. Captain a 17-foot speed boat to Soufriere Bay to relax in the shadows of the iconic Pitons and swim or snorkel in the isolated waters of Anse Cochon off St. Lucia. Fly past tropical fruit trees and curious monkeys on a scenic zipline high above St. Kitts!

Explore the inner workings of the Panama Canal, head into the jungle to meet with Embera Indians, or take an aerial tram ride through the rainforest canopy.

Welcome to the sparkling city of Cartagena, where the gold and jewels of the Spanish Main awaited shipment across the Atlantic. No pirate could resist, nor will you be able to when you visit this historic city. The Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is surrounded by 400-year-old walls and contains a plethora of churches, fortresses, and restored colonial mansions. Outside the walls are more treasures: Climb the massive Castillo de San Felipe to investigate its maze of hidden tunnels, or shop for the perfect emerald.

Romantic Santa Marta has it all: history (Colombia’s oldest city), natural beauty (from gentle bays and beaches to the highest coastal mountain range in the world), and its very own celebrity. Simon Bolivar  (“The Liberator”) is known as the George Washington of South America, and this was his Mount Vernon. Visit his beautiful estate or head to one of  the two UNESCO Biosphere Reserves nearby.

Known for having some of the best beaches in the Caribbean, this Dutch port makes it easy to just … take it easy. Walk through town to choose your favorite carved wooden door, or spend the day like the Arubans do playing dominos at a beachside table.

Savor the pastel colors of the historic UNESCO site Old Town and the way the elaborate Dutch gables cut baroque curlicues from the sky. It’s the perfect appetizer for a day of watersports or an adventure below ground at the magical Hato Caves—filled with eerie limestone formations and ancient petroglyphs.

The ice cream colors of the stucco houses will draw your lens, as will the pink flamingos on the salt pans. But you’ll need a waterproof camera to complete the portrait since more than 400 fish species and 50 types of coral wait beneath the surface

Inhale the intoxicating aroma of the “Isle of Spice” as your eyes feast on what is widely claimed to be the most beautiful city in the Caribbean. Spend the day on 2-mile-long Grand Anse beach, and before you go, a taste of nutmeg ice cream is a must.

With fewer than 300 inhabitants and miles of secluded beaches, it's easy to feel as if you're on your own private island. Saline Bay is a delightful anchorage that separates the Caribbean from the Atlantic - and a perfect place to play with some of the toys from the Watersports Platform.

Jolly old England comes to life in the city and its garrison, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Further afield, you’ll find historic sugar plantations and the fairyland magic of Harrison’s Cave.

Get ready for a full day with plenty to do. Snorkel alongside brilliant parrot fish in the bubbly waters of Champagne Beach. Take a break to enjoy more than 150 species of plants and brilliant red-necked Jaco parrots at the botanical gardens. If you’re up for an optional hike, don’t miss Boiling Lake and the Valley of Desolation at Dominica’s Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The UNESCO site Pitons’ with their two majestic volcanic peaks and 24 miles of vibrant coral reef welcome you to St. Lucia. Nearby Pigeon Island National Park features impressive ruins of English forts, archaeological relics of Arawak Indians, and splendid beaches.

This is the Caribbean as you’ve always imagined it, with yacht-filled harbors set against volcanic mountains and endless stretches of palm-fringed beach. The underwater world here attracted the likes of Jacques Cousteau, but even novice snorkelers will enjoy exploring these impossibly blue waters.

Today we visit “Pompeii of the Caribbean”—an island that is half lush and green, half gray and covered in ash by a volcano in 1995. And if a half-buried city isn’t intriguing enough, there are black-sand beaches and a perplexing Irish heritage to explore.

Affectionately known as St. Barts, the Caribbean’s most chic island adds a French flair to Riviera-like beaches and duty-free boutiques. Walk past gingerbread cottages in search of celebrities, shop for designer fashions, or sip the island’s signature ti punch as kite surfers fly by.

With Georgian architecture situated against an irresistible backdrop of emerald green hills, Basseterre is one of the loveliest of the Caribbean’s small capitals. Beyond town, more than a quarter of St. Kitts has been set aside as Brimstone Hill Fortress national Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Pastel-colored buildings and shops filled with tempting souvenirs herald your arrival to bustling Philipsburg. Situated near the harbor on the Dutch side of St. Maarten, Philipsburg owes its discovery to Christopher Columbus in 1493. Today, celebrated Front Street is home to a number of local Creole restaurants as well as jewelry stores, stylish boutiques, and lively casinos for visitors seeking an upbeat island experience.