Panama Canal Eastbound

Arica

Arica is an oasis, literally. Bordered by desert sand dunes and fertile valleys fed by the melting and life-giving snows of the Andes, this city is located in the heart of some culturally fascinating attractions. The Plaza Colon, Eiffel's iron cathedral of San Marcos, is one such point of interest. Another is the archeology museum in the nearby Azapa Valley. There you'll find pre-Columbian weavings, carvings and mummies from the Chinchorro culture dating back to 10,000 BC. More...

Bahia Paraiso

Bahia Paraiso is located on the far western edge of Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, just bordering the Corcovado National Park to the south. More...

Blanquilla

La Blanquilla is a 72-square-mile limestone island shaped like an arrowhead and named for bright white sand beaches a truly delightful island well off the beaten track of charter boats. It is low lying about 50 feet high. There are some spectacular beaches, clear water and wonderful snorkeling. Blanquilla is also the home of Venezuelan wall diving, sitting as it does on the edge of a deep open trench. The wall starts just 65 feet from shore, and plummets straight down more than 3,000 feet. At some spots, including Piedra del Ahogado (The Drowned Rock), coral pinnacles scratch the water's surface. The walls are also rich with black corals, which are increasingly hard to find throughout the world. More...

Callao

Lima, located seven miles form the port of Callao, was named the City of the Kings. Its grand old quarter is rich with Spanish colonial architecture: The Plaza del Armas has some prime examples. Late in the afternoon, the port of Callao will be filled with fishing boats, returning from a day at sea. More...

Cartagena

Walls built in the 17th century divide this prosperous city into "new" and "old" sections. Distinctive thick-walled houses with high ceilings and central patios typify the Iberian architecture found in the charming older district with its narrow and crooked streets. More...

Coiba Island

Isla de Coiba is the largest island of nine islands within the American Pacific, and is located within Coiba National Park. Coiba covers 120,000 acres and is part of one of the most extensive marine parks in the world, protecting three ecosystems of island, marine, and reef systems. The islands are internationally famous as a turtle nesting site, and also offer magnificent flora, fauna, and bird watching. The area is renowned for the giant Blue and Black marlins caught in the surrounding waters. More...

Coquimbo

Along with its sister-city La serena, Coquimbo is a popular seacoast resort for South American vactioners. Sample the fresh local seafood, visit the Spanish colonial churches of La Serena, or travel up the lovely agricultural Equi Valley to the home of poet Gavriel Mistral, and the Cerro Tololo Observatory´ hugh telescope. More...

Corcovado Conservation Area

Corcovado National Park (54,500 hectares) includes a huge range of habitats from wet, mainly impenetrable rain forest to dripping, steamy cloud forest, oak forest seashore and swamp. The park is located on the Osa Peninsula on the southern Pacific coast and fringed to the west by endless, wide, flat sandy beaches. More...

Darien Jungle

Darien National Park consists of several ecosystems, from coastal mangroves to lowland forests, and from mountain rainforest to the highland cloud forest of Pirre Mountain. Replete with endemic and rare species, Darien is the northernmost range of many South American species and the southern range of numerous Northern and Central American plants and animals. The Cana Biological Station protects diverse wildlife habitats and offers phenomenal bird watching. Darien offers a rich cultural history, from the migration of First Peoples between the Americas to its role as the main Spanish transportation route for gold and silver from Peru to Panama. More...

Gamboa

Gamboa lies in the midst of the lush Panamanian rainforest on Lake Gatunl. It is sited on the course of the Panama Canal, at the north end of the Gaillard Cut. Here you can visit the Gamboa Rain Forest Resort. Surrounded by a unique tropical ecosystem, this 340-acre resort is part of Panama's 55,000-acre Soberania National Park, located midway between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It is a spectacular place, with lush grounds that are home to beautiful tropical foliage and fascinating birds and wildlife. You can board an aerial tram that carries you to an observation tower to view the Chagres River valley and the point at which the river enters the Panama Canal. The tram is almost completely silent, enabling visitors to catch sight of birds and animals along the route who are undisturbed by excessive noise. Alternatively you can take a wildlife watching expedition on Lake Gatn and the Panama Canal. More...

Gatun Locks

Gatun Locks raise or lower a ship 85 feet as ships travel between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. More...

Gatun Yacht Club

Your vessel will anchor off Gatun Yacht Club in Gatun Lake and ships tenders will shuttle you ashore. The facility is a small family recreational area used by residents of the Atlantic community and employees of the Panama Canal Commission. More...

Golfito

Surrounded by steep hills and tropical rain forest, Golfito has a sheltered position on the Golfo Dulce on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. From here you can explore the Corcovado National Park and the black sand beach at Zancudo. The town was founded in the 1930's as a banana port. More...

Golfo Dulce

The Golfo Dulce is one of the most unique and interesting areas in Costa Rica. It is home to the largest rain forest in Central America. This unspoiled ecosystem is one of the few places in the world where rain forest covered slops drop directly into an ocean gulf. This combines the diversity and magic of tropical virgin rain forests, with the peace and beauty of private, secluded beaches, set around an incredible world of exotic marine life. The gulf, which is roughly 16 kilometers wide and 48 kilometers long, is very manageable by small boat, while offering an unlimited number of environments and opportunities to explore and discover your "tropical nature" at its best. It is truly quite incredible. More...

Hunting Caye

Located near where the Caribbean meets the Bay of Honduras is the small and beautiful Hunting Caye. The coral and abundant sea life make for perfect snorkeling or diving. Late in the summer, the cay is home to a large number of nesting Hawksbill sea turtles. Be sure to visit the manned lighthouse station. More...

Isla San Telmo

Isla San Telmo, a remote, undeveloped island donated to Ancon (National Association for the onservation of Nature) and set aside for preservation. Surrounded by secluded beaches, threaded by exploration trails, and inhabited by thousands of pelicans, frigatebirds and boobies, San Telmo is the incarnation of paradise. More...

Manuel Antonio Nat'l Park

Manuel Antonio National Park is perhaps the most visited park in Costa Rica. The picturesque Punta Catedral was once an island off the coast. Over the years, sedimentation filled in a bar of sand, connecting it to the mainland. The locals call this stretch of white sand beach Tombolo. More...

Panama City

Spain settled Panama City in 1519 on the site of an Indian fishing village. Gold and other valuable goods often passed overland through the city to the Caribbean, making Panama a target for thieves. In 1671 British Pirate Henry Morgan tore through town, leaving behind total ruins. Two years later, Panama was rebuilt on a nearby site. The city was still ravaged repeatedly until 1746, when the trade route was changed. Panamas independence came in 1903, and Panama City was declared the capital. After the Panama Canal was completed in 1914, the city became an important international business centre.

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Playa Flamingo

If you're a traveler wanting to relax, or an angler anxious for the exhilarating struggle of a marlin or sailfish, Flamingo is the place for you. The marina is host to some of the best boats and captains for deep-sea fishing in Costa Rica, and fishing charters are readily available. As does the fishing, the recreation around Flamingo revolves around the beautiful Pacific Ocean. More...

Portobelo

Portobelo (formerly Puerto Bello, also Porto Belo) is a port town in Colon Province, Panama. Portobelo was founded in 1597. From the 16th to the 18th century it was an important silver-exporting port in New Granada on the Spanish Main and one of the ports on the route of the Spanish treasure fleets. Today, Portobelo is a sleepy town with a population of fewer than 5000. It has a deep natural harbor. In 1980 the fortification ruins, along with nearby Fort San Lorenzo, were declared a World Heritage Site. More...

Puerto Moin

Puerto Moin is a busy harbor, located just outside Puerto Limon.
Don´t miss its palm promenade and the Parque Vargas with its
beautiful tropical flowers. More...

Quito

Nestling between two spectacular towering Andean Ranges, Quito-Ecuador's capital, also straddles the Equator and, as such, lays claim to being the 'City at the centre of the world'. It is a city of wonderful juxtapositions! The wonderfully preserved and restored Old Town, a living testimony to Quito's colonial past, is complimented by the modern glass skyscrapers, electric trolleys and mansions to the north of the city. Even the somewhat dominant and highly active Pichincha Volcano, coexists harmoniously on the city's western side. More...

Salaverry

This is our gateway to the treasures of northern Peru. Named after the Spanish city where conquistador Francisco Pizarro was born, Trujillo's stately mansions and decorated balconies date back as far as 1534. This is the Moche Valley, home to the extraordinary adobe citadels built a thousand years earlier by the Chimus and Mochicas. Most remarkable of all is Chan-Chan. Capital of the Kingdom of the Great Chimu and the largest city in South America to be built of mud, it once covered an area of over 12 square miles. Our guides will pick out the highlights which include murals that tell of the people's ancient rituals and stepped pyramids that rise over 90ft high. More...

San Andres Island

The San Andres and Providencia archipelago comprises Colombia's Caribbean islands, lying some 290 miles north of the South American coast. Palm-dotted San Andres is only eight miles long and two miles wide. It is noted for beautiful sand beaches, crystal-clear waters and good diving sites. At one time the island belonged to Britain and, according to local lore; it was a favorite hideout for the legendary pirate Henry Morgan. In 1822, San Andres came under the control of Colombia. In recent years the original population has greatly increased due to unrestricted immigration from the mainland. The island is best seen via the scenic ring road that offers views of coves, beaches and palm groves. In the interior stands a Baptist church dating from 1847, and the attraction at the southern end is the Hoyo Soplador, a geyser-like hole where the sea shoots jets of water intermittently into the air during the right wind and sea conditions. More...

San Jose

San Jose is the capital city of Costa Rica, strategically located in the center of the country. In addition to being an intriguing cultural destination, it is the perfect base from which to enjoy a wide variety of activities. Choose your own array of trips to both urban and rainforest areas, then return to the comfort of your ship at the end of each action-packed day. More...

Santa Marta

In the land of Simon Bolivar, visit the plantation where the Great Liberator died penniless, his dreams of a Gran Colombia shattered. Also on the grounds, the Museo Bolivariano, featuring contemporary art donated by artists from the countries he liberated. Celebrate your own freedom in a chic waterfront cafe or tour banana and coffee plantations. More...