Search results for "cruise"

Divers and fly-fishermen know Caye Caulker well, but it’s only in recent years that the island has become a popular Belizean getaway for that vast tribe of savvy travelers who judge a place by the availability of hammocks, cold beer, and time for a good book. The island, which sits less than a mile inside Belize’s long barrier reef, is just four miles long and the streets are white sand (which helps explain why golf carts are the most popular way of getting around). Locals say that if you want to know what San Pedro, the main town on neighboring Ambergris Caye, 12 miles to the north, was l...

In the U.S. Virgin Islands, if you want to go shopping, cruise to St. Thomas, and if you want to go back to nature, make a beeline for St. John. But if you want to go back in time, set sail for St. Croix. History is more than a footnote on this former Danish crown colony, where the sugar mill ruins and architecture from the 18th and 19th centuries in the harborside towns of Christiansted and Frederiksted are daily reminders of the past. The best way to explore? Follow the road signs of the Heritage Trail, a self-guided driving tour that links attractions and landmarks across the island, fr...

Sail away. That probably should be the license plate motto on Tortola, the sailing center of the Caribbean's favorite cruising grounds, the British Virgin Islands. Whether you're an experienced sailor planning to "bareboat" your way from island to island, or look forward to hiring a skippered ("leave the driving to us") yacht, or just out for a day sail, the harbor at Road Town is the perfect place to start: The winds are usually steady, the sailing is easy, and there's always a buffet line of nearby islands to choose from. But Tortola is the one island in the BVI that calls for...

No, Charles Darwin didn't discover the Galapagos Islands – it just seems that way. Although that most famous of scientists only spent five weeks here, he managed to see enough to keep him thinking for a half-century. And if you don't have at least a passing acquaintance with Darwin and his voyage aboard the HMS Beagle, this archipelago probably isn't your cup of tea. On the other hand, if natural history is your personal connection to the world around you, by all means set sail for this volcanic cluster off the coast of Equador. Today, many tourists visiting this "living laborat...

When divers dream of a trip to the Caribbean, chances are that Grand Cayman is the first island that comes to mind. It's the cornerstone of a reef-rich archipelago that includes sister islands Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. Grand Cayman itself has more than 150 dive sites, but snorkelers won't feel left out: In fact, the most popular underwater attraction is Stingray City, where divers and snorkelers alike can swim with and feed stingrays that have wingspans up to six feet. (If you prefer to keep your feet dry, you can sightsee by submarine on a 48-passenger underwater vessel.) Mor...

your idea of vacation fun starts with sand, sun, sea, and nonstop action, then you'll love Cancun. It wasn't always that way. In the 1970s Cancun was just a long sandspit and a small fishing village. The Mexican government, however, had a different future in mind for those white-sand beaches and that turquoise water, and now the resort island is dotted with about 100 hotels that can handle some to 2 million visitors a year. Much of the Cancun experience has been crafted to reflect popular American tastes. If you want to party till dawn, it's no problema. You can also shop till ...