Caribbean & Mexico Cruises 2008/2009 - (Page 44) Caribbean Ports of Call sa m p l e shore excursions & scenic cruisi n g holland america line has purposely designed our itineraries to allow guests maximum time in each port. To make the most of it, we have also sought out shore excursions that showcase the city or region at its best, be it nature, history or culture. and there are so many choices; an enticing collection that has consistently earned Porthole Cruise Magazine readers’ choice award for “Best shore excursions. ” Booking shore excursions online You can view excursion information, as well as book your favorite shore activities in advance, at www.hollandamerica.com, where online reservations are processed prior to requests made on board. Basseterre, St. Kitts Charlotteville, Tobago Cristóbal, Panama Unmistakably British, with a formidable fortress atop Brimstone Hill (the “Gibraltar of the West Indies”), a town center known as the Circus and an ornate gingerbread version of Big Ben to sound the hour. Sample shore excursions: St. Kitts’ Scenic Railroad, Fortress National Park & Gardens; Nevis Highlights & Botanical Gardens. Belize City, Belize Low-key and laid-back, Tobago is counterpoint to its saucy sister island of Trinidad. (The two islands gained their independence from the British Commonwealth in 1976 as TrinidadTobago.) Here, the pace is slow with beautiful beaches, secluded coves and quaint fishing villages where goats outnumber the cars. Snorkelers: Don’t miss Buccoo Reef, teeming with beauties of the deep. Sample shore excursions: Tobago Island Drive; Snorkel Adventure. Colón, Panama Canal Here, at the Atlantic entrance to the Canal, ships of every size and flag begin their miraculous journey between two oceans. Only a few blocks away, duty-free Colón. Sample shore excursions: Gatún Locks & Kayak in the Canal; Discover the Emberá Indian Culture; Portobelo Market Town & the Panama Canal. Cozumel, Mexico An eco-tourist’s paradise. Offshore, friendly stingrays glide over the secondlongest barrier reef in the world; inland, brilliant butterflies loop through steamy jungles. Sample shore excursions: Mayan Ruins of Xunantunich & Marimba Lunch; Cave Tubing & Rain Forest Walk; Lost World Canopy Tour; Rendezvous Caye Snorkeling. Bridgetown, Barbados Sultry and scrappy, Colón began as the starting point of a railroad that carried prospectors across the Isthmus of Panama to the California gold fields. Today, as the second-largest duty-free port in the world, it is mahogany, bananas and coconuts that pass through its portals. Sample shore excursions: Emberá Indian Village; Panama Railway; Aerial Tram Ecological Encounters; The Shaping of Panama. Costa Maya, Mexico Once the destination of Mayan women paying homage to Ixchel, Mayan goddess of fertility; today ranked among the world’s premier dive spots. Just a ferry ride away: the Mayan ruins of Tulum, spectacularly sited on the sea cliffs. Sample shore excursions: Tulum Mayan Ruins; Dolphin Swim Adventure; Mexican Cuisine Workshop and Tasting. El Guamache, Isla de Margarita, Venezuela Lovely beaches, hills carpeted in sugarcane and a friendly island spirit (part Bajan, part British) await on Barbados. Sample shore excursions: Natural Wonders of Barbados; Atlantis Odyssey Submarine; Green Monkey Eco Tour; Barbados Yacht Racing Challenge. Castries/Soufrière, St. Lucia Quaint colonial villages, restorative mud baths and glorious unspoiled beaches await on this isle where lustrous pearls for European society were once harvested. Sample shore excursions: Catamaran Sail to Coche Island; Sounds & Flavors of Venezuela; Swim with the Dolphins. Fort-de-France, Martinique Edenic green jungles, dazzling beaches, a drive-in volcano: This lush isle has it all, plus the spellbinding twin peaks — the Pitons. Sample shore excursions: St. Lucian Heritage; Catamaran to Fond Doux Estate; Horseback Riding Adventure. The quiet side of Mexico. Here, along an unspoiled coastal paradise, archaeology buffs discover Mayan ruins shrouded in magic and mystery; divers find treasure in fantastic coral reefs. Sample shore excursions: Kohunlich Mayan Ruins; Coral Reef Snorkel; 4x4 All-terrain Expedition; Fly Fishing Tour. Stunning volcanic history (a museum tells the story of the 1902 Mt. Pelée eruption), rum distilleries and blooms in every tropical hue await on this verdant “Island of Flowers.” Sample shore excursions: 4x4 Jeep ®; Fort-deFrance Historic Walking Tour; Martinique by Land & Sea; Snorkel Martinique. 44 e-brochures available online http://www.hollandamerica.com
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