EXCURSIONES EN TIERRA

Rafting is one of those rare pleasures to experience in Jamaica. The Martha Brae River is blessed with lush banks, sweet air and nature's soothing symphony. Your mode of transportation is a 30 foot bamboo raft with seating for two. A raft captain navigates the meandering river while telling you the tale of Martha Brae, an Amerindian maiden who was tortured by Spanish soldiers to reveal the location of a secret gold mine. While leading her captors to the mystery mine, she summoned magical powers drowning herself and the soldiers. Ponder the legend as your friendly captain poles you downstream for an approximate 90 minute ride. Once at the termination point, you'll board your bus for a sightseeing journey through the town of Falmouth before making a brief stop at the Shoppes at Rose Hall. Your tour concludes with a return sightseeing drive through the port city of Montego Bay to the cruise ship terminal.

Observe the wonders underwater by swimming with sea turtles and snorkeling before relaxing on one of the island’s most spectacular stretches of sand. Barbados is known for its natural beauty and it extends well beneath the water’s surface. After cruising to a spot teeming with marine life, you will ease into the crystal-clear water for a wondrous experience. You may see enormous leatherback turtles gracefully swimming by and hawksbills, a species of sea turtle named for the shape of its head, which tapers to a point that resembles a raptor’s beak. Reef fish are also abundant as you will discover by snorkeling. You may spot queen angelfish, schools of brightly colored blue tangs and honeycomb cowfish, which are easy to identify by the honeycomb-like pattern on their scales that serves as camouflage. You can also expect to snorkel over a shipwreck before cruising to a lovely tropical beach to relax.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Admire the gorgeous scenery of Barbados while cruising off its southwestern coast.
• Swim with sea turtles such as hawksbills and leatherbacks.
• Observe an endless parade of colorful marine life by snorkeling the crystal-clear waters.
• Spend free time relaxing on one of the island’s most inviting beaches.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Take the helm of your own Rigid Inflatable Boat or RIB and zip through the turquoise waters off the northern coast of Tortola to Guana Island. After a briefing to ensure that you maximize the experience, you will follow the guide in a two-person RIB. You can be the captain or ride along as the passenger. The choice is yours. Either way, it will be exhilarating as you race through the sea caravan-style toward Guana Island, most of which is a natural reserve. Along the way, you might pause for the guide to point out and describe the highlights of other islands. You will disembark on White Bay, the longest stretch of sand on privately owned Guana Island, which is supposedly named for a promontory that resembles an iguana’s head. You might bask in the sun, take a refreshing swim and do most anything else that comes to mind.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Zip through the sea off Tortola in a two-person Rigid Inflatable Boat or RIB.
• Captain the RIB or ride along as the passenger.
• Spend free time relaxing on the longest beach on the natural paradise Guana Island.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing with a swimsuit underneath.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Ride the Sky Explorer chairlift to the top of the Mystic Mountain eco-adventure park and explore yet another enchanting park with a botanical garden, animal sanctuary and waterfall. The views from the Sky Explorer will be absolutely breathtaking, especially since the chairlift is open-air, which allows for unobstructed viewing in every direction. From the summit of the mountain, which rises 700 feet above sea level, you will look out over a dense rainforest all the way to the sparkling Caribbean. The ride down will be just as breathtaking. A different sort of environment awaits you at nearby Konoko Falls. This densely vegetated park includes more than its namesake cascade. You will be free to observe the tropical birds in the mini-zoo, stroll through the lush gardens and browse the small museum, whose exhibits cover topics as diverse as the indigenous Taino Indians and present-day curiosities.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ride the Sky Explorer chairlift up and down the forested slopes of Mystic Mountain.
• Gaze out over the natural beauty of the Mystic Mountain eco-adventure park.
• Spend free time at Konoko Falls, a tropical park with a cascade, mini-zoo and gardens.
• Enjoy a boxed lunch of traditional Jamaican dishes.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Behold the natural beauty of St. Maarten from several perspectives, perhaps the most remarkable being from a Sky Explorer chairlift as it glides up and down towering Sentry Hill. The chairlift is just one of attractions on the restored 17th-century Rockland Estate, which includes a small museum that details its history. From the hill’s summit, you will enjoy spectacular 360° panoramic views of the island and neighboring Saba, St. Barts, St. Eustatius and Anguilla. Few sights will be quite so memorable. Across the border in St. Martin – the French side of the island – you will enjoy free time in the capital of Marigot. Rows of brightly colored houses, sophisticated shopping and a laid-back ambiance are but a few of its charms. You will also stop at Maho Beach, a lengthy stretch of sand at the end of the airport’s runaway. There is no better spot to watch planes landing and taking off.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ride the Sky Explorer up and down Sentry Hill, one of the island’s highest points.
• Take in the spectacular tropical views from the summit.
• Independently explore Marigot, the fashionable French colonial capital.
• Watch airplanes land and take off right over your head from Maho Beach.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Drive a 4-wheel-drive vehicle to the eastern shore of Aruba, a spectacularly scenic area full of natural wonders and a 19th-century gold mill. Your Utility Terrain Vehicle or UTV has better traction that most ATVs and is made for heavier duty, so it is ideal to negotiate the island’s rugged terrain. You can drive the 2-person UTV or ride along as a passenger. Either way, it will be a thrill. Although Aruba isn’t often associated with a gold rush, it did experience one after the precious metal was discovered in 1824. You will see evidence of the frenzy that followed at the ruins of the abandoned Bushiribana Gold Mill. Not far off, you will view beautiful Blackstone Beach, the island’s only beach made of volcanic black pebbles, and a natural rock bridge that the pounding of the sea created. Later, back on the island’s western shore, you can enjoy a refreshing swim at Mangel Halto Beach.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Drive a Utility Terrain Vehicle made for off-road adventure or ride along as a passenger.
• See a 19th-century gold mill that was abandoned after Aruba’s gold rush ended a century later.
• View the island’s only volcanic black-pebble beach and a natural bridge along the sea.
• Take a refreshing swim in the sea at a popular beach south of Oranjestad.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing with a swimsuit underneath.
• Bring a towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Race along Antigua’s spectacularly scenic western coast while piloting a jet ski or just riding along as a passenger if you prefer. It won’t take long to reach beautiful Hawksbill Beach in the village of Five Islands, where you will sit in on a briefing that will help you maximize the experience. Once you are comfortable with operating the jet ski or riding on the back of it, you will follow the guide caravan-style through the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean Sea. You can expect it to be an exhilarating ride as you zip along the sheltered coast and in and out of idyllic bays. Antigua’s western shore is among the island’s most picturesque places. After a while, you will stop at a gorgeous beach where you can relax as you please. You might stretch out on the sand, take a refreshing swim or simply gaze out over the sea.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Jet ski along Antigua’s beautiful western coast, either as the driver or a passenger.
• Zip in and out of sheltered coves while taking in the gorgeous tropical scenery.
• Stop to relax and swim at one of the most picturesque beaches.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing with a swimsuit underneath.
• Bring a towel, sunglasses and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Take a ride to one of the local beaches of Curaçao to cruise to Turtle Bay and snorkel its crystalline waters where sea turtles are frequently spotted. On the way there, the crew will describe the characteristics of Curaçao’s three most commonly seen turtles – loggerheads, hawksbills and green turtles. Although these species are endangered due to factors such as loss of nesting habitat, pollution and poaching, sea turtles are relatively abundant off some of Curaçao’s beaches. Snorkeling near one of these magnificent creatures as it gracefully swims by is an experience that you will not soon forget. The crew will offer instruction on how best to behave in the water when close to a sea turtle. The waters are also teeming with tropical fish, many of them incredibly colorful.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Snorkel the waters off Curaçao and look for loggerheads, hawksbills and green sea turtles.
• Listen to commentary from the crew explaining the threats to these endangered species.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Bring a swimsuit, hat, towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Relax however you please on three of the most magnificent beaches along the southern coast of Barbados, an experience that will showcase the island’s boundless beauty. The drive to the first beach will immensely fun and present an authentic look at local life as you will ride in a jitney, a colorful bus that is a popular form of public transportation. Before leaving Bridgetown, you will pass the 19th-century Parliament buildings, several notable neighborhoods and one leafy plaza after another. The exact beaches will be chosen the day of the excursion based on water conditions and the expected number of beachgoers. You will be free to enjoy the tropical settings as you like. You might stretch out on a towel and bask in the sun, stroll along the coast without a care in the world and take a refreshing swim in the sea. Shopping and dining on your own will also be options.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Ride a colorful jitney bus through Barbados with the locals.
• Enjoy free time on three different beaches, each with its own personality.
• Swim, bask in the sun, beachcomb and do most anything else you please at the beaches.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

See the natural wonders of Grand Cayman that lie below the water’s surface, along the coast and inland and come away with an understanding of the island’s many charms. For a look at the teeming marine life that inhabits the coral reefs, you will glide through the sea in an air-conditioned Nautilus semi-submersible submarine. Expect to see an ever-changing parade of brightly colored fish, an old shipwreck and perhaps a sea turtle or two. Back on shore, you will pause for photos at gorgeous Seven Mile Beach and then go straight to Hell, a sinister-looking patch of jagged black limestone that lives up to its name. There is even post office there, if you wish to send a card from Hell. Grand Cayman is also known for its outstanding rum cakes, several of which you can sample along with a variety of premium rums that may be flavored with coconut or banana.

HIGHLIGHTS

• View the underwater wonders while gliding over reefs in a semi-submersible submarine.
• Walk along crescent-shaped Seven Mile Beach and snap photos of the gorgeous scenery.
• Stop in Hell, an ungodly looking spot named for its jagged black limestone formations.
• Sample a selection of premium rums and moist cakes made with flavored rums.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Discover how injured parrots are rehabilitated at the Echo conservation center and then hike through a reforested area looking for yellow-shouldered Amazon parrots. As an introduction to the island’s natural wonders, you will take a circuitous route to the center, driving along the ocean, and on to Goto Lake, where you may spot flamingos. You will delve deeper into the challenges of protecting Bonaire’s birds, especially parrots, when touring the center with a naturalist. It will be inspiring to see how the birds are rescued, rehabilitated and eventually released back into the wild. To enhance your experience and understanding of Bonaire’s endangered Amazon parrots, you will follow the naturalist into a replanted section of dry forest looking for these magnificent birds. Chunky and brightly colored, they are easy to identify. The birds are usually seen in pairs that remain monogamous throughout their lives, which typically last about 40 years on Bonaire.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Tour a conservation center that rehabilitates yellow-shouldered Amazon parrots.
• Hike through a replanted forest looking for parrots with a naturalist guide.
• Admire Bonaire’s extraordinary natural beauty on a panoramic drive around the island.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable trekking shoes.

Witness the natural beauty of the Caribbean at Roatan's finest preservation park – Gumbalimba Park. Explore unspoiled trails where flowers and butterflies give way to the shade of the tropical forest canopy. Make the crossing over Gumbalimba Pond via a scenic rope bridge. Delight in the tranquil sounds of the garden waterfall. Befriend the brilliant winged inhabitants of the Bird Sanctuary where friendly parrots and macaws bring the colors of the Caribbean alive. Ever dreamt of frolicking with monkeys? Enter the Monkey Refugio and meet the white face capuchin monkeys.

Roam through the Botanical Garden and learn more about the native exotic plants. Enter into the Insectarium and discover the world of insects. After exploring, dive into the freshwater pool or take a dip in the Caribbean. Come to Gumbalimba where history and nature awaits you.