EXCURSIONES EN TIERRA

OVERVIEW

Sail on the state-of-the art sleek sailing catamaran to discover the picturesque coastline of Antigua and experience Antiguan hospitality with sparkling wine and local pineapple! Then spend time on one of Antigua’s famed 365 beaches. You will be met at the ship by your tour guide and escorted a few yards to your awaiting sleek sailing catamaran and expert, courteous and knowledgeable crew. From here you will embark on an exhilarating enjoyable boat ride where you will hug the north-western coastline and see Fort James, secluded beaches, 5* hotels, exclusive homes and with interesting narration. There will be an open bar where you can enjoy sparkling wine, rum punch, beers, water and soft drinks served with fresh local pineapple and tuna and cheese finger sandwiches. You will then be taken to one of Antigua’s famed 365 beaches for a stop to have a swim, walk the beach or simply relax before we take you back to your ship through the blue Caribbean waters and have another opportunity to soak up the Caribbean sun and see the Antiguan north-west coast line. This is an opportunity to enjoy the Caribbean as it used to be; peaceful and tranquil yet available for as much fun as you want to make. Take a boat ride, enjoy local Antiguan pineapple with sparkling wine, enjoy drinks from the open bar and visit one of Antigua’s famed 365 beaches; enjoy the tour prepared by people who know Antigua and Caribbean the best and simply relax. And don’t forget your swimsuit, towels and camera to record wonderful memories!

HELPFUL HINTS

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

Limon was originally founded as a city to ship bananas to Europe and North America, it is prized for its vibrant Caribbean culture, stunning scenery and intricate waterway systems.

Join us as we explore the region and learn about its history, culture and heritage; drive past quaint villages and fertile plantations on the way to the Pachira Lodge dock where you’ll embark on a cruise to the peaceful Tortuguero Canals a network of natural and man-made waterways; As you cruise the canal in your covered boat, keep your eyes open as you might be able to spot wildlife, such as sloths, howler monkeys, crocodiles and many waterfowl species, participate in a guided walk through the tropical rain forest using a network of above-ground cemented pathways. At the dock, you’ll be served a boxed fruit snack. Afterwards, re-board your transportation for the short drive to the train stop where you’ll depart on an open-air train that made its first trip in 1950 and gave birth to the banana industry. Upon arrival at the stop, you will re-board your transportation and head back to the ship via a scenic coastal road.

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.

OVERVIEW

Interact with southern stingrays on a shallow sandbar and observe an abundance of other marine life by snorkeling a barrier reef off Grand Cayman. A scenic cruise along beautiful Seven Mile Beach will bring you to Stingray City, a collection of sandbars teeming with stingrays. These graceful creatures may look somewhat ominous, but they are docile and shy, often burying most of their flat bodies in the sand. While swimming with the stingrays, you might feed them, run your hands over their sandpaper-like skin or simply allow them to brush by. The stingrays that inhabit this particular sandbar are quite friendly and accustomed to sharing the water with people. After cruising to a nearby reef, you will see many of the other marine creatures that live in the crystal-clear waters. Among the most colorful are queen parrotfish, red-and-white striped squirrelfish and silvery yellow French grunts, whose name refers to the noise they make by grinding their teeth.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Visit a series of shallow sandbars with so many stingrays that it’s called Stingray City.
• Feed and touch the stingrays or simply watch them from a distance.
• Snorkel a barrier reef and observe the other marine life that lives off Grand Cayman.

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

OVERVIEW

Experience the outdoors in unusual ways that bring you much closer to nature. A visit to Monkeyland will literally put you in touch with nature because the resident squirrel monkeys have been trained to eat right out of your hand. Bright-eyed and intelligent, these slender monkeys are exceptionally social creatures and will and climb up on your shoulders, if allowed. You will interact with nature in a more physical way at Damajagua Falls, a series of cascades that you will reach by walking up a jungle-enshrouded river bed. Upon reaching a deep pool at the bottom of one of the remarkably blue cascades, you will be welcome to swim. Or you may opt to simply rest on a boulder along the shore and admire the scenery. The mood will be entirely different once you hop into an ATV-like buggy and race off-road through the countryside. Few experiences are quite so exhilarating.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Interact up-close with the gregarious squirrel monkeys at Monkeyland.
• Walk through the rainforest to a series of waterfalls on the Damajagua River.
• Swim in a pool beneath a waterfall and relax on the surrounding boulders.
• Ride through a jungle-like setting in a buggy designed for off-road adventure.

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

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.

OVERVIEW

Race through the lush countryside in a powerful dune buggy and then take a refreshing swim in a wild river. The setting for this exhilarating experience will be the Yaaman Adventure Park, a former 18th-century plantation whose sprawling grounds of nearly 1,000 acres are blanketed with forests. After a briefing to become familiar with the dune buggy, you will hop on and tear off into the hills. You can take the wheel of the two-person vehicle, ride along as a passenger or switch positions when convenient. Either way, the off-road ride will be a nonstop thrill, especially when you zip through wet areas and the mud starts flying. A relaxing swim in the Secret Blue Hole River will perfectly complement the adrenaline rush of the dune buggy ride. The gently flowing waters wind through a naturally beautiful setting that couldn’t be more serene. A classic Jamaican lunch will round out the adventure.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ride off road through the grounds of an 18th-century plantation in a dune buggy.
• Drive the dune buggy or ride along as a passenger; either way, it will be exhilarating.
• Swim in the crystal-clear waters of a mountain-fed river surrounded by forest.
• Savor a Jamaican lunch that will likely include jerk chicken.

HELPFUL HINTS

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

OVERVIEW
Race through the tree canopy on a series of exhilarating zip lines and then cool off in the Damajagua River as it cascades through the dense jungle terrain. The five ziplines more or less follow the river and offer a wonderfully unique perspective of the tropical landscape, as they span platforms high above the ground. To reach some of the ziplines, you will need to walk across swaying suspension bridges, which definitely add to the excitement. Afterwards, you will follow the guide along a section of the river with a dozen cascades. You will jump off some of the waterfalls into the deep pools below, while other waterfalls are more easily negotiated by sliding down natural waterslides carved in the rocks. You will also have time to swim in the cool, remarkably blue water between the cascades. Over time, the Damajagua has carved steep canyons into the terrain, so you can expect the scenery to be magnificent.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Fly high above the jungle floor on five ziplines and walk across two suspension bridges.
• Follow a guide down the Damajagua River as it cascades through the mountainous jungle.
• Jump off and slide down the waterfalls and swim in the cool pools below the cascades.

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

OVERVIEW

Ride across the island in an open-air Jeep to a natural pool along the sea and a cave adorned with centuries-old pictographs. You will enjoy uninterrupted views of the gorgeous countryside as you travel through Aruba’s rugged interior, often on roads only accessible in a 4-wheel-drive vehicle. The seaside pool lies within the Arikok National Park, an environmentally protected wonderland that covers nearly 20% of the island. It will be immensely relaxing to ease into the crystal-clear waters of the secluded pool, which fills a bowl-like depression in the volcanically formed shoreline. Nearby, you will explore Fontein Cave, whose limestone walls are covered with reddish-brown drawings – some floor-to-ceiling – that the indigenous Arawaks created long ago. Anthropologists speculate that the artists may have been under the influence of psychedelics. To experience a weird sensation yourself, dip your feet into the freshwater pool nearby and enjoy a fish pedicure of sorts.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ride through Aruba’s rugged interior, often on roads only suitable for a 4-wheel-drive vehicle.
• Enjoy panoramic views of the volcanically formed terrain, which at times is desert-like.
• Relax in a natural pool along the sea in the Arikok National Park.
• View centuries-old pictographs that the Arawaks drew in the depths of Fontein Cave.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing with a swimsuit underneath.
• Bring a towel and sunscreen.
• 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.

OVERVIEW

Walk through a series of inland caves formed eons ago and admire the island’s natural beauty while driving along the coast. Pirates once used the Crystal Caves as hideouts and legend has it that treasures are still buried in their depths. While following a winding trail through the ancient caverns, you will see eerily illuminated stalactites and stalagmites, a glass-smooth underground lake and a cave whose ceiling collapsed ages ago. The guide will describe how the caves were formed and the wonders that lie within them. Back on the surface, you will settle in for a panoramic coastal drive, during which you will pause for photos at the Wreck of the Ten Sail memorial. It commemorates the convoy 10 British ships that wrecked on the reefs just offshore in 1794 in a massive maritime disaster. You will also stop to witness the coastal blowholes that spew ocean water as high as 20 feet into the air..

HIGHLIGHTS

• Follow a guide through the Crystal Caves, which pirates once used as hideouts.
• View a collection of coastal geysers that spray water spectacularly high into the air.
• Stop at a memorial that marks where 10 ships wrecked on the reefs in the 18th century.

HELPFUL HINTS

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