19-night Amazon To Caribbean Gems Voyage

The island’s capital, Bridgetown, is one of the Caribbean's major free ports, bustling with activity. Trafalgar Square features the monument to Horatio Nelson. Facing the square are handsome structures of the House of Assembly and the Legislative buildings. George Washington worshipped at St. Michael’s Cathedral during the only trip he made outside of the United States. Housed in former British military prison buildings, the Barbados Museum is divided into various galleries that feature exhibits depicting the history of Barbados from the pre-Columbian period to modern times. Built in 1816, Gun Hill Signal Station is the finest of several signal stations on the island. The white limestone lion behind the garrison is a well-known landmark. Barbados boasts excellent golf courses. A wide range of watersports is available at hotels and special watersports centers.

Scenic Cruising

Today, Santarem is one of the Amazon’s most important trading centers, and is rich in legend and nature. The town is situated at the point where the Tapajos and the Amazon waters meet. This is called the “Wedding of the waters” and is one of Santarem’s major attractions. The lakes and forests of this area are home to numerous species of birds, particularly the white egret.

The little Indian village of Parintins lies beside the river on Tupinambarana Island, amid the largest archipelago of the Lower Amazon. The community can trace its history back through two centuries and still proudly celebrates its traditional Indian culture. On a shore visit you will be entertained at a special recreation of the villagers' annual 'Boi Bumba' festival, featuring some truly spectacular costumes and unique traditional music.

Boca Da Valeria is a remote little Indian community, set at the entrance of the Valeria river on a 400ft hill overlooking the Amazon River and is reached by zodiac or tender. It is located between Parintins and Santarem. Calls allow exploration of the jungle in quest of monkeys, butterflies and the colourful birdlife, - and the opportunity to buy wooden carvings and gourd masks, and see something of the, simple traditional lifestyle of the villagers.

Turning out of the muddy Amazon is the blue Rio Tapajos and the village of Alter do Chao. Tour the Center for Preservation of Indigenous Arts, with displays on the lifestyles of local tribes. Or cross to a white sand beach for a refreshing swim in the clear river waters.

Scenic Cruising

In addition to being site of France's satellite launching base, French Guiana is perhaps best known for the infamous penal colony to which convicts and undesirables were deported from France. For a long time the small archipelago (the Safety Islands) was known by the name of "Devil's Island." The three islands - Devil's Island, Ile Royale and Ile St. Joseph - are about one hour by boat from the mainland. Their notorious convict settlements were built in 1852. On the almost inaccessible Devil's Island, political prisoners like Alfred Dreyfus were held in isolation. The prisoner who became most famous was doubtless Henri Charrière, who was immortalized in the movie "Papillon" for supposedly being the only convict who managed to escape from "the Green Hell." Of 80,000 prisoners sent to the islands, some 50,000 died here. Visit the prison ruins or the Kourou Space Centre.

The capital of Tobago, Scarborough, is also one of its busiest tourist destinations. While visiting the city, see the historical Fort King George which was built in the 1780’s as a British colonial outpost. And what town would be complete without an open-air market? At the Scarborough Market, shop with the locals for fruits, vegetables, livestock and other goods.

Port of Spain is a seaport in northwest Trinidad and the capital, commercial center and leading port of Trinidad and Tobago. Exotic Port of Spain has architecture from around the world from Hindu temples to gingerbread rococo. It is site of Royal Botanical Gardens; National Archives; National Museum and Art Gallery; an Anglican cathedral; and a Roman Catholic cathedral consecrated in 1832. Trinidad, home of carnival and steel-band, is an astonishing melting pot of African, Oriental, Indian, European and New World people and cultures. Birds are a major attraction here. A Native American village known as Conquerabia occupied the site when the Spanish settled in the area in 1595 and renamed the community Puerto de España. After the British took control of the island in 1797, the settlement's name was Anglicized to Port of Spain. The city served as capital of the Federation of the West Indies from 1958 to 1962, before the grouping was dissolved.

A lively blend of French and English cultures, St. George's has steep hills to climb, spectacular views to photograph and a rum distillery to tour. St George's has one of the prettiest harbour settings in the Caribbean. Tourist infrastructure is still generally small-scale and locally owned and offers a good balance between comfort and price, making Grenada a great getaway for those who want to avoid the resort experience.

A lush volcanic island, just 18 miles north to south and 11 miles wide, St. Vincent's windward coast is lined with cliffs and rocky shores pounded by the Atlantic ocean. The leeward coast has spectacular slopes and valleys running down to beaches lapped by the tranquil Caribbean Sea. The Capital, Kingstown, combines reminders of its colonial past with the bright and bustling life of a modern market town.

Castries is the capital of St Lucia, an independent Windward Island in the southeastern Caribbean Sea. What Castries may lack in sophistication it more than compensates for in its colourful Creole mood. Wander amid the lively street market with its fresh fruit, pottery and baskets. Then explore this most scenic of Caribbean islands, whose green mountains are draped in lush vegetation, and whose landmarks include the twin peaks of the Pitons rising sheer from the sea, the steaming sulphur springs of the 'drive-in' La Soufriere volcano and its unspoiled golden beaches. Further sights are to be seen at Diamond Falls and Mineral Baths where visitors can walk the gardens and take a dip in the pool under the waterfalls.

The island’s capital, Bridgetown, is one of the Caribbean's major free ports, bustling with activity. Trafalgar Square features the monument to Horatio Nelson. Facing the square are handsome structures of the House of Assembly and the Legislative buildings. George Washington worshipped at St. Michael’s Cathedral during the only trip he made outside of the United States. Housed in former British military prison buildings, the Barbados Museum is divided into various galleries that feature exhibits depicting the history of Barbados from the pre-Columbian period to modern times. Built in 1816, Gun Hill Signal Station is the finest of several signal stations on the island. The white limestone lion behind the garrison is a well-known landmark. Barbados boasts excellent golf courses. A wide range of watersports is available at hotels and special watersports centers.