Secrets of The Amazon

Miami is a city of perpetual reinvention — the Art Deco jewel of South Beach giving way to the street-art murals of Wynwood, the Cuban rhythms of Calle Ocho, and the glass-and-steel towers of a skyline that has redrawn itself every decade since Julia Tuttle convinced Henry Flagler to extend his railroad south in 1896. Must-dos include strolling the pastel-fronted Ocean Drive at dusk and exploring the world-class collections at the Pérez Art Museum Miami overlooking Biscayne Bay. November through April delivers idyllic weather — warm and dry — while summer brings heat, humidity, and hurricane risk. Miami handles cruise departures elegantly, with the Port of Miami a short taxi ride from the best neighbourhoods.

Bridgetown, Barbados's compact and convivial capital, carries three centuries of uninterrupted British colonial heritage — a UNESCO World Heritage Site of Georgian townhouses, coral-stone churches, and the Garrison Savannah, whose racecourse is the oldest in the Western Hemisphere — all infused with the irresistible rhythms of a proud Caribbean nation. The island's culinary scene has matured into one of the Caribbean's most sophisticated, with flying fish cutter sandwiches from roadside stalls competing for devotion with the elegant seafood preparations of the Platinum Coast's celebrated restaurants. Visit December through May for the driest season; the island's sheltered west coast offers superlative year-round sailing conditions.

Port of Spain is Trinidad's pulsating capital, where African, Indian, and European cultures converge in a city celebrated for Carnival, steel pan music, and one of the Caribbean's most diverse culinary scenes. Must-dos include eating doubles at dawn, watching scarlet ibis at Caroni Bird Sanctuary, and exploring the Queen's Park Savannah. January through May's dry season offers the best weather, with Carnival providing the ultimate cultural immersion.

Macapá straddles the equator at the mouth of the Amazon River in northern Brazil, home to an eighteenth-century Portuguese fortress and the world's only equator-bisected football stadium. Must-dos include visiting the Marco Zero equator monument and taking boat excursions into the Amazon delta's flooded forests. September through December offers the most comfortable weather for exploration.

Santarem, Brazil, delivers South America's irresistible combination of dramatic landscapes, vibrant culture, and extraordinary biodiversity. Essential experiences include exploring local markets, tasting the distinctive regional cuisine, and venturing into the surrounding natural environments. Best visited year-round, though the drier months from May to October tend to offer the most comfortable conditions. Cruise lines including Oceania Cruises feature this port on their most compelling itineraries. Whether you have a few hours or a full day, the port rewards exploration at every pace and in every direction.

Boca de Valeria, Brazil, delivers South America's irresistible combination of dramatic landscapes, vibrant culture, and extraordinary biodiversity. Essential experiences include exploring local markets, tasting the distinctive regional cuisine, and venturing into the surrounding natural environments. Best visited year-round, though the drier months from May to October tend to offer the most comfortable conditions. Cruise lines including Holland America Line feature this port on their most compelling itineraries. Whether you have a few hours or a full day, the port rewards exploration at every pace and in every direction.

Manaus is the Amazon's improbable metropolis, a thousand miles inland where the rubber boom's Teatro Amazonas opera house rises above the world's largest rainforest. Must-dos include witnessing the Meeting of the Waters where two rivers flow side by side without mixing, tasting Amazonian cuisine at the Adolpho Lisboa Market, and spotting pink dolphins in the Anavilhanas Archipelago. The wet season (December-May) enables deep forest navigation, while the dry season concentrates wildlife.

Parintins is an Amazonian river city between Manaus and Santarém, famous for the Boi-Bumbá Festival — a three-night folk competition in late June featuring towering set pieces, indigenous mythology, and passionate rivalry that rivals Rio's Carnival in artistry. Must-do experiences include the festival itself, pink river dolphin spotting, and exploring the vibrant waterfront market. Late June brings the festival, while August through November offers the best dry-season wildlife viewing.

Alter do Chão, the "Caribbean of the Amazon," is a village on Brazil’s crystal-clear Tapajós River where white-sand freshwater beaches emerge during the dry season—a thousand kilometers from the nearest ocean. Must-dos include swimming at the Ilha do Amor sandbar, exploring primary rainforest in the Tapajós National Forest, and tasting pirarucu fish with tucupi sauce. Visit September through December when receding waters reveal the most expansive beaches.

Macapá straddles the equator at the mouth of the Amazon River in northern Brazil, home to an eighteenth-century Portuguese fortress and the world's only equator-bisected football stadium. Must-dos include visiting the Marco Zero equator monument and taking boat excursions into the Amazon delta's flooded forests. September through December offers the most comfortable weather for exploration.

St. George's, Grenada, is a vibrant port known for its rich history, stunning architecture, and fragrant markets brimming with local spices. Must-do experiences include savoring the local delicacies at the Market Square and exploring nearby Carriacou Island for its tranquil beaches. The best season to visit is from December to April, when the weather is pleasantly warm and dry.

San Juan, Puerto Rico's radiant colonial capital, is one of the Americas' most compellingly layered cities — a place where the sixteenth-century fortresses of El Morro and San Cristóbal stand sentinel over streets of painted townhouses and flowering balconies. The cobblestoned lanes of Old San Juan pulse with world-class rum bars, ceviche stands, and rooftop restaurants serving the island's vibrant cocina criolla. La Fortaleza, the oldest executive mansion in the Western Hemisphere still in use, anchors the historic district. Florecer, the district's famed bioluminescent bay, glows emerald after dark. January through April offers the most idyllic conditions.

Miami is a city of perpetual reinvention — the Art Deco jewel of South Beach giving way to the street-art murals of Wynwood, the Cuban rhythms of Calle Ocho, and the glass-and-steel towers of a skyline that has redrawn itself every decade since Julia Tuttle convinced Henry Flagler to extend his railroad south in 1896. Must-dos include strolling the pastel-fronted Ocean Drive at dusk and exploring the world-class collections at the Pérez Art Museum Miami overlooking Biscayne Bay. November through April delivers idyllic weather — warm and dry — while summer brings heat, humidity, and hurricane risk. Miami handles cruise departures elegantly, with the Port of Miami a short taxi ride from the best neighbourhoods.