Colombian & Southern Caribbean Coastlines

Cristóbal lies at the northern entrance to the Panama Canal. It is part of the province of Colón, a port city at the entrance to Limon Bay, at the Atlantic (Caribbean) entrance of the canal. (Interestingly, Cristóbal Colón is the Spanish translation for Christopher Columbus.) The port, Old Cristóbal, was first built by the Panama Railroad Company in the 1850s, and dredged material became landfill for the present Cristóbal. Read more about Cristobal, Panama

Cartagena is a large beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region. While in recent years many new skyscrapers have been constructed, Cartagena's colonial walled city with its amazing architecture, such as The Vaults that were originally built as dungeons and from the top of which the Caribbean Sea is visible. There is also the Castillo de San Felipe, a fortress built in 1657 by the Spanish for protection against pirates. Read more about Cartagena, Colombia

Santa Marta in Colombia is more than the average tropical paradise. It certainly has warm Caribbean surf and white sandy beaches, but it's also much loved for the stunning Sierra Nevada mountain range that towers above it. Being the oldest city in the country also has its advantages. Read more about Santa Marta, Colombia

In the southern Caribbean, Oranjestad is the capital of the small island of Aruba, and an island territory of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is an attractive and historic harbour town just 27 km north of Venezuela. It can be divided into Upper and Lower Towns. Read more about Oranjestad, Aruba, Aruba

Read more about Willemstad, Curaçao, Curaçao

St. George's is the capital of Grenada, British West Indies. The city surrounds a horseshoe-shaped harbour, and is an attractive colonial-era town with a distinctly Mediterranean feel that appears to spill down the hill side. Read more about St George's, Grenada

Mayreau is the smallest inhabited island of the Grenadines, in the far SE of the Caribbean Sea. It has a population of about 300, centred at the Old Wall village, with its small school, a telecommunications building, and the Mayreau Catholic Church located on a hilltop in the SW of the island. With its picture-postcard beaches, it truly is a secret treasure of peace and tranquillity. Read more about Mayreau, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

The city of Bridgetown is the capital and largest city of the island country of Barbados, a major tourist destination in the West Indies. The city has numerous attractions, landmarks, monuments, museums, and art galleries of an international standard. It is also a starting point for visiting many other popular cities on the island. Read more about Bridgetown, Barbados