La Blanquilla’s tranquil and inviting white beaches give no hint of the amazing diving that lies only 65 yards offshore. A limestone cliff wall plunges more than 3,000 feet into the depths. Along the outcropping pinnacles of Piedra del Ahogado, divers can spot rare black corals growing in profusion.
Bon boni means welcome in the local dialect, Papiamento, and it’s universally understood by all who visit little Aruba. Just 15 miles from Venezuela, this almost independent nation still has a ceremonial Dutch Governor General. Once it depended on oil for income, but tourism is the new king. No wonder - Aruba’s endless beaches and spectacular diving are too tempting to pass up.
Only 25 miles north of Venezuela coast, Isla Margarita is the favourite getaway for Cariocans. Margarita means pearl in Greek, and the island was once the center for harvesting egg size pearls. Porlamar, though founded in 1536, is a modern shopping mecca because of its duty free status. Northward lies the colonial capital of La Asunción, where the cathedral contains a statue of the Virgin whose pearl studded robe would ransom a king. World class windsurfers gather on the Playa El Yaque beach, but those in search of quieter pleasures can explore the mangrove lined Lagoon La Restinga to see flamingos and 100 other resident bird species.
The vivid colors of the San Blas Islands are undoubtedly the inspiration for the fanciful birds, fish and animals in brilliant reds, oranges, blues and greens that decorate the intricately appliquéd molas created by the indigenous Kuna women. Strung along the throat of Panama’s dramatically beautiful Kuna Yala coast, the remoteness of these coral atolls protects an independent people who prize their communal culture with its rich oral history and artistic heritage.
Soper’s Hole is where ‘laid back’ is a jealously cultivated way of life. Visit the nearby ruins of 17th century Dutch Fort Recovery. There are also several favorite ‘watering holes’, beloved by crews of visiting yachts, where the local gossip flows as freely as the rum.
The smallest island in the world shared by two countries- St. Martin/St. Maarten is big on shopping. Whether you go Dutch in Philipsburg or prefer Marigot’s French touch, you’re always welcome.
Take a bath at the “Baths”, Virgin Gorda’s unique water grottos formed eons ago by ancient lava flows. Huge boulders lie scattered around the natural pools, which are delightful for swimming or soaking. Virgin Gorda is also home to Little Dix Bay, the Bitter End Yacht Club, some excellent beaches, and the best sailing around.
The gabled houses and warehouses of Dutch colonial Willemstad march in tight formation along the entrance to St. Anna Bay, an incongruous vision of a tropical Amsterdam where the floating market sells mango's and papayas instead of tulips. In Curacao’s interior cunucu, a few Dutch landhuis or farm owners still wrest a living by ranching on the near-desert soil.