With Christmas and New Year firmly behind you, why not consider booking a cruise to get you through the long winter months? With year-round sunshine, sandy beaches and turquoise waters, the Caribbean is the perfect winter sun destination. What’s more, using cruise ships to travel around the area means that you don’t have to stick to just the one island. Here are some of the highlights of a typical Caribbean cruise:
Miami
Most Caribbean cruises leave from Florida, and Miami is a popular destination to embark from. Why not fly into the city early and take some time to explore this exciting city? South Beach is Miami’s happening hot-spot and the area is buzzing with bars, nightclubs and fashionable boutiques. The area is also famous for its art-deco architecture and at 10.30am on a Saturday you can take a tour of the buildings led by a native historian and in association with the Miami Design Preservation League. Of course, the area is also known for the gorgeous white-sand beach that it’s named after and you can relax and enjoy the view while sipping on a frozen margarita. The area really comes alive in the evening, and Will Smith, Madonna and Gloria Esfahan are regulars to the bars and nightclubs of Ocean Drive. The Nikki Beach club is a popular beach-front club where you can dance on the sand, while Club Deep lets you dance on water.
Roatan
After leaving Miami, it’s time to begin your cruise and after a day on the water Roatan is your first port of call. This island, located off the coast of Honduras has spectacular beaches and there are numerous operators that offer guided tours to passengers of cruise ships. The island is abundant in wildlife and you can visit The Sherman Arch Iguana Park and the Monkey Park, where you purchase a souvenir photograph of you cuddling a cheeky chimp. If you’re feeling adventurous why not take a zip-tour through the island’s rainforest canopies? Or simply take a leisurely horse-back ride around some of the key attractions.
Belize City
Belize City is your next port of call and if you look carefully from your cruise ship you might catch a glimpse of the famous blue hole. One of the most popular things to do while in Belize is cave tubing, which simply involves floating on large black rubber rings through caves which were once occupied by ancient Mayans. Slightly outside the city are the Altun Hay Mayan Ruins, which consist of a small stone pyramid not that dissimilar to Chichen Itza.
Costa Maya
The next and final stop on your cruise is the Costa Mayan coast in Mexico where more Mayan ruins await. The Kohunlich date back to 200BC and is incredibly well-preserved. The ruins are located in the jungles around the Belize border and consist of 3 public plazas, 3 palaces and 3 residential areas. Once you’ve explored the attractions, swim in Cenote Azul in Balacar or head back to main resort where activities include swimming with dolphins, scuba diving or a visit to the famous Tequila Beach Club.