Caribbean - Southern cruise ports

This untouched little Caribbean island is a true naturalist's Eden. Spectacular underwater beauty prevails, along with white beaches and a breathtaking collection of ocean-carved rock formations. Bird watching is at its best here. You can see one of the loveliest and largest flamingo colonies in this hemisphere as well as Caribbean parakeets and Bonairean "lora". Outstanding opportunities for snorkeling and diving abound here, amid one of the Caribbean's richest collections of marine life.

Kingstown is best appreciated for its West Indian feel rather than for any grand attractions. It's a good place to relax and stroll the cobblestone streets. The town gets its unique atmosphere from the produce vendors along Bay and Bedford streets, the crowds at the fish market and rum shops, and it stone-block colonial buildings.

Expect to be immediately immersed in the French Caribbean way of life. Vendors hawk everything from hairpins to bouquets of anthuriums on the congested narrow streets, and the markets are some of the Caribbean's most colorful. The largest, Marche St. Antoine, at the corner of Rues Frebault and Peynier, teems with activity all day long, with tropical produce and spices in madras bags sold by very vocal market women.

St. Lucia is one of the most scenic volcanic islands in the Caribbean. By motor coach, venture to the edge of Soufriere's great crater, the world's only drive-in volcano. Or by foot, stroll through lovely Port Seraphine.

Margarita is an ideal place to rest and enjoy. The Island offers you unique natural beauties and beaches, with over 168 kilometers of coast along which you will find exotic and spectacular beaches, interesting folklore, tropical weather and excellent hotels. With a population of 300,000 there are many young and happy people, always willing to show tourists the beauty and culture of the Island.

Pigeon Island National Landmark (don't let the name lead you astray) is a 44-acre island reserve just off the north coast of St. Lucia. Connected to the mainland by the construction of a man-made causeway in 1972, the island park is hailed as a monument to St. Lucia's history and its role in 18th-century maritime trade. An interpretation center located within the confines of the park traces the history of long ago battles between English and French troops struggling to control the strategically important outpost.

This delightful, hilly, green island is just an hour's sail south of St Vincent. The largest of the Grenadines (though that's not saying much), it was once a center of shipbuilding and whaling. Today, most maritime activity is confined to yachting and model boat building.

Cabrits is a national park on the island of Dominica. The chief attraction is Fort Shirley, which has a small museum offering historical and natural displays. Most memorable is the wonderful view of the sea and Portsmouth. Bird-watching is very popular in the park, as many species find refuge here. The coral reefs provide an ideal opportunity for snorkeling and diving.

Basse Terre is the capital of Guadeloupe, a French overseas department in the West Indies. Basse-Terre is a port that ships the products of the surrounding agricultural area. Founded by the French in 1643, it retains its French colonial atmosphere, but its commercial prosperity passed to Pointe-a-Pitre in the late 18th cent. The town was destroyed by a hurricane in 1979, setting back prospects for economic development.