The Valley is the sole significant community on Anguilla and is a ramshackle but quaint town that houses a few pretty historic colonial buildings. Sandy Grove is where most tourists head to. This gorgeous beach is lined with dive shops, guest houses and restaurants. The picturesque bay is dotted with small boats and yachts. The huge salt pond inland draws a variety of birds.

Island Harbour is an idyllic old fishermen village where islanders go about their business undisturbed by visiting tourists. Anguilla boasts several mysterious caves while the Big Spring, positioned nearby, is worth exploring as well. The Fountain is a similar site, which formerly served as a place for worshipping the gods.

Aguilla represents an extensive range of lodging options that vary from hotel establishments to resort facilities and villas to condos. Being a popular travel destination for honeymooners, Aguilla offers romantic escapes as well. Visitors to this Caribbean island shouldn’t experience difficulties finding accommodation to suit their budget and needs.

Anguilla Wallblake International Airport is the island’s small aviation hub, located within a short distance of the Valley. The airport only receives flights from Antigua, St Martin, and St Kitts. However, connections to destinations throughout North America and Europe US are numerous from these airports. From St Martin’s Marigot Bay there’s a ferry crossing to Anguilla.

Relaxing on the sun-soaked sand and later cooling off in the clear water at one of the numerous beaches, navigating to Great Bird Island and observing the colourful underwater life onboard a glass-bottomed vessel, or spotting exotic birds at Frigate Bird Sanctuary on Barbuda are just s few of the possible activities on Antigua and Barbuda. Or you could try participating in one of the many water-based sports, strolling around some of the Caribbean’s finest and most lively markets, or seeing off the sunset with a few shots of rum.

Antigua and Barbuda is blessed with a highly enjoyable climate. Sunny, warm and mostly dry, the islands see temperatures that rarely change throughout the year. Most rainfall is experienced between August and October. During this period, the islands are occasionally hit by tropical storms. However, holiday makers shouldn’t worry as these storms usually don’t last long.

Antigua and Barbuda’s highlights include: strolling along the atmospheric English Harbour, visiting the lovely town of St John’s with its West Indian ambience, and checking out the quaint small fishing village of Fig Tree Drive. Accommodation options on Antigua and Barbuda feature inns, guest houses, resorts, intimate hotels and conference centres.

VC Bird International Airport is located just outside St John’s and receives a steady stream of flights from other Caribbean island destinations, Europe and North America. The only other transport option is via cruise ship. Ferries operate frequently between Antigua and Barbuda, making it easy to get from island to island. Taxis are relatively cheap while the local bus network offers more than adequate services.

Buenos Aires is a European city with beautiful sweeping avenues and tall colonial buildings lining its streets. It is also, despite its financial troubles, a highly metropolitan and modern city with great nightlife, world-class cuisine, and fantastic shopping. Visitors can stroll the elegant streets, gorge themselves on Argentina’s famous barbeques or take in one of the city’s excellent museums such as the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes.

A major draw for tourists to Argentina is the unsurpassed Patagonia region, which is one of the most outstandingly beautiful places on earth. The stunning Parque Nacional Iguazú gives visitors a chance to experience the amazing wildlife and plant species that inhabit the region, as well as boasting the world famous Iguazú Falls. Activities in the park include canoeing, kayaking and other water sports. Patagonia also has some of the best skiing and ice sports in the world during the winter.

For beach life, look no further than Mar del Plato, a consistently popular beach resort destination for both Buenos Aires glitterati and the average family on vacation. Visitors can take their pick of high-end villas or mid-range beach bungalows, depending on whatever suits their style or budget.

Argentina has excellent transport links to the rest of the continent of South America by air and bus. The main airport, Ezeiza Interntional Airport, is located about 45 minutes’ drive outside Buenos Aires.

Oranjestad is Aruba’s harbour-side capital, which attracts many visitors and has a distinct colonial Dutch atmosphere. The museums in Oranjestad are well presented and the capital boasts several popular duty-free shops. Nearby San Nicolas has a more British colonial ambience. The best beaches are positioned along the reef-protected leeward coast’s developed stretch, where snorkelling enthusiasts and divers appreciate the 30-metre visibility.

The interior’s surreal rugged landscape is dotted with twisted exotic trees, cacti, and herds of goats. The moon-like landscape of Arikok National Park is home to limestone caves and mysterious boulders. Also worthwhile seeing is the natural bridge on Aruba’s northern shore. On the island’s southeastern side tourists can visit the original capital and oldest town in Aruba, Savaneta.

Accommodation establishments on Aruba range from luxurious five-star rated resorts to intimate boutique hotels and budget-friendly motels. With the tourist industry providing Aruba’s main source of income, every lodging establishment on the island comes with modern facilities to satisfy the needs and demands of the average holidaymaker.

Queen Beatrix International Airport is Aruba’s single aviation hub, handling mostly flights from the US. Although direct international access from Europe or Canada isn’t available, linking flights are common through North American airlines such as Continental, American and Delta, with the frequency and number of routes increasing drastically during the busy winter season.

Chilling and strolling around historically rich Nassau, the Bahamas’ capital city, is a rewarding experience. Nassau represents some great shopping places, historic forts and beautiful colonial buildings. However, today an increasing amount of tourists are more interested in the nearby resorts and entertainment venues of Paradise Island. The second most favoured location on the Bahamas is Grand Bahama, which is overrun with casinos, bars, hotels, resorts and crowds of North Americans on package holidays.

The busiest islands – Grand Bahama and New Providence – offer most of the land-based features, with stunning national parks, superb beaches, mega resorts, and great entertainment options. Paradise Island and Cable Beach are the star attractions. The islands are home to an abundance of wildlife, especially birds, while the plentiful coral reefs are ideal for divers.

The Bahamas boasts an extensive range of lodging establishments. Visiting tourists will certainly be impressed by the many offered categories and styles that include standard hotel guest rooms to two-bedroom facilities in the more popular and expensive resort amenities as well as guest houses, bed and breakfast establishments, apartments, villas and campsites.

The Bahamas boasts two main international airports, with New Providence Island’s Lynden Pindling International Airport (Nassau International Airport) being the busiest. The airport receives flights from North America including Canadian destinations. European travellers will have to route via the likes of Miami or New York City to get here. Ferries and cruise ships offer another way to arrive in the Bahamas, with frequent sailings from the UK, the US, the West Indies and South America.

The western coast of Barbados has numerous coral beaches of fine white sand; snorkelling and scuba diving in the clear blue sea is fantastic. Brandons, Battsrock, Good Shepherd Beach and Paynes Bay are all popular beaches.

The capital, Bridgetown, is still worthy of a visit and has some great attractions. This waterfront destination of many cruise ships is busy and has many duty-free and retail shops. The statue of Admiral Lord Nelson (built in 1813) stands in Trafalgar Square, emulating the original London landmark. Beautiful stained glass Victorian public buildings line the square. St Michael’s Cathedral lies to the east and was built in 1655. Synagogue Lane houses some of the oldest synagogues in the Western hemisphere.

Barbados Museum, located in a former prison, is in the parish of St Michael and has an extensive range of artefacts. St Anna Fort, a red building with a clock house, was a British garrison and is located near by. The island’s quiet interior has many parishes such as St Thomas and St George, which are not on the main tourist route and can be visited by car or on foot.

There is great selection of accommodation available. Hotels, resorts and guesthouses offer an amazing selection with facilities and prices to suit your budget. There is a good variety of restaurants, bars and nightlife.

Barbados is very well-connected to many countries and the list of airlines that fly direct to the island is impressive. The main airport in Barbados is Grantley Adams International Airport, also known as Barbados International Airport. Airlines that serve Barbados include British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines and several other international and Caribbean airlines. There are also numbers of ports with a good choice of services in Barbados.

Belize City has old-Caribbean charm in spades combined with the modern conveniences and buzzing nightlife of a busy metropolis. It has a great variety of Creole and international food, as well as great bars and music to offer visitors, and a good range of accommodation from backpacker hostels to five-star hotels.

For those with an interest in archaeology, Belize has a wealth of fascinating sites. Caracol, a Mayan city larger than modern-day Belize City was buried under jungle for centuries and is well worth a visit. Belize’s other major Mayan site, Xunantunich, at San José Succotz, also offers stunning views and fascinating history, and there are many more archaeological jewels throughout the country.

For natural beauty Belize is a world-leader, with the longest barrier reef in the western hemisphere, home to angelfish, triggerfish, whale sharks and other amazing flora and fauna, as well as being one of the top dive sites in the world. Belize boasts many habitats including incredible mangrove forests, and extensive and impressive cave networks. The stunning Belize rainforests are home to jaguar, puma, howler monkeys, iguanas and boa constrictors to name but a few.

Belize also has some fantastic wildlife sanctuaries which give visitors a glimpse of the incredible bird population that inhabits the country. Bird enthusiasts will be delighted with Shipstern Nature Reserve, Rio Bravo Conservation Area, and Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary.

Belize is served by Philip Goldson International Airport, which handles all international travel. It also has active sea ports with many cruise ships visiting daily. It is best to stay in tourist zones when in Belize due to security concerns. Hotels in these areas are reasonably priced but can be dated.

Hamilton is the capital of Bermuda. Front Street is the main thoroughfare of the city. It is a busy street lined with pastel-painted Victorian buildings, restaurants and boutiques. Cruise ships dock here, too, and every Wednesday evening during the summer there is a weekly evening festival featuring street performers and market stalls selling local handicrafts and goods.

Bermuda has a beautiful coastline, with pink-sand beaches that are great for snorkelling and swimming. Elbow Beach in Paget Parish is a long stretch of beach with protected waters. Away from the beach there are several nature reserves, of which Spittal Pond Nature Reserve is the largest, with wonderful birdlife and gentle hiking trails.

For absolutely breathtaking views, you should head for Fort Hamilton on a hill that overlooks the town and bay; here you can also enjoy cream tea in the tearoom. Other attractions you shouldn’t miss are the Underwater Exploration Institute and the amazing Crystal Caves, which are located just outside the city.

Bermuda is a year-round destination; however, the best time to visit is between April and October when the weather is warmest and the sea temperature is more comfortable for swimming and diving. Accommodation is available to suit all budgets from small guest houses to deluxe resorts, yet most lodgings tend to be in the upper price bracket.

There are direct flights to Bermuda from the UK, and from cities all over USA and Canada. There is no car hire on the island, but it’s easy to explore the island by taxi, motorbike or by using the local buses.

La Paz’s colonial and amazing indigenous heritage make it a culturally fascinating destination. On the streets of La Paz visitors can see indigenous tribes people, Incas’ direct descendents, living their lives next to the up-and-coming high society of Spanish descent. This makes for an interesting tapestry of Native Indian and European heritage throughout the city. There are also several good museums such as the Museo de Metales Preciosos Pre-Columbinos.

Bolivia’s most famous landmark, Lake Titicaca, is one of the most incredible sights on earth and is revered as the birthplace of the Incas. The lake is one of the highest in the world and has many beautiful islands to be explored. Also close to the capital is Bolivia’s primary archaelogical site, Tiahuanaco, which is well worth visiting.

Santa Cruz, in the east, and nearby Sucre both merit investigation. Both offer great colonial architecture and Santa Cruz is a good jump off point for exploration into the Amazon rainforest. Potosí is also located in this region, and was the mining capital of the Spanish Empire; its mines and museums are a fascinating testament to the exploitation of the country and its mineral wealth.

Hotels start at the most basic hostels and go up to mid-range standard hotels, with the widest choice being in the capital. Visitors to Bolivia can access the country by flying into La Paz’s El Alto International Airport although service can be unreliable due to the weather and altitude. Bolivia also has good bus connections with all its neighbouring countries.

Rio de Janeiro, with its beautiful setting, is home to the elaborate Rio Carnival, the iconic Copacabana Beach and Ipanema, relaxing parks and gardens, galleries and museums. It can seem that Brazilians exist only to party, dance, drink and play football.

Corcovado Mountain, with Christ the Redeemer statue at its peak, towers over Rio and its famous beaches. Other major draws include Sugar Loaf Mountain and Tijuca National Park, which rests on the Serra da Carioca.

South America’s biggest city – Sao Paulo – is located west of Rio. With its diverse population, congested traffic and unbeatable nightlife, Sao Paulo is energetic, vibrant and exciting. Popular attractions in the city are: Patío do Colégio, dating to the 16th century; Teatro Municipal, a pretty Baroque theatre; and the Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo.

Brasilia, the UNESCO protected Brazilian capital, boasts wide boulevards and high-rises which some consider to be characterless. To escape the stifling afternoon heat, Brasília National Park rests in the northern realms of the city and is a nature reserve with good swimming. The Atlantic facing Salvador da Bahia is a cultural highlight bursting with heritage buildings.

For trips to the Amazn, Manaus is the gateway town and lies close to the Rio Negro. Opera lovers will not want to miss the Renaissance style Teatro Amazonas, an ornate opera house that ranks as one of the city’s most famous landmarks.

Brazil is best reached by air from Europe and the Americas via the main airport, Sao Paulo Guarulhos International Airport. Trains come in from Bolivia. Travel within is by overland bus, plane or boat on the Amazon.

Brazil has quality accommodation ranging from five-star to backpacker as well as rough jungle camping. Prices peak around Carnaval and Holy Week, peak times for coastal cities.