A Festive Passage

Miami is a pulsating modern city, a cultural crossroads where Cuban émigrés rub shoulders with affluent New Yorkers topping up on winter sun, and where you're just as likely to hear Spanish or Caribbean patois being spoken as you are English. Downtown Miami is a destination in its own right, with a host of world class galleries including the fantastic MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art), but it's still Miami Beach that draws the biggest crowds. The Art Deco district around South Beach is very much back in vogue, with new restaurants, bars and luxury developments sprouting up all over the place.

Colourful and eccentric, the island city of Key West stands apart from the rest of Florida. A strong Caribbean influence reflects the city’s proximity to Cuba and the Bahamas, and it has long been known as a bohemian hangout, a welcoming and open-minded place that Ernest Hemingway once called home.

Cozumel first made its name as an off the beaten track destination for divers, thanks to the crystalline waters and low key beach vibe. These days the cat is very much out of the bag, but get away from the craft shops and jewellery stores of the busy port and you’ll find a welcoming island community that is still authentically Mexican.

The port of Santo Tomás de Castilla sits on Guatemala’s sliver of Caribbean coastline, and serves as a jumping-off point to explore this fascinating country. Nearby highlights include the Mayan site of Quiriguá and colourful, laid-back Livingston, and it’s also possible to take a day trip by air to the famous ruins at Tikal.

Roatán is the largest and busiest of the Bay Islands, which sit off the coast of Honduras in the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean Sea. It’s a fantastic destination for divers and snorkellers, with a stunning reef just offshore, and also boasts some lovely beaches.

Puerto Limón is a busy port on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, and plays a vital role in the export of bananas. Take a trip out of the city and explore the lush rainforest, with nearby attractions including the canals of Tortuguero National Park, a key breeding site for green turtles.

Situated at the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal, Colón is not somewhere you will want to hang around for long, and serves merely as a gateway to the Canal, which will carry you to much nicer places.

Far more than just an offshore tax haven, Grand Cayman boasts the staggeringly beautiful white sands of Seven Mile Beach and some fantastic snorkelling in crystal clear waters. The capital, George Town, is a compact and friendly place, home to some interesting architecture and a suspiciously large number of registered companies.

Downtown Miami is a destination in its own right, with a host of world class galleries, but it's still Miami Beach that draws the biggest crowds. The Art Deco district around South Beach is very much back in vogue, with new restaurants, bars and luxury developments sprouting up all over the place.