Costa Rica’s major Pacific port on the Gulf of Nicoya is renowned for its unspoiled nature and beautiful scenery, and is a convenient departure point for trips into Costa Rica’s interior. Volcanic beaches along the coast give way to verdant jungle and coffee plantations further inland.

Fishing and farming villages emerged on Guatemala’s Pacific coast as early as 2000 BC. They were the forerunners of the great Maya civilization that dominated Central America for centuries. By 250 AD great temple cities were beginning to be built in the Guatemalan highlands. Today Guatemala is the most populous of the Central American republics and the only one largely Indian in language and culture. Only about two-thirds of the country is populated with still large areas of unoccupied land. Its two coastlines are along the Pacific and the Caribbean. Puerto Quetzal is the port for the town of San Jose, which used to be the country’s second largest port. Most ships however had to stay at anchor and cargo discharge had to be done by lighter. Puerto Quetzal was built to accommodate ships alongside. Our call to Puerto Quetzal will provide you with the opportunity of visiting one of Guatemala’s two best-known Mayan ruins plus the old capital city, Antigua.

Located in the center of Mexico’s Pacific coast, Puerto Vallarta is one of the country’s most picturesque cities and holiday destinations. Its cobblestone streets and red-roofed, white adobe-style buildings nestle between palm-covered mountains and the vast Banderas Bay. Stretches of white sand beaches are among the best in Mexico and the climate is consistently warm and sunny. For years, vacationers who had discovered the beauty of Puerto Vallarta tried to keep the “good news” from spreading. The arrival of a major film company and two of the world’s best-known stars, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, changed Puerto Vallarta from a laid-back town to a famous getaway destination almost overnight. In addition to its visual appeal, Puerto Vallarta offers a variety of cultural entertainment and a lively nightlife. Take time to see the sights of the city. Downtown spreads around the small Isla Cuale, which lies in the middle of the Cuale River; the heart of the city is a few blocks north around the Municipal Square. A crown-topped cathedral, dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe, rises behind the square; a wide seaside promenade, known as the Malecon, hugs the oceanfront. A seahorse statue welcomes visitors to the downtown beach area. The statue and the prominent church tower have become symbols of Puerto Vallarta, or PV as locals call their town for short. Puerto Vallarta grew from an existing fishing village with a history dating back some 100 years. Because of its veritable heritage as a Mexican pueblo, the town tends to offer more of the country’s artistic and cultural tradition than other Mexican resorts. The origin of the charro (traditional costume), the national beverage tequila and the typical music of the mariachi bands are credited to Puerto Vallarta. It is considered the most Mexican of all the country’s resort towns.

Found at the tip of Baja California, Cabo San Lucas is where the desert meets the ocean. Although it has received a makeover of modern Americana in recent years, this place is still a world away from everywhere else in Mexico. A trip to Cabo (the San Lucas is optional) will not leave you disappointed. With swaying palm trees, turquoise seas and long ribbons of white sand, this is a resort that ticks every box: great food, great nightlight which equal great times – for some. Others may prefer to scratch the surface just a bit deeper and travel along the peninsula that is known for its dramatic scenery of desert terrain and rugged coastline marked by many unusual formations. The sweeping views of the bay are simply sensational. A quick turn inward takes you to San Jose del Cabo, Cabo San Lucas’ older and more grown up sister. Offering a very much calmer and much more authentic atmosphere, just half an hour along the coast leaves you in its desert terrain, and leaves a very different impression from the lively beachfront bars and cafes of San Lucas. Perhaps one of the most stunning ways to see Cabo though is from the water. With the Arco de Cabo San Lucas featuring highly on many must-see lists, a trip around the bay is a must. The braver among you might also like to indulge their inner adrenalin junkie and swim with whale sharks – a memorable and totally risk-free experience if there ever was one. End your day of sightseeing with a fabulous sunset, a (tequila) sunrise in hand, watching the fishermen come home from their adventures.

Los Angeles, L.A. and City of Angels are all names for this sprawling Southern California megalopolis known for its glamour, its ethnic diversity and its dynamic energy. The largest city in the state of California and the second largest in the United States, Los Angeles is a relatively young city. In 1820, it was a bicultural community of just 650 American and Mexican residents. After the completion of the transcontinental railroads in the 1880s, it began to grow. The old ranches were subdivided; the symbol of the city became the suburban house, set amid the orange groves in a glorious land of sunshine. The real boom came with the mushrooming aeronautics business, and the film and television industries. L.A.’s colourful melange of shopping malls, palm trees and swimming pools is at once bafflingly strange and startlingly familiar thanks to the celluloid self-image that has spread all over the world. Los Angeles is glitz and glamour, but also rich in artistic creativity as evident in its architecture, from Mission Revival and Art Deco to the latest in post-modern designs. You can see it in paintings and sculptures, and it can be experienced in the performing arts that extend well beyond the city’s international fame for film, television and recorded music. Add fine dining, iconic beaches and countless attractions, and you have found the appeal of this great destination.