Mexican Riviera |
|
Acapulco, MexicoThis has to be one of the world’s most famous beach resorts, where the action continues around the clock. By day, the horseshoe-shaped bay is the place to see and be seen, while evenings light up with nightclubs, bars and fabulous restaurants. Don’t miss the cliff divers of La Quebrada, soaring off 136-foot-high cliffs into Pacific Ocean waves – it’s extra spectacular at night. |
Buenos Aires, ArgentinaSome people call it the ‘Paris of South America’ and it’s not hard to see why. Buenos Aires is a romantic and elegant city of wide boulevards, grand houses, lively cafés and tempting stores and boutiques. At night, the city takes on a more seductive tone with great restaurants serving up prime Argentine steaks and the rhythms of tango in dozens of dance halls. |
Cabo San Lucas, MexicoRight at the tip of the Baja Peninsula, Cabo San Lucas has beautiful beaches, crystal-clear seas and a rugged coastline with fantastic rock formations. It’s the perfect place to relax, so take a stroll along the beach, a boat ride to Land’s End, try your hand at water sports, or set out on a sports fishing adventure – the coastal waters are rich in billfish. |
Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles is a city and a half, spreading over hundreds of square miles from the Pacific Ocean to the mountains. From Hollywood and Sunset Strip to Beverly Hills and its credit card crunching stores on Rodeo Drive, the sights are legendary. And who can resist comparing their handprints with the stars at Mann’s Chinese Theatre, or spending a fun-packed day at Disneyland®? |
Mazatlán, MexicoOften called the Pearl of the Pacific, Mazatlán is set on a peninsula against the backdrop of the Sierra Madre Mountains and is renowned for its fabulous white sand beaches and its pretty colonial old town. Take a look at the undersea world of the Pacific at one of Mexico’s largest aquariums or take in an overview from the top of the world’s second tallest lighthouse at Cerro del Crestón. |
Montevideo, UruguayThe towering hill of El Cerro guards the entrance to Montevideo, which as well as being Uruguay’s capital is a lovely resort. Explore the charming streets and fine 18th and 19th-century colonial architecture of the old town, take a stroll along the sweeping waterfront with its parks and beaches and visit the fabulous Estevez Palace. |
Pichilingue (La Paz), MexicoPichilingue is the port for La Paz on Mexico’s beautiful Sea of Cortés. Once famous for its exotic pearls, the city still has jewels of colonial architecture, including the Cathedral of our Lady of La Paz. Take a stroll down the palm-lined boulevard overlooking the bay; or take to the water – the Sea of Cortés is renowned for its deep sea fishing, scuba diving and water sports. |
Puerto Chacabuco, ChileThis little port town is set on a narrow, scenic fjord in the middle of the some of Chile’s most spectacular coastal scenery. Deep fjords slice deftly into the base of the snowcapped Andes and massive glaciers make their leisurely progress through ancient valleys, creating a paradise for wildlife. |
Puerto Madryn, ArgentinaKnown as the ‘Galapagos of the East Coast, Puerto Madryn is home to an incredible array of unusual wildlife and at the Peninsula Valdes reserve you can see sea lions, elephant seals, Magellan penguins and other seabirds in their natural habitat. And in town, don’t be surprised to see Welsh street names – the port was founded by settlers from Wales in the 19th century. |
Puerto Montt, ChilePuerto Montt is a small provincial city right at the heart of Chile’s beautiful Lake District. You’ll take lots of photos as you tour the wonderful scenery with blue and green lakes, river rapids and waterfalls standing against a backdrop of snowcapped volcanic peaks. In town, be sure to check out the handicraft markets selling locally made goodies like sweaters and baskets. |
Puerto Vallarta, MexicoPuerto Vallarta combines the charm of old Mexico with some 26 miles of spectacular beaches along Banderas Bay. Take a stroll through the colonial cobblestone streets with whitewashed houses draped in bougainvillea, visit Gringo Gulch, where Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton had homes and, for something more adventurous, explore the nearby Sierra Madre Forest. |
Punta Arenas, ChilePunta Arenas stands on the Strait of Magellan, named after the explorer who came this way in 1520. You can see his statue in the town and legend has it that if you rub the foot of the statue, good luck will come your way. Before the opening of the Panama Canal, the port was busy with cargo ships rounding Cape Horn, but today things are a little more leisurely. |
San Francisco, CaliforniaOk, you may not want to leave your heart here but you’ll be bowled over nevertheless. From the seafood restaurants of Fisherman’s Wharf to the busy streets of Chinatown, the department stores of Union Square to the eerie cells of Alcatraz prison, San Francisco is like no city on earth. And the best way to see it all (and get up and down those impossible hills) is aboard the city’s signature cable cars. |
Stanley, Falkland IslandsA little bit of England in the South Atlantic, the Falkland Islands are home to fewer than 3,000 people and the main town, Stanley, is the smallest and most remote capital in the world. A self-guided maritime history trail recalls the days when great sailing ships called here on their voyages round Cape Horn, and there are tours of the battlefields fought over in the 1982 conflict. |
Topolobampo, MexicoThe port of Topolobampo is just 12 miles from the western end of Mexico’s incredible Copper Canyon railway – one tour you won’t want to miss. This 325 mile journey is a scenic spectacular through the Sierra Madre mountains, passing through 86 tunnels and over 37 bridges, and switch-backing past lakes, waterfalls and forests. It’s one of the world’s great rail journeys. |
Ushuaia, ArgentinaUshuaia is the southernmost town in the world and the jumping off point for Antarctic expeditions. Surrounded by forests, snowcapped mountains, rivers and waterfalls, it stands on the edge of the Tierra del Fuego National Park, home to some of the most incredible wildlife in the world. |
Valparaiso, Chile (Santiago)From Valparaiso, you can explore the Chilean capital, Santiago with its lovely Spanish colonial buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries. The city is built on a 1,700-foot-high plateau and offers great sights like the pre-Columbian museum, the 16th-century St. Francis Church, the Plaza de Armas and busy markets where you can buy great hand-made souvenirs. |
Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa, MexicoHow do like your Mexico? Sleepy and rustic with a long lazy lunch of fresh fish and seafood overlooking the beach… Zihuatanejo’s for you. Or upbeat resort-style with luxury hotels, chic bars and shopping centres, like Ixtapa. Either way, this port is perfect and the great thing is, these two Mexican gems are just four scenic miles apart. |
Mexican Riviera Information |
NCL Cruise Destinations |
