The Pacific Islands and the beautiful seas of the South: Polynesia

The "Garden of Eden" described by the early European explorers, the scene of the legendary mutiny of the Bounty, the island paradise painted by the brush of Gaugin and narrated by the novels of Stevenson. Rings of white sand studded with palm trees that frame blue lagoons populated by colorful fish, volcanoes cloaked the jungle that is red at sunset and that marks the end of another fabulous day.

Roseau or Charlotte Town

Roseau, formerly Charlotte Town is the capital town of Dominica, an island of the Lesser Antilles or Windward Islands and is located in the western part of the island. The number of population is about 20,000. Catholic bishop's headquarters and main center of the archipelago, Roseau bases its economy on the export of agricultural products such as citrus, tropical fruits, spices, essential oils and obviously tourism.

Havava - Revolution, Cigars and Fun

Havana is an almost inexplicable city that contains so many incredible sites and adventures without the usual touristy gloss and trappings. Due to the US embargo of Cuba, several well known sites in other cities are not present, particularly the omnipresent McDonalds. But this is a good thing in my view as the city keeps an authentic feel and makes the historic sites in Havana Vieja more enjoyable. My favourite site in this part of the city is the Catedral de San Cristobal. But while in Havana there is so much more to do than just visit historical sites. One of the “musts” is going to see a Cigar Factory. Even if you don’t like smoking it’s still a great trip, much like a wine tour but more dangerous for your lungs. Revolutionary icons are everywhere in the city and the Plaza de la Revolocion is the main tourist spot. In fact it can be swamped by tourists during the middle of the day so come early to see the image of Che and the statue of Jose Marti. The nightlife in this city is top notch and the food, if you avoid the tourist restaurants, is great quality at low prices. But to pay these prices you normally need the Cuban Peso rather than the Cuban Convertible Peso.

Antigua - The colonial capital

As the oldest city in Guatemala, Antigua is a city draped in historical buildings and ruins. In its heyday when the country was still under Spanish rule, Antigua was the capital city. You will see and recognise the similar design and architecture of other Spanish colonial cities the minute you arrive. In the centre you will find the Main Plaza surrounded by the key buildings of the city. Here you will find several cathedrals and the Government Palace. Parque Central is only a stones throw away and a splendid place to get a bit of rest and time to sit back and reflect. Right next to the park is one of the best museums in the city, the Convento de Santo Domingo. Visiting other sites like the ruins of the city can seem a bit steep compared to other cities but are well worth it. And when you finished walking around the city you can go hike up one of the nearby volcanoes that surround the city. Of the three volcanoes, Volcan Pacaya is the easiest climb and can be done in one afternoon. Volcan Acatenango is the most difficult and you will need to be prepared both for time and the right gear.

Lima - A city of life and colour

Peru itself is a country full of different cultures and traditions and countless different food dishes, so the capital Lima is a prime location to get the best of all of these in one place. All through the city you will find areas marking Incan and Pre-Incan construction. In fact there are so many that many are still yet to be properly excavated. The main sites with the best quality and information have to be Pachacamac and Caral (which actually lies 200 kilometers north). Dancing is in the blood of most Latin Americans and Peruvians are no different, one of the best things you can do is go and see the traditional dances over a meal. You will be stunned by the variety of dance flavors and smile at the delightful costumes. While Ceviche is the main traditional dish of the country, you can find restaurants serving specialties from anywhere in the country. And trust me, even if you stay for years you may never get the chance to try all the different dishes. The Plaza de Armas is the centre park of the city where you can see the Government Palace and the Cathedral of Lima. The Plaza is also the location for some of the major events of the city including the Patriot day celebrations where it has been known to have the city fountain full of Pisco for the thirsty public!

Mendoza - The vineyard of Argentina

Mendoza is the perfect holiday destination with plenty of cheap shopping deals, a great nightlife and some top class restaurants and cafes. Oh and it just happens to be the world renown capital of Argentina’s wine industry. Here you can cuddle up with a vintage or taste the latest gold medal winning wines, and all at ridiculously cheap prices. Most of the restaurants and cafes will serve the best the local region has to offer and you will find yourself making as much room in you suitcase as possible for more bottles to take for the trip home. While you are here you can’t just stop at one or two Vineyard tours, and should instead go on a “Vineyard crawl” and drench yourself in the wine industry (and its tasty products!). The city itself is full of beautiful Plazas and parks which is surprising since the city is also in a desert region. But the city and outlying vineyards have a huge artificial irrigation system which you can see running down the path and roadsides. Also as a final note, if you aim to arrive in February you are likely to time your trip with the Harvest Festival which is great excuse to enjoy even more of the beautiful wine!

Cordoba - The colonial home of Argentina

While Buenos Aires has a great nightlife and plenty of Tango, Cordoba also has the best collection of colonial buildings in Argentina. You will notice pretty quickly that the city was heavily influenced by the 17th century Jesuits, and the huge collection of churches and cathedrals in this city is one of the hallmarks. The Manzana Jesuitica is the section that contains most of these buildings including the oldest Argentinean church; the Compañía de Jesús built in 1671. Apart from all the Cathedrals you will also find an almost endless supply of museums ranging from art museums, typical historic museums to more hands-on science and technological museums. My personal best from these was the Museo Nacional de Meteorología Dr. Benjamin Gould a fantastic astronomy and meteorological museum. Cordoba was listed in 2006 as the Capital of Culture in the Americas so as you can imagine, it’s not just the museums and cathedrals that gives this city such a deep culture. You can also enjoy the extensive art scene including “arte bars” which also hold shows. On top of this, the city has the oldest University in Argentina as well as another 6 university within the city! That’s a lot of students and a lot partying!