Santo Domingo is the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Americas, founded in 1496 by Bartholomew Columbus (Christopher’s brother). The city’s history is most keenly felt amongst the streets of the Zona Colonial, home to beautiful old churches and colonial era houses.

Cartagena was founded by Spanish conquistadors in 1533, and the beautifully preserved centre is a real highlight of Colombia’s Caribbean coast. The walled old town, the Ciudad Amurallada, is a camera-friendly collection of cobbled streets and colourful, colonial-era buildings.

Situated just off the coast of Panama, the idyllic San Blas islands are home to the Kuna Indians, who enjoy political autonomy from the mainland and have an unusual degree of control over tourism to their homeland. Visiting these simple island communities is a privilege, and an insight into an indigenous way of life unsullied by mass tourism.

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.

The port of Fuerte Amador sits at the southern edge of Panama City, near the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. The shining skyscrapers of the Panamanian capital are a testament to the city’s status as a key financial centre, while the tiny Casco Viejo is home to pretty colonial streets, hip hotels and happening bars.

Beautiful Isla Parida lies within the protected Gulf of Chiriquí National Park, its tranquil beaches lapped by warm, crystal clear waters where you’ll find an abundance of marine life. This is a great place to kick back and chill out for a day, in idyllic tropical surroundings.

Seldom visited by tourists, the lush and humid Golfo Dulce is home to Piedras Blanca National Park, an area of pristine rainforest teeming with wildlife. Amongst the mangroves that line the coast lurk crocodiles and river otters, while the canopy above is home to nimble monkeys and colourful toucans.

The little town of Quepos is the gateway to Manuel Antonio National Park, a nature-lover’s paradise that’s home to monkeys, iguanas and the reclusive three-toed sloth. The area around Quepos also boasts some of the best beaches in Costa Rica, and the town itself has some nice restaurants.

Puerto Caldera is a major port on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, about an hour and a half from the capital, San José. Nearby attractions include the beach town of Puntarenas, the fantastic wildlife of the Carara Biological Reserve and Tortuga Island, a beautiful spot for snorkelling.

The Curú Wildlife Refuge is situated on Costa Rica’s lush Nicoya Peninsula, thick with primary forest and fringed by tiny coves and beaches. It’s a real haven for wildlife, where you might spy ocelots, anteaters or capuchin monkeys rustling about in the foliage.

Chiapas is Mexico’s southernmost state, and this busy commercial port is situated close to the border with Guatemala. The nearest town, Tapachula, doesn’t have a lot going for it, but nearby attractions include beaches, coffee plantations and the impressive pre-Hispanic ruins of Izapa.

Huatulco, on the Pacific coast of Oaxaca, was developed for tourism with a low-rise, eco-friendly approach, a far cry from the likes of Cancún or Acapulco. Four of Huatulco’s nine beautiful bays have been designated as ecological reserves, and there are several villages showcasing traditional Mexican crafts.