Willemstad – Panama City · 2 September 2026 – 17 February 2027

The second largest in the ABC Islands, which forms part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is an idyllic natural paradise with many different faces. In the hilly northern region, lush tropical greenery prevails, and in the south, areas have a desert-like character with cactuses as high as trees and natural salt lakes that attract whole flocks of pink flamingos. The island also gleams with rugged rocky cliffs, mangrove forests, several small bays, endless sandy beaches and a long offshore coral reef.

Aruba, the most westerly island in the Netherlands Antilles, is also the last in the arc of the Antilles before you reach the South American mainland. Its capital, Oranjestad, founded in 1796, shows that everything here is a bit different. Caribbean pastel-colored houses and Delft tiles, carved wooden doors and Dutch gables, all-around balconies and colonial galleries. All of these features combine to create a style which can only have one name – Aruban. Aruba also offers a distinctive natural landscape, with an inland desert, extensive sand dunes, oddly formed cliffs, impressive cactus forests, strangely shaped divi-divi trees and countless aloe plants.

Climbing the rigging, untying ropes, setting sails – today is all about sailing. Time to lean back and relax in the deck chair and watch the passionate crew hoisting the sails by hand.

Cartagena was once the richest city in the New World and a popular target for pirate attacks, since a large part of the Spanish treasure was stored there. Sir Francis Drake also instilled terror into the Spanish city. After Drake's invasion, the city was fortified with a 7 mile-long rampart and the immense San Felipe Fort. Today Cartagena is one of the most beautiful colonial cities on the American continent and is protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

To live like Robinson Crusoe, on a remote island without any civilizing frills, but with a palm beach and coconuts for breakfast – who hasn't dreamt of that before? The San Blas Islands off the coast of Panama come pretty close to this idea of a Caribbean paradise. Here life is beautifully simple – and simply beautiful. The approximately 370 coral islands, which can be explored from the main island Porvenir, are inhabited by the Kuna. The indigenous people only allow tourism in moderation and have preserved much of their ancient culture and religion.

Since 1914, the Panama Canal has linked the Atlantic to the Pacific. This technological marvel of locks and canals also comprises two artificial lakes. The Gatúnsee, one of the world's largest dammed lakes, has now regained a unique range of flora and fauna. In fact, nature has reclaimed the lake for itself, with the rainforest sprawling over its banks. The former hills are now islands on which an astonishing variety of species has formed, due to its isolation. The largest island, Barro Colorado, is completely untouched and has been a nature reserve since 1923. Scientists from all over the world come here to try and discover the jungle's last secrets.