Port guides

Paracas

Peru · South America

The small port town of Paracas on Peru's west coast, has a reputation for wonderful beaches, and is a destination point for the uninhabited Ballestas Islands, home to sea lions, pelicans and Humboldt penguins. Much more than a thriving deep water port, Paracas is perfectly placed for tours to many of Peru's most spectacular natural wonders. Close by is the rugged, wildlife-rich Paracas National Reserve that spans desert, ocean, islands and the Paracas Peninsula. This designated UNESCO World Heritage Site is a sanctuary for seals, penguins, flamingos and dozens of seabird species – and home to the glorious Athens Beach. The Islas Ballestas – affectionately known as the Peruvian Galapagos, are volcanic islands that boast spectacular scenery and are home to countless cormorants and Inca terns, as well as breeding sea lions. The Paracas Candelabra, also called the Candelabra of the Andes, is a well-known prehistoric geoglyph found on the northern face of the peninsula, and is a must to witness and capture on camera.

8 cruises

Copacabana, Brazil

South America

Copacabana is dominated to the east by Sugar Loaf Mountain and circled by a line of hills that stretch out into the bay as you’ll see when you’re cruising the Atlantic Ocean with MSC Cruises. The town’s expansion as a residential area has been restricted by the Morro de São João, which separates it from Botafogo, and the Morro dos Cabritos, a natural barrier to the west. Consequently, Copacabana is one of the world’s most densely populated areas as well as a frenzy of sensual activity. Of course, Copacabana hasn’t always been as it is today, and traces remain of the former fishing community that dominated the area until the first decades of the twentieth century. Each morning before dawn, the boats of the colônia de pescadores (the descendants of the fishermen) set sail from the Forte de Copacabana, returning to the beach by 8am to sell their fish from stalls at the southern end of the beach. Rio’s sophisticated beach culture is entirely a product of the twentieth century. The 1930s saw the city’s international reputation emerge and “flying down to Rio” became an enduring cliché, celebrated in music, film and literature. Nonetheless, Rio’s beaches are first and foremost the preserve of cariocas: rich or poor, young or old, everybody descends on the beaches throughout the week, treating them as city parks. Copacabana is amazing, the over-the-top atmosphere apparent even in the mosaic pavements, designed by Burle Marx to represent images of rolling waves. The seafront is backed by a line of prestigious, high-rise hotels and luxury apartments that have sprung up since the 1940s. Some fine examples of Art Deco architecture are scattered around the bairro.

7 cruises

Nauta, Peru

South America

Iquitos is a Peruvian port city and gateway to the jungle lodges and tribal villages of the northern Amazon. Its district of Belén is known for its massive open-air street market and rustic stilt houses lining the Itaya River. In the historic center, the Main Square (Plaza de Armas) is surrounded by European-influenced buildings dating to the region's turn-of-the-20th-century boom in rubber production.

7 cruises

Tierra del Fuego

South America

Tierra del Fuego is an archipelago at South America’s southernmost tip, shared by Chile and Argentina. It’s known for its dramatic landscape of snowy mountains, glaciers, tundra and wind-sculpted trees. Its main island, Isla Grande, is home to the Argentine resort town of Ushuaia. Sometimes called “the End of the World,” Ushuaia is a gateway to the region and Antarctica to the south.

7 cruises

El Calafate

South America

El Calafate is a town near the edge of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field in the Argentine province of Santa Cruz. It’s mainly known as the gateway to Los Glaciares National Park, home to the massive Perito Moreno Glacier, whose ever-shifting icy landscape is popular for hiking and sightseeing. A modern interpretive center called the Glaciarium serves as a primer on the region’s numerous glaciers.

6 cruises

Icoaraci

South America

Founded in 1616 as one of the first settlements along Brazil's Amazon River, Belém, the capital of the Brazilian state of Pará, once prospered as one of South America's spotlight playgrounds for the rich and cultured. This urban oasis in the jungle experienced unprecedented growth and fortune during the rubber boom at the turn of the 19th century thanks to a Brazilian monopoly on latex. It was during this golden era that the City of Mango Trees constructed one of its most important landmarks, the neoclassical-style 1874 Theatro da Paz on the Praça da República—an architectural testament to the opulence of those days when the city was affectionately referred to as "the tropical Paris." By 1910, rubber had crashed, but Belém soldiered on as a thriving river port and tourism hub. Today, it's a thoroughly pleasant—albeit sweaty—gateway to the Amazon, made prettier by mango tree–shaded green spaces. The streets of the vibrant historical center are crowded with palatial 17th- and 18th-century buildings, many of which have been turned into seriously wonderful museums. Belém's biggest attraction, however, is the endlessly fascinating, action-packed Ver-o-Peso market, the largest open-air market in Latin America and the requisite first stop for any visitor. From here, Belém's culinary magic becomes apparent: The city's long list of excellent restaurants steeped in unique, jungle-fueled culinary traditions has made Belém one of the most exciting gastronomic destinations in Brazil. Bom proveito!

6 cruises

Torres Del Paine National Park

South America

Torres del Paine National Park, in Chile’s Patagonia region, is known for its soaring mountains, bright blue icebergs that cleave from glaciers and golden pampas (grasslands) that shelter rare wildlife such as llama-like guanacos. Some of its most iconic sites are the 3 granite towers from which the park takes its name and the horn-shaped peaks called Cuernos del Paine.

6 cruises

Cebaco Island, Panama

South America

5 cruises

Darien National Park

South America

Darién National Park is a world heritage site in Panama. It is about 325 kilometers from Panama City, and is the most extensive of all national parks of Panama and is one of the most important world heritage sites in Central America. The Darién National Park is a natural bridge spanning North and South America.

5 cruises

Iquitos

South America

Iquitos is a Peruvian port city and gateway to the jungle lodges and tribal villages of the northern Amazon. Its district of Belén is known for its massive open-air street market and rustic stilt houses lining the Itaya River. In the historic center, the Main Square (Plaza de Armas) is surrounded by European-influenced buildings dating to the region's turn-of-the-20th-century boom in rubber production.

5 cruises

Machala, Ecuador

South America

Located in the fertile lowlands near the Gulf of Guayaquil, Machala is said to be the banana capital of the world. Coffee and cacao are also important crops in the surrounding farmlands. The cathedral is impressive, and the church of Nuestra Señora de Chilla has an impressive depiction of the Virgin and child bedecked in golden finery, attended by a rustic, a dog and a goat. Further afield, the Petrified Forest Puyango is the largest array of fossil trees in the world, with some measuring over six feet in diameter and nearly 50 feet long.

5 cruises

New Island, Chile

South America

Remote and raw, New Island lies to the west of the Falkland Islands, and the humble human population here is far outweighed by the extraordinary birdlife that resides along its craggy coastline. Out in the tempestuous wilds of the South Atlantic Ocean, the island is a sanctuary of animal life - with crowds of rockhopper penguins, wrinkled seals and stern-looking albatross among its many residents. The penguins of the Falklands are a sight to see, fooling and falling on the beaches, before diving in and whipping through the waters. View less Home to five different species, including king penguins - who strut with their orange collars glowing against the pure white feathers of their chests. Sea lions, seals and elephant seals bark and lumber along the shoreline, while sleek orcas patrol and Peale’s dolphins cut through the waves. Settlement Rookery’s cliffs rattle with the sounds of crashing sea waves, and the echoing shouts of hollering black-browed albatross, king cormorants and rockhopper penguins. Enjoy gorgeous sweeping landscapes, littered with shipwrecks and sprinkles of colourful wildflowers. A warm welcome is guaranteed, especially when the local custom of smoko is served up – towering platters of cakes and biscuits with tea and coffee. Things haven’t always been so peaceful here, however, and you can pay a visit to the battlefields and memorials of the costly war in 1982, when the British and Argentinians clashed fiercely over these islands.

5 cruises

Tortel

Chile · South America

Tortel is a commune located in Southern Patagonia, a spectacular wilderness region of rugged mountains, glaciers, rivers and forests of infinite beauty. The uneven geography of Tortel shapes a unique landscape, characterized by an archipelagic area with numerous islands and channels. View less Tortel is known as the “footbridge city” for the unique beauty of its wooden walkways that connect the piers and houses of this quaint place through bridges and stairs, built from cypress wood, that run for four and a half miles around the cove and that respect the rich vegetation that grows under them. Even though it is the sixth largest commune in Chile, it has the lowest population of all with roughly 531 people. The history of the town dates back to 1520 when it was inhabited by nomadic Kawesqar, now extinct. Its definitive foundation was in 1955, after numerous attempts to populate the area. In 2001, it was declared by the Chilean government as a Picturesque Zone of National Heritage.

5 cruises

Alexander Selkirk Island, Chile

South America

Think of Daniel Defoe’s classic novel Robinson Crusoe and you will be picturing an intrepid castaway, marooned on a paradisiacal island. That image might be ideal for movie lovers, but the actual inspiration for Robinson Crusoe was a salty Scottish seadog who went by the name of Alexander Selkirk. Selkirk was marooned in Chile’s Juan Fernandez archipelago for four years and four months, rescued by a British private warship. Despite Selkirk’s slightly chequered past, he was greeted as a celebrity upon his return to England. His adventures were given a gloss and immortalised in the much loved 18th century classic. Alejandro Selkirk Island is located 165 kilometres west of the other islands in the archipelago, for a surface area of just under 50 m2. The island was renamed from its Spanish name Isla Más Afuera in 1966 by the Chilean government in homage to the sailor. The topography is very different form the Caribbean dream that Defoe writes about, think dense woodland, rugged coast and peaks, shrouded (more often than not) in cloud. Sandy beaches can be found to the north of the island. Throughout much of its history, the island has been uninhabited, although there is a former penal settlement on the middle of the east coast, which operated from 1909 to 1930. During the summer months, Selkirk welcomes a small community of lobster fishermen and their families who come from Robinson Crusoe. As part of the Chilean National Park, it also holds the UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve title.

4 cruises

Florianopolis

South America

4 cruises

Isla de La Plata

South America

Isla de la Plata is a small island off Ecuador's central coast, near the town of Puerto López. Part of Machalilla National Park, the uninhabited island features beaches, headlands and shrubland. It's known for its many marine birds, like blue-footed and masked boobies, plus Galapagos albatrosses. Trails run from Drake Bay to sheer clifftops overlooking waters that attract manta rays and migratory humpback whales.

4 cruises

Paita

Peru · South America

Paita is a city in northwestern Peru. It is the capital of the Paita Province which is in the Piura Region. It is a leading seaport in that region. It is located 1,089 km northwest of the country's capital Lima and 57 km northwest of the regional capital of Piura.

4 cruises

Puerto Natales

Chile · South America

Puerto Natales is a port city on the Señoret Channel in Chile’s southern Patagonia. It’s the gateway to Torres del Paine National Park to the northwest, and the port for boats touring the Patagonian fjords. The Municipal Historical Museum in the city center exhibits artifacts from the region’s indigenous population. To the north is the vast Mylodon Cave, once inhabited by prehistoric, slothlike mylodons.

4 cruises

Aguas Calientes

South America

Aguas Calientes is a town in the Urubamba River Valley, in southeast Peru. It’s known for its thermal baths and as a gateway to the nearby Inca ruins of Machu Picchu. The town center is full of eateries and shops, anchored by the central Mercado Artesanal, a craft market. Northwest, along the river, are Los Jardines de Mandor gardens with orchids and birds. The nearby Butterfly House is a local conservation project.

3 cruises

Angra Dos Reis, Brazil

South America

Angra dos Reis is a Brazilian municipality in southwest Rio de Janeiro state. It’s made up of 365 islands and a small port surrounded by steep, forested coastline. The region is known for its many beaches and biodiverse Ilha Grande, the largest island. Vila do Abraão is the island’s main village, with restaurants, bars and the St. Sebastian Church at its heart. A trail leads to the ruins of the Cândido Mendes prison

3 cruises

Coiba Island

South America

Coiba Island is part of Panama, off the country’s Pacific Coast, in the Gulf of Chiriquí. Once a penal colony, it’s now part of Coiba National Park, which is known for its diverse marine life and jungle animals including white-faced monkeys. Dive sites on Bahia Damas Reef are home to manta rays, whales and hammerhead sharks.

3 cruises

Puerto Deseado

South America

Puerto Deseado, originally called Port Desire, is a city of about 15,000 inhabitants and a fishing port in Patagonia in Santa Cruz Province of Argentina, on the estuary of the Deseado River.

3 cruises

Saunders Island, Falkland Islands

South America

Meet some of the world’s most incredible wildlife, on the remote Saunders Island. Sitting to the north-west of the Falkland’s archipelago, the British established their first settlement here in 1765, at Port Egmont. Remote, wild and wonderful, the island now serves as a lush grazing ground for plenty of sheep - but it's an astonishing place to encounter far rarer animals - from elephant seals to silvery grebes and Peale’s dolphins. View less Connected by sinewy links of beach and sandy dunes, which create some of the most dramatic scenery in the Falklands, the archipelago’s fourth biggest island is home to its best birdlife - including a colony of neatly tuxedoed king penguins. Saunders Island's topography tightens at The Neck - where you'll find even more penguin activity. Colonies squark and chatter in huge crowds here, with Gentoo, Rockhopper and Magellanic penguins dipping into the water, and clambering over boulders. A gentle hike to the summit of Mount Richards will take you 457 metres above sea level, offering an expansive overview, from which you can look out across the tips of the moody waves to see Carcass Island and West Point Island emerging. The cliffs to the north of the mountain host rare black-browed albatross - a sight of sheer grace in flight - but comically clumsy at times when landing. Elsewhere, wide lakes are home to various water birds - including the rare black-necked swans. Take a read of our blog to find out more about the hugely diverse wildlife that is present on this unique island.

3 cruises

Urubamba

South America

Urubamba is a town in the Sacred Valley region of southeastern Peru. A busy transportation hub, it sits on the Urubamba River, surrounded by rugged mountains. The town is a jumping-off point for the Maras Salt Mines, hundreds of hillside salt pools dating back to Inca times. Nearby, Moray is an Inca archaeological site defined by concentric terraces. Hang-gliding, paragliding and rafting are popular area activities.

3 cruises