Port guides

Chilean Fjords

South America

From Puerto Chacabuco, in the Aysén District in Northeast Chilean Patagonia, to Punta Arenas, in the Strait of Magellan, prepare to feel small as scene after scene of stunning natural beauty unfolds before your eyes Steep, rugged shores abound as you cruise through the Chilean Fjords’ vast network of free, open channels that wind their way to the end of the Earth. Watch in awe as glaciers reach down from the Darwin and Andes Mountains to break gracefully into the sea.

28 cruises

Arica

Chile · South America

Arica, Chile’s northernmost city, 316km north of Iquique, benefits greatly from tourism, with foreign visitors flocking to its pleasant sandy beaches in the summer, and with a smattering of good museums. Aside from its own attractions, Arica makes a good base for the beautiful Parque Nacional Lauca. The compact city centre is easy to explore on foot, though a visit to Arica isn’t complete without climbing El Morro, the dramatic cliff that looms high over the city. From the clifftop, home to a number of turkey vultures and a giant Jesus statue that lights up at night, you can enjoy a magnificent panoramic view of the entire city. Also up here, with cannons stationed outside, is the Museo Histórico y de Armas, with displays of weaponry, uniforms and other artefacts from the War of the Pacific. Below El Morro is the large, palm-tree-lined Plaza Vicuña Mackenna, and alongside that lies Avenida Máximo Lira, the main coastal road. On the east side is the attractive Plaza Colón, decorated with pink flowers and ornate fountains. The plaza is home to one of Arica’s most celebrated buildings, the Gothic Iglesia de San Marcos, designed by Gustave Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame), made entirely out of iron and shipped over from France in 1876. The excellent Museo Arqueológico lies instead 12km from Arica in the green Azapa Valley. The museum traces the history of the valley’s inhabitants, from the earliest hunter-gatherers, via a remarkably thorough collection of regional pre-Hispanic artefacts. A twenty-minute walk south of the centre will bring you to the sandy Playa El Laucho and Playa La Lisera, both popular with sun worshippers and good for swimming, followed by the pretty Playa Brava and the dark-sand Playa Arenillas Negra, which has rougher waves.

27 cruises

Santarem

Brazil · South America

The first settlement in Santarém was a Jesuit mission built in 1661. The next arrivals consisted of a group of Confederate refugees. They came to Santarém after the American Civil War in the hope of creating a new slaving state. Few of them stayed very long, but they left their mark in certain family and trade names. In the 1920s, during the rubber boom, Henry Ford spent $80 million to establish an enormous rubber plantation for the production of automobile tires. The project ended in disaster when many of his workers died from malaria and Ford realized that there were too many obstacles to overcome. Over the years, Santarém developed into one of the region's most important trading centers. Today, it is the third largest city on the Amazon after Manaus and Belém. One of Santarém's major attractions is the "Meeting of the Waters," where the crystalline blue waters of the Rio Tapajos flow side by side with the muddy-brown Amazon without merging (similar to the Negro and Solimões rivers near Manaus). Points of interest include the Town Hall Museum with displays of pottery made by the Tupai Indians, the Municipal Market and the Casa da Farinha, an old manioc flour factory, where demonstrations can be seen on how to extract latex from rubber trees. Around Santarem there are lakes and lush forests that are home to numerous species of birds. Your arrival into port already offers a good introduction to local color. Numerous river boats are tied up along the pier, some of them unloading goods and produce, others providing transportation for the local population to river communities for over 200 miles around, as well as long-distance services to Manaus and Belém.

27 cruises

Magellan Strait

South America

This 360-mile strait isolates the Tierra del Fuego archipelago from the rest of the South American continent, and is named after the ambitious Portuguese explorer and mariner Ferdinand Magellan. You'll retrace Magellan's route as you make the shortest crossing from Atlantic to Pacific between two land masses this side of the Panama Canal.

26 cruises

Alter Do Chao, Brazil

South America

Not for nothing is Alter do Chão known as the Caribbean of the Amazon. Taken as a whole, the village's white powdery beaches, transparent blue-green waters and hang-loose vibe would make a perfectly convincing addition to the Lesser Antilles. Of course, there are tip-offs that you're still in the midst of South America's River Sea, not least the neighboring rain forest and the pink dolphins—those local mascots—that periodically surface in the water. This uncommon tropical charm lies at the heart of Alter do Chão's appeal—but the place becomes outright irresistible when you factor in the curiously cosmopolitan inhabitants (expat hippies, herbalists and nature lovers in addition to Brazilians) and the cute little shops, cafés and businesses they've created. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more relaxing or beautiful stop in which to enjoy a drink by the water (or even sometimes in the water, seated in a slightly submerged chair—a local tradition) before doing a little exploring by boat or on foot.

25 cruises

Hanga Roa, Easter Island

South America

Hanga Roa is the main town, harbour and capital of Easter Island, a province of Chile. It is located in the southern part of the island's west coast, in the lowlands between the extinct volcanoes of Terevaka and Rano Kau. The population of 3,304 comprises 87 percent of the total population of the island.

24 cruises

Ilheus

Brazil · South America

Ilhéus is a city on the banks of the Cachoeira and Almada Rivers, in the eastern Brazilian state of Bahia. It's known for its colonial architecture and beaches, including Millionaires Beach in the south, lined with palm trees and food stalls. A Christ statue watches over central Christ Beach. Praia da Avenida beach skirts the center, offering views toward the striking spires of 20th-century St. Sebastian Cathedral.

22 cruises

Isla Magdalena National Park

South America

Magdalena Bay is a 50 km long bay in Comondú Municipality along the western coast of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. It is protected from the Pacific Ocean by the unpopulated sandy barrier islands of Isla Magdalena and Isla Santa Margarita.

20 cruises

Belem

Brazil · South America

The busy port of Belém, Brazil is the gateway to the Amazon, and it is laden with jungle riches like hardwoods, orchids, nuts and minerals. It is known as the Metropolis of the Brazilian Amazon region, or Cidade das Mangueiras (city of mango trees) due to the number of those trees found in the city. Belém offers colorful markets, including indigenous handicrafts and quartz jewelry. Nearby is the emerald world of the Amazon’s Guama River.

18 cruises

Iguazu Falls

South America

Iguazú Falls or Iguaçu Falls are waterfalls of the Iguazu River on the border of the Argentine province of Misiones and the Brazilian state of Paraná. Together, they make up the largest waterfall in the world. The falls divide the river into the upper and lower Iguazu.

16 cruises

Isle Royale, French Guiana

South America

You wouldn't know it, as you approach the soft sands and gently waving weave of palm trees, but this tropical paradise once stashed away some of France's most notorious criminals. Home to one of history's most remote and brutal penal colonies, Ile Royale is one of three - somewhat ironically named - Salvation Islands. The neighbouring Devil's Island's title offers some honest insight into how these islands were previously thought of. View less Nowadays, you'll discover a heavenly escape of tropical beaches, and jungle reclaiming the island from the prison’s imprint and cleansing its dark history within a cloak of verdant green. The setting for Steve McQueen's Papillon, and indeed the 2017 remake, the films tell the story of Henri Charriere's attempted escapes from these notoriously impossible to leave islands, which lie seven miles offshore from French Guiana. Unravel the stories for yourself, as you explore the ruins that have been left behind. Wander to the chapel that was constructed by prisoners, as well as the island's hospital and staff quarters. There's incredible wildlife among the penal colony's ruins too. Cute agouti sniff tentatively at fallen coconuts, vast sea turtles lounge around, squirrel monkeys clamber up through the vegetation, and giant iguanas bask in the sun's glow. Wander the path that loops around the island's circumference to spot them, and to discover the lay of the land. Now administered by the French equivalent of NASA, CNES, the islands are occasionally cleared, as rocket launches roar up into the sky overhead.

16 cruises

Macapa

Brazil · South America

At the mouth of the mighty Amazon River, Macap is a city surrounded by encroaching jungle and the lush greenery of the Brazilian rainforest. The Amazon region is unique, in that it is home to an estimated one third of the planet's living species, including birds, sea and river turtles, giant alligators and more. The many rivers of the basin, through which one-fifth of the world's fresh water flows, lead to the heart of the jungle. The Amazon River itself is 4,000 miles long. Take a jungle cruise along the Amazon River to see the jungle in more detail - and from the safety of a boat. Nearby, art and pottery from native Indian tribes can be found in the popular Ver-o-Peso market.

15 cruises

Abraao

South America

14 cruises

Cusco

South America

Cusco, a city in the Peruvian Andes, was once capital of the Inca Empire, and is now known for its archaeological remains and Spanish colonial architecture. Plaza de Armas is the central square in the old city, with arcades, carved wooden balconies and Incan wall ruins. The baroque Santo Domingo Convent was built on top of the Incan Temple of the Sun (Qoricancha), and has archaeological remains of Inca stonework.

14 cruises

San Martin

South America

San Martin is your gateway to the quiet colonial town of Pisco and its fertile coastal valley. For thousands of years, pre-Columbian societies thrived in river valleys such as this. Utilizing sophisticated systems of irrigation, they transformed the harsh coastal desert into productive farmland. The legacy of these ancient people, from their giant geometric etchings on the desert floor to their ancient burial grounds, continues to draw curious adventurers from around the world. San Martin is also your gateway to two other mysterious marvels: the Inca palace complex at Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Archipelago.

13 cruises

Rio Grande

South America

Explore this lovely old Portuguese city, its gracious squares and beautiful churches. Visit the Museum of Sacred Art and the fascinating oceanographic museum. Or see the vast pampas and feel the gaucho life on a local estancia. Shopping:

11 cruises

Robinson Crueso Island

South America

Positioned in the South Pacific Ocean 416 miles west of San Antonio, Chile, Robinson Crusoe Island has a storied history, quite literally. Sailor Alexander Selkirk was marooned here from 1704 to 1709, living in solitude with only a musket, gunpowder, tools and other basic items to keep him alive and well. His story inspired Daniel Dafoe to write <em>Robinson Crusoe </em>in 1719. In 1966, the Chilean government changed the island’s name, formerly Más Tierra ("Closer to Land"), to Robinson Crusoe Island. A story of your own unfolds during your visit, inspired not only by the island’s novelistic associations but also its superb natural beauty and astounding variety of wildlife. Declared a National Park and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the island has 61 times more native plant species than the Galapagos and 13 times more birds. Scuba diving in Chile’s clearest waters with visibility of more than 65 feet offers a striking look at unique marine life. On land, you might spy the Juan Fernández hummingbird, the rare, cinnamon-orange bird found only on this legendary isle.

11 cruises

Laguna San Rafael

Chile · South America

San Rafael lagoon is an arc-shaped coastal lake located in the Aisén Region of Chile, within the national park that bears its name. The lagoon was formed by the retreat of the San Rafael Glacier in the Northern Patagonian Ice Field. Today, it is a popular tourism destination, and ships sails from Puerto Chacabuco and Puerto Montt nearly everyday to see the famous ‘Blue Wall’-- the grand San Rafael glacier, crack, calve and thunder above the translucent blue-green waters.

9 cruises

Porto Belo, Brazil

South America

When sailing near the Brazilian coast with an MSC South America cruise you’ll discover a region dubbed the Costa Verde e Mar by the tourism authorities. It’s the magnificent beaches that take centre stage here. On your voyage with your MSC cruise ship, the obvious stopover is at the finest bathing and surfing beaches which lie on the Porto Belo peninsula, close to Florida.Porto Belo is a fishing community situated at the hub of a series of idyllic beaches clinging to the adjacent peninsula. The most enticing stretches of sand and warm, aquamarine waters, just waiting to be discovered on an MSC South America excursion, are at Bombas and Bombinhas, 5km and 8km east of Porto Belo respectively and separated from one another by a rocky promontory. The bay in which they’re found is extremely pretty, with rich vegetation behind the beach, and waves suitable for inexperienced surfers. South of Bombinhas, if you’re looking for open sea and more powerful waves, the east-facing Praia do Mariscal is better, but should be braved by only the most expert of surfers. You can get the most from your day off your luxury cruise liner with some local sightseeing tours. Enjoy a local holiday attraction and head out to Ponta do Lobo or venture further afield and catch a boat to the islands of Arvoredo and João da Cunha, both of which have fine beaches. Those who feel that no vacation is complete without a spot of shopping will enjoy the shops and boutiques in Porto Belo that sell local crafts, wood carvings, paintings, original artworks and locally-made costume jewellery – so be sure to bring a souvenir back to the ship!

9 cruises

Puerto Eden

Chile · South America

Villa Puerto Edén is a Chilean hamlet and minor port located in Wellington Island, in Natales commune, Última Esperanza Province, Magallanes Region. It is considered one of Chile's most isolated inhabited places together with Easter Island and Villa Las Estrellas.

9 cruises

Sao Francisco do Sul

Brazil · South America

The centuries-old town of São Francisco do Sul is situated on an island of the same name, overlooking Babitonga Bay, in the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. Founded by the French and colonized by the Portuguese, the city boasts beautiful beaches and a charming historic waterfront lined with colorful colonial buildings and cobbled lanes. Nearby Acaraí State Park, part of the Atlantic Forest, is home to a wealth of flora and fauna, including the curious-looking tamandua, a type of anteater.

9 cruises

Sur, French Guyana

South America

9 cruises

Utría National Park, Colombia

South America

The Utría National Natural Park is a national park in the Chocó Department, Colombia. It contains diverse flora and fauna in a lush, mountainous rainforest environment with some of the highest rainfall in the world, at up to 10,000 millimetres annually.

9 cruises

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