Hanseatic Nature, South & Central America ex Callao to Belem – 25 Mar 2021

19 Night Cruise sailing from Callao to Belem aboard Hanseatic Nature.

Please note that your choosen cruise is conducted in German only. All printed matters are available in German. Nevertheless our crew is fluent in English.

Delve into the soul of a continent. The HANSEATIC nature will show you the contrasting coasts of the Pacific and Atlantic – linked by the legendary Panama Canal.

Highlights of this cruise:

Callao
Callao is the largest and most important port in Peru. It is located west of Lima, the country’s capital, and is part of the Lima Metropolitan Area. Callao is built on and around a peninsula, the district of La Punta, once a wealthy residential neighborhood. An historical fortress, the Castillo de Real Felipe (site of “Rodil’s Last Stand”), stands on the promontory overlooking the harbor.

In its surroundings is located the Main Iglesia Matriz Church and the Capitanía del Puerto (Port Captaincy). From here a street takes the visitor towards the District of La Punta which hosts the Naval Base, round stony beaches, the old walkway by the sea and a handsome residential area.

A few kilometres into the sea stands the San Lorenzo Island, with some archaeological relevance and the El Frontón Islet, at present an abandoned prison that used to hold highly dangerous criminals.

San Blas Islands
The San Blas Islands of Panama is an archipelago of 365 islands off the north coast of the Isthmus, east of the Panama Canal. Only 49 are inhabited by the fiercely independent Kuna Indians. The most interesting are Achutupu, Kagantupu and Coco Blanco.

The Kuna Indians, who run all the islands have maintained their own economic system, language, customs and culture, with distinctive dress, legends, music and dance. The economy of the islands is based on coconut sales, fishing and tourism, and they offer travelers good snorkeling and swimming.

The San Blas offers a large array of sights and activities including incredible seascapes, colorful reefs and islands, to the abundant sea life in its waters and wildlife on the mainland. There are continuous festivals and gatherings occurring at villages that visitors can witness to get a glimpse of the culture. Numerous Kuna villages offer visitors multiple opportunities for various glimpses at the daily lives of the Kuna.

Curacao
Curaçao, the largest island in the Netherlands Antilles, is part of the Dutch Leeward Islands, also known as the Dutch Antilles. Willemstad, the capital, is noted for its brightly colored, Dutch-style houses and Cunucu dwellings (based on African-style mud and wattle huts). It is one of the best shopping destinations in the Caribbean. The harbor has a floating market where colorful barges full of agricultural produce are moored. Nearby is the new market building, the design of which is very unusual.

St Christoffel National Park, occupying the most northwestern part of the island, is a nature reserve dominated by the mountain of the same name. There are several caves decorated with Arawak Indian paintings, some unusual rock formations and fine views across the countryside. Lucky visitors may spy iguanas and shy Curaçao deer. Traditional Dutch food is popular, as well as the exciting flavors of Creole food, criollo, which makes good use of fresh fish. There are several discos run by hotels on the island, some of which also have a casino.

Belem
Belém (also called Para), is a city and port in northern Brazil, on the Baía do Guajará (Guajara Bay). It is part of the vast Amazon Delta, near the mouth of the Rio Guamá, about 80 miles (130 km) up the Rio Pará from the Atlantic.

Belém has a modern appearance with tree-lined streets, several plazas and public gardens, and many noteworthy buildings. The colonial portion retains the charm of tree-filled squares, churches and traditional blue tiles.

Attractions in Belem include the Cidade Velha (Old City), Forte do Castelo, the Ver-o-pêso market and the Estação das Docas Complex at the docks.