Central American Discovery Cruise on Scenic Eclipse Part 2

For the next country to tick off the itinerary we docked at Acajutla in El Salvador, where a guided tour to see local churches was on offer, but I decided to take the local transfer bus to go and explore independently, seeing a couple of stops in Acajutla including a nice sandy beach area. I was received so warmly wherever I went in El Salvador, and even had a chance to try the refreshing local beer and stock up on coffee to take home with me. It is here that the ship’s helicopter took to the skies, whizzing passengers over El Salvador’s fascinating landscapes and azure coastline.

One of my favourite stops was next, docking at Puerto Quetzal in Guatemala, where we had the opportunity to summit Pacaya, an active complex volcano. The views from our hike were resplendent, and a real highlight of the trip. Guatemala has 37 volcanoes in total, so by climbing one you get to witness for yourself just how many there are in the surrounding area- every vista has a volcano- some of which are erupting with smoke and fiery red lava! We were yet again shown the most incredible hospitality here at every turn, such a warm, welcoming country and one I would love to return to again. Others on the cruise chose to visit the picture perfect town of Antigua 1500m above sea level, once the city’s colourful colonial capital with bougainvillea draped buildings clustered around stunning bright courtyards and squares.

Saying farewell to Guatemala we next arrived into the port of Huatulco in Mexico, home to a rich and varied heritage of indigenous groups where the local National Park has 300 bird species and 87 types of amphibian and reptile flourish in the unique ecosystem. Excursions here included a boat trip through silent mangroves looking for crocodiles, or a visit to a coffee plantation to hear all about this important produce from the area.

Our penultimate port of call was at the buzzy seaside resort of Puerto Vallarta, a beach destination backed by the Sierra Madre mountains, made famous for the publicity around Elizabeth Taylor’s affair with Richard Burton while filming in Banderas Bay, putting it firmly on the map in the sixties. Here we visited local taco restaurants and dipped into the local markets and shops along the pedestrianised Malecon, a waterfront walkway that’s the heart and soul of the city where musicians and street artists play alongside stall vendors, lively bars and restaurants. Travelling onwards north into the Sea of Cortez we had the excitement of seeing whales breach and play as well as devil rays doing backflips out of the water in incredible ariel displays.

The final stop was dropping anchor just off Isla Cerralvo, or Isla Jacques Cousteau, an island located off the Mexican Baja California Sur. Above the water line here the dry landscape is very barren and with sparse spiny cacti. However, under the water life flourishes. Virtually all local marine life must migrate past the island, and the water visibility goes up to 30 meters making it a prime location for snorkelling- I spent an hour or so admiring the richness of marine life here, especially the vivid puffer fish, who were ubiquitous.

From Baja we had a short flight up to Los Angeles for one final night on land, staying at the classy SLS hotel in Beverley Hills. I was enamoured with LA- from the moment we approached the city it was like being immersed in the movies. From the swish shops in Beverly Hills to the skateboarders at Venice Beach to the wide sands of Santa Monica I soaked it all up in 24 hours and it’s a city I look forward to revisiting.

I could say as much about my time at sea, sailing along in the sunshine, as I could about the places we stopped. The sea life in this region is varied and spectacular, so vast pods of dolphins accompanied us alongside the ship daily. Whales joined us as we got further north, breaching and feeding, so the ship stopped to allow us time to watch at a respectful distance. Flying fish and leaping devil rays wowed with acrobatics above the water and large turtles regularly stopped to bob by the ship. Sea birds accompanied our progress, and there was never a dull moment as the scenery slipped by seamlessly, always stunning and ever changing. There were plenty of places to relax on the ship, from the hot tubs and sun deck on top deck to the refreshing plunge pool outside the spa area. I indulged in daily yoga or stretching classes, and topped up my training for the London marathon in the ship’s gym, where dolphins leapt and played in the waters outside the window as I ticked off the miles on the treadmill. This has to be the best view of any gym in the world, surely? There were daily seminars discussing the history, wildlife and vegetation of the areas we travelled through, as well as performances from the talented on board singers and entertainers.

My favourite memories from the cruise will be sitting on my private balcony in the sunshine having breakfast whilst rainforest views slid by and dolphins played alongside the ship in bright turquoise waters, shoals of flying fish glittering in the morning light. The views of Guatemala from the summit of the volcano, and the chilled beach vibes in Mexico were also highlights. I loved watching the climate, flora and fauna change as we sailed north along the coast. From the humidity and thickness of the lush green tropical rainforest in Panama and Costa Rica to the volcanoes of Guatemala to the barren parched earth of Jacques Cousteau Island. Spending time on Scenic Eclipse, this very special ship, was a dream. The sight of her brought tears to our eyes as we approached to dock from the zodiacs, she is the most beautiful sight to behold and turns heads wherever she goes.

If you’re looking to experience a cruise like no other and want to know more about sailing on Scenic Eclipse then please get in touch.