Tangled tropical foliage curls around the waterfalls and rivers of Puerto Rico's interior, thinning to palm trees and soft white sand at the perimeter beaches. San Juan, the island's hub and main port, accommodates visitors to the city with a range of tourist amenities. The adventurous won't want to sail away from Puerto Rico without first exploring some of the less-beaten paths that penetrate the island's rural side.

Green blankets the undulating curves of hilly St. Thomas, the primary port in the US Virgin Islands. Half-moon beaches slide seamlessly into aquamarine waters at the shore's edge before darkening over reefs and the deep-sea, while equally bright colors and sophisticated boutiques line the main street of the capitol, Charlotte Amalie. Shop duty-free and local markets when you've soaked up your sun for the day, or stretch you land legs on a historic walking tour around Government Hill and the buildings around Emancipation Garden.