My journey has begun in Larnaca on the 16th of November. I had a flight to London, then to Philadelphia, and finally to Puerto Rico. It took 17 hours from the time I departed from Cyprus till the time I reached my destination.
This journey is a celebration of contrasts – after the icy silence of the Arctic in summer, I came to the Caribbean summer.
I'll spend a few days in San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico. Then, the ship Explora I will take me from San Juan to Miami. I'll have a chance to visit some of the most beautiful and diverse islands in the Caribbean Sea. Each of them has its own story. I am reading a lot now, and I'll share with you some interesting facts when the time comes.
The itinerary combines colonial towns, beaches, and luxury of life at sea.
The French elegance of St. Barth, the welcoming warmth of Antigua, the similarity of the British Virgin Islands. Two final days at sea will allow time for reflection, for watching the endless horizon, and for conversations with people who, like me, travel not just to see the world, but to feel it.

Days 1-3 – San Juan, Puerto Rico

They say that San Juan greets travellers with a palette of colours – blue skies, pastel façades, and the deep green of palm leaves against stone fortresses. Founded in 1521, it is one of the oldest European cities in the Americas, and its cobbled streets still echo the footsteps of Spanish conquistadors.
I booked a hotel in Old San Juan. They say that it feels like opening a history book. Balconies overflow with flowers, music drifts from small cafés. On the first day I walked along the massive walls of Castillo San Felipe del Morro, this fortress was built in the end of XVI century.
They say that Puerto Rico is poetic, and passionate. From today's experience I understood that it is green, clean and spacious: it is pleasure to walk here. I'll explore it as much as I can.

The first day is to walk around the Old Puerto Rico. The second day was devoted to exploration of the island's nature: I booked a full day excursion. We drove around the north-eastern part of Puerto Rico. Here is what I learned:

1. A distinctive feature of Puerto Rico is that the mountains catch the clouds coming from the Atlantic. The humid air rises along the northern slopes, cools down, and turns into mist and rain. This is why the entire northern part of the island is much greener and more fertile – and why the capital, where I am staying, is extremely humid. In the mountains there are waterfalls which, to the surprise of tourists, flow not because they belong to a river but because there are small lakes at the top that collect rainwater. These lakes never dry out, as it rains in the mountains 3-4 times a day.

2. Around 250 types of plants grow in Puerto Rican jungles (as the guide explained, this includes trees, shrubs, flowers, ferns, fungi, mosses). I still don’t fully understand how this adds up to 250 – but I did double-check online, at least for trees. If we speak only about trees, the island has around 250 species of trees, some of them are endemics (it means they grow nowhere else on Earth). And there are more than 3,000 (!) species of fungi in Puerto Rico. You'll see on my photo how this vegetation co-exists in different levels.
It is said that El Yunque National Forest that I visited, is the only tropical rainforest in the United States National Forest system. Here is a photo from one of the lookout towers: we could see the forest all around us, a perfect view to observe it!

I became curious about the difference between the terms Caribbean Sea and Caribbean Basin. I had heard the second term far more often, but why?

I found out that the Caribbean Sea is, literally, the water, a huge sea (2.7 million km²) that surrounds more than 700 islands. The Caribbean Basin is a much broader concept. It includes the Caribbean Sea, all the islands, all the states along the Caribbean coastline, and parts of the mainland that are historically and economically linked to the region (for example: Belize, Guatemala, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, Panama). n other words, the Caribbean Basin is a region, and when I say “Caribbean Basin,” I may be speaking about geography, history, culture, or economics. So, I'll use this term in all my future stories.

A CAVE DISCOVERY THAT REWROTE HISTORY
It is known that the first humans appeared in Puerto Rico long before the Common Era, but where they came from remains a historical mystery. Archaeologists still disagree. There is no official version.

I visited a cave that added an entirely new layer to our knowledge of ancient people: when remains of an unknown culture were found there (human bones, everyday objects) historians literally had to rewrite textbooks. It became clear that people had lived on the island many centuries before previously believed. They lived in caves near the seashore, fished and hunted during the day, and returned to the caves each evening for safety.

Later, the Taíno arrived on the island. Their history is well documented: an advanced people, they built large villages, cultivated cassava, created pottery and ornaments. It seems they had some kind of connection with the Maya civilisation. They lived peacefully. But their fate became the most tragic chapter in Puerto Rico’s history.

In 1493, Christopher Columbus made his second voyage to these part of the world. He was looking for gold (in a completely different place), but a storm forced him to change course, and he accidentally came to this island. The Taíno called it “Borikén” — the land of strong and noble people. Columbus was fascinated by the nature and the people. From that moment on, the fate of the Taíno was sealed, even though they did not yet know it.

The Taíno welcomed the guests peacefully. They brought food, gifts, opened their villages. For Spain, Puerto Rico became the perfect military outpost to control the Caribbean islands. The Spanish built forts, imposed taxes, brought diseases, forced the Taíno into hard labour and destroyed their way of life.

On my photos you see a monument that present the history of Puerto Rico.

Explora I is the first of six vessels launched by Explora Journeys, a new luxury brand created by the MSC Group. The ship can accommodate about 900 guests, it offers such level of personal service that it feels closer to a private resort than to a large liner.
Every suite has a private terrace and floor-to-ceiling windows. There are nine restaurants, twelve bars, and an Ocean Wellness Spa inspired by natural balance and local ingredients.
I visited this ship when it was in Paphos in October 2025. I loved its interior design by the Italian studio De Jorio Design International. So, in November, during my 8 days stay there, I could explore more. It was the fifth day of my holidays when, after boarding, I had a chance to walk along all corridors and spaces, the task was to visit every corner.

Explora I Key Facts

• Launched in 2023
• 461 ocean-front suites, each with private terrace and floor-to-ceiling windows
• 5 heated pools with 64 private cabanas
• 6 restaurants
• 12 bars and lounges
• Guest to host ratio of 1.25 to 1 for personalized service

Dining: Sakura (Asian cuisine); Marble & Co. Grill (Steakhouse); Med Yacht Club (Mediterranean); Emporium Marketplace (World buffet); Fil Rouge (French-influenced); Anthology (chef collaborations)​
Bars & Lounges: Lobby Bar; Whisky Bar; Sky Bar; Explora Lounge; Observation Lounge; Astern Pool Bar; Gelateria & Creperie; Cigar Lounge

I was disappointed, all my plans were suddenly ruined. But quickly changing my point of view, I persuaded myself that this gives me a free day with no expectations at all. So I just walked around and watched everyday life. On my photos you’ll see ordinary streets, the court building, the tax office, the police station. These are things you don’t usually notice when you are in “a tourist mode”.

I was surprised to see beauty salons in tiny garage-style buildings, you'll see them at my photos, as well as a local theatre, shops, streets.

I remembered how often people compare Cyprus with the BVI (businesswise). Years ago both were popular offshore locations and companies were choosing between the two. But when you walk through the capital here, you understand that these places are completely different. Look at buildings with legal offices and the local court (I was impressed with).

Later I visited the beautiful botanical garden, full of local plants, many of them endemic. Most of them reminded me of Cyprus, you'll see similar flowers and bushes.