St. Maarten offers a delightful case of split personality. Legend has it that a Frenchman and a Dutchman divided ownership of the island through a walk-off: Standing back to back, the two headed in opposite directions, walking around the island until they met. Perhaps the Dutchman paused for a refreshing brew. At any rate, the French ended up claiming 21 square miles of the island to 16 square miles for the Dutch.

This lively tale says much about St. Maarten’s easygoing ways. No formal boundary exists between the Dutch and French sides of the island; a simple welcome sign tells you when you cross from one country to the other. But the differences are as noticeable as the spelling of the island’s name. The French spell it St. Martin. And it’s this split personality that lends so much to the island’s charms, including an international reputation for the finest cuisine in the Caribbean.

Canada is a place for everyone. From festival lovers to outdoor enthusiasts, it is a country of many delights.

Canada has a wealth of outdoor activities available for visitors. Skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, and hockey are all very popular. In addition to those physical activities, tourists can enjoy hiking the nature trails of the first national park in Canada – Banff National Park. Other parks of note include Niagara Falls, Jasper National Park, and Algonquin Park as well as the Vancouver Victoria and Butchart Gardens Excursion.

Known for its wildlife and scenic beauty, Canada is the second largest country in the world by total area. The majority of its population resides in urban areas near its southern border with the United States, the longest land border in the world.

The climate of Canada varies from one extreme to the other. Winters in the interior and the prairie provinces have severe wind chills. In the non-coastal areas, snow falls for 6 months of the year, while in the north it is year round. In coastal areas, the winters tend to be mild and rainy. The most populated areas of Canada experience summers that are generally short-lived and hot. It is not uncommon to experience temperatures above 95F (35C).

There are several cruise ship ports on both coasts of Canada including Vancouver and Victoria on the western shores and stops on Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia to the east. The cruise lines that call into Canada include Princess, Holland America, Celebrity, Regent Seven Seas, Disney, Royal Caribbean, Crystal, NCL, Seabourne, Oceania, SilverSeas, and Carnival.

Much of Canada’s attraction lies in its outdoors. Wildlife is in abundance, and visitors can see bears, whales, and other animals. For example, Churchill, Manitoba has polar bears, as well as beluga whales. In Riding Mountain National Park and Parkland, there are a wide variety of Black Bears ranging in color from blonde to red. You can enjoy of adventure as the Vancouver City Sightseeing and Capilano Suspension Bridge Excursion or Vancouver Grouse Mountain and Capilano Suspension Bridge Excursion.