Caribbean with Simon Reeve
Intrepid journalist Simon Reeve is off on a whole new adventure, embarking on a journey around the Caribbean Sea, home to some of the most exotic and enticing locations on earth.
The series blends travel with wildlife, issues, adventure, and incredible insights into a glorious region of the world.
Alongside breathtaking footage from land, sea and even a flying dinghy, it brings to life the unique stories and beautiful landscapes of the Caribbean.
Home to thousands of islands and a tropical mainland coast, the area is crammed full of history, conflict, culture, adventure, wildlife, glamour and colourful characters, giving Simon endless opportunities to explore.
As he travels from the slums of Haiti to luxury holiday destinations; from the beaches of Barbados to the Venezuelan oil fields; from the jungles of St Vincent to the drug war in Honduras, he immerses himself in the different countries and their contrasting cultures.
In his trademark engaging style, he seeks out the people making their lives in these islands and coasts, discovers how things are changing, and highlights the huge variety and richness of this stunning part of the world.
Jamaica is a very mountainous country, with almost half of the island lying above 1,000 feet (305 metres). Its highest point is the Blue Mountain Peak, in the east of the island.
With uninterrupted parliamentary governance since 1639, Barbados has the third oldest parliament in the Commonwealth, after Britain and Bermuda.
Christopher Columbus explored the Dominican Republic on his famous voyage of 1492. He named the land La Isla Española, and his son, Diego, was its first viceroy.
The steel pan, or steel drum – often considered to provide the soundtrack of the Caribbean – originated in Trinidad and Tobago.
Cuba is the largest of the islands in the Caribbean and Saba is the smallest.
Puerto Rico is home to the world's largest single-aperture telescope – the Arecibo Radio Telescope.
The highest point in the Caribbean is the Pico Duarte in the Dominican Republic. Its deepest point is the underwater Cayman Trough.
One of the oldest botanical gardens in the Western Hemisphere is located in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, having been founded in 1765.
Only 2% of the Caribbean islands is actually inhabited. The three most populous island territories are Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Haiti, where roughly 75% of the Caribbean population call home.