Port Royal Cruises, Jamaica

If you’re a Pirates of the Caribbean fan, this Jamaican settlement might ring a few bells. Captain Jack Sparrow escaped the Royal Navy here in the first instalment of the famous Disney franchise – and the storyline’s not far from real-life events. Port Royal was dubbed the ‘wickedest city on earth’ in the 17th century, due to the droves of pirates who dropped anchor here. It’s set on a skinny peninsula that dangles across Kingston Harbour, but much of the town slipped to the seabed after an earthquake in 1692. The preserved buildings beneath the waves are like the Pompeii of the Caribbean, and divers even found a pocket watch stopped at the exact moment the tremors hit. A cluster of crumbling buildings is all that remains of the once-raucous town, and there’s a big renovation in the pipeline to bring its history to life. The capital, Kingston, is just across the bay, so there’s plenty of exploring to do further afield.

• Stand in the wonky, half-sunken remains of the Giddy House. This former weapons store’s one of the only remaining parts of Fort Charles, which was submerged by an earthquake. It gets its name from the tilted floor, which leaves visitors feeling ‘giddy’.
• Browse the island’s finest works of art in the National Gallery of Jamaica. This public museum’s been around since the 1970s, with sculptures, paintings and carvings showcasing the island’s history and culture.
• Scuba dive to the sunken city off the shoreline of Port Royal, where near-intact buildings were swallowed by the sea after tremors rocked the peninsula. Tropical fish circle the stone walls, and there are shipwrecks dotted around, too.