Columbus explored the Caribbean and Central American territories that are now part of Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Honduras. He made four voyages to the Atlantic side of the Americas between 1492 and 1504, traveling first to the Bahamas, and then to the West Indies and Central America, with the intention of reaching the east coast of Asia. His explorations helped to pave the way for the colonization and exploration of the Americas by European powers in the following century.