South America Travel Tips

An article offering useful advice about things to do in Buenos Aires. What are the best districts to visit? Read the rest of this entry »

Here’s a selection of personal recommendations for the best places to honeymoon in Latin / South America.  I suggest various romantic islands and regions with wonderful, peaceful beaches, in addition to the top romantic cities and the best outdoor activity destinations in the region.  In this article I’ll focus on the best places to honeymoon, and offer suggestions of nearby other places that would make a suitable combination.  I hope you get some great ideas for destinations to visit - happy honeymoon planning….. Read the rest of this entry »

For years Latin America has been a popular backpacking destination, with hordes of young backpackers travelling to the same places, along the same routes, staying in the same hostels.  How, and where, can one get off this “Gringo Trail”, whose photos, stories and tales are almost invariably very similar? Here’s some country by country suggestions for getting off the beaten track in Latin America. Read the rest of this entry »

Train travel is often a mode of travel ignored by visitors to Latin America, who normally get about by bus or plane.  This is a shame - there’s plenty of useful train routes, and it’s often a comfortable and exciting way to travel overland.  Plus, you don’t have to put your life in the hands of a lunatic bus driver who enjoys overtaking other vehicles on blind bends (an all too common problem in most countries).  So here’s some tips on travelling by train in Central and South America.  Read the rest of this entry »

A strong dollar (& Euro) and a recent weakening of many Latin American currencies means it’s a good time to visit the region. But where should you head for the best value for money in general, and more specifically right now? Read the rest of this entry »

One of the most commonly asked questions I see posted on travel forums is along the lines of “How safe is it for a solo female traveller to visit X?”  Here I’ll try to comprehensively answer that question, as well as offering some safety tips for solo travellers and advising on the few regions that it’s best not to venture to. Read the rest of this entry »

Dark tourism is a type of tourism involving travelling to places usually associated with death, grief or suffering.  Here’s some scary suggestions for dark travellers to Central and South America.  Your Gran just wouldn’t understand… Read the rest of this entry »

It’s always a pretty raw, fascinating experience to witness places were people have been or are locked up in prison. I guess I’m getting into the promotion of “dark tourism” here, but there really are some amazing prison tours that can be taken in Central and South America - and a lot of travellers really do rave about the experience of visiting such places.  Here’s my pick of the best prison islands to visit, and prison tours available in Latin America. Read the rest of this entry »

Every now and then an airline makes a howler with their booking system and releases ridiculously cheap flights.  Right now, Air Comet has made such a howler. If you want really cheap flights to Colombia, book them right now… Read the rest of this entry »

Much of the latest James Bond film (Quantum of Solace) was shot in Latin America (in Chile, Panama and Mexico - though much of the film was apparently set in Bolivia).   There’s plenty of other great Bond moments from other Latin American countries too… Read the rest of this entry »