In Peru's second-most populous city, aka "The White City," stunning colonial buildings made of pearly sillar stone vie for attention with the surrounding volcanoes and snow-capped peaks of the western Andes. Founded in 1540, it's a smorgasbord of mansions and museums. The top attraction, 215,000-square-foot Santa Catalina Monastery, is like its own city within a city, complete with fountains and cobblestone streets. Arequipa is the favorite base for visiting Colca Canyon and its massive condors.
From the remoteness of Peru’s Andes Mountains to the unexplored territories of its Amazon rain forest, the country holds a mysticism all its own. It’s the motherland of the Inca civilization and home to Machu Picchu, alpaca products, and more than 4,000 types of native potatoes.
Abundant wildlife above and below the waves draws eco-tourists to Ecuador's Galapagos. Get up close on a stroll or in a Zodiac boat. Snorkel and dive with denizens of the deep, from sea lions to sea turtles at Santiago's Cousin's Rock. Hike by finches, flamingos and iguanas along the Darwin Trail. Admire Sierra Negra Volcano on Isabela. As visitor numbers are limited within the islands' National Park, book your boat tour through a tour operator. Visit January through April for the best snorkeling.
With a rich pre-Colombian history, Ecuador's capital was founded on the ruins of an Incan city but offers everything a modern traveler might need. It remains the least-altered historic center in Latin America and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Quito’s important sites include baroque gems like San Francisco and Santo Domingo monasteries, as well as La Compañía church and college. This huge city sprawls across a breathtaking Andean valley surrounded by volcanic peaks.
Discover the best Lodges in Ecuador including Zaysant Ecolodge, Casa De Piedra, Rukka Lodge, Hotel Rincon De Puembo, BW Signature Collection, Hamadryade Lodge, Casa de Luis, Polylepis Lodge, Casa Los Delfines, Hacienda Las Cuevas Terra Lodge, Hosteria San Carlos Tababela.
Santiago is one of those metropolitan joys where the more you look, the more you find. Funky cafes and dance clubs dot Bellavista, Forest Park art collections range from pre-Columbian to contemporary, and architecture runs the gamut from the 16th-century San Francisco Church to mirrored office towers. Shop with the locals at Mall Panora¡mico and give your palate meals to remember with hearty Chilean fare.
Established by German immigrants in 1853, this is now the key port, transit and business hub of the Lakes District – a good place to replenish supplies, pick up Chilean crafts and get an urban jolt before moving on to more pristine pastures. If you're in the mood to sample some of the famous local salmon, the Angelmo harbor market should be your first stop. From there, it's a short boat ride across to Tenglo Island for views of snow-capped volcanic peaks. Santiago is a two-hour flight away.
Deep in the Patagonian Andes, Pucon is a picture perfect town accessed by plane in summer or by a nine-hour drive or train ride from Santiago. A great base for adventure vacations, Pucon is crammed with visitors during summer months December, January and February. Watch molten magma ooze down Mount Villarrica, hop between hot and cold thermal pools at Termas Geometricas or take the reigns of Criollo horses to explore the Andes on horseback. For other expeditions, rent a car or mountain bike.
Think of this region as the Southern Hemisphere's Switzerland, where snow-capped peaks, dozens of deep mountain lakes and emerald valleys create a fairy-tale landscape. Stretching from the Bio Bio River to the northern edge of Patagonia, it's home to picturesque German-influenced villages like Frutillar, Puerto Octay and Puerto Varas, plus wildlife-rich Vicente Perez Rosales National Park. The culture and handicrafts of the native Mapuche Indians are found in the northern areas around Temuco.
Discover the best Lodges in Chile including Cabanas Natural Park Lodge, Renaca House Bed & Breakfast, Cabanas Yelcho en la Patagonia, Lodge del Maipo, Vicuna Lodge, CasaVerde, Magma Lodge, Centro Turistico Barros, Hostal Concepcion, Hotel HF de Farellones.
The wealth of flora and fauna and opportunities to observe them are unparalleled in the Amazon. Riverboats ply the waters of this fascinating wilderness, home to pink river dolphins, clamorous howler monkeys and raucous toucans. Photograph your adventure, run the rapids or stalk elusive jaguars by night.
The five dramatic Patagonian provinces stretch from the ice fields and granite peaks of the Andes mountains to the rugged Atlantic coast, where southern right whales gather to breed. A nature lover's dream, it's also home to the sizable Peninsula Valdes southern elephant seal colony and the world's largest Magellanic penguin colony, located in the Punta Tombo reserve. At its tip, Tierra del Fuego and Ushuaia, the globe's southernmost city, are popular jumping-off points for Antarctic cruises.
Discover the best Lodges in Argentina including Hotel Vista del Sol, Traunco Hosteria, Patagonia Villa, Hosteria Mar De Ajo, Colorina Apartments y Spa, Petit Hotel Caraguata, Hospedaje Mi Rincon, Apartur Las Lenas, Hosteria Atahualpa Yupanqui, Mendoza Sol y Nieve.
As Asia’s undisputed capital of cool, Singapore’s street food, luxury lifestyle options, and sci-fi–like architecture entrance visitors from the very beginning. Top attractions such as the futurist feel of Gardens by the Bay and the Marina Bay Sands casino symbolize the nation’s state of affluence.
From the cosmopolitan metropolis of Cebu City and the white-sand beaches of Mactan to the electric-blue waters of Kawasan Falls and the whale sharks of Oslob, it’s easy to see why Cebu Island is one of the Philippines’ top destinations.
Boracay Island has reopened with new rules and regulations in place to protect the island from overdevelopment. Not all businesses were allowed to reopen. Please check with the Philippine Department of Tourism for details: http://www.tourism.gov.ph/
Discover the best Lodges in Bohol Island, Bohol Province, Visayas including Water To Forest Ecolodge, Dayview Tourist Home, Twilight N, Guindulman Bay Tourist Inn, Michelina Princess Guest House, Verano Guest House Bohol.
Discover the best Lodges in Visayas including Fantasy Lodge, Candice Hotel, Big Bamboo Beach Resort Sipalay, Panglao Sea Resort, Marzon Kalibo Hotel, Footprints Beach Resort, RedDoorz @ Taj Resort and Spa Annex, Mangodlong Rock Resort, One 4 Da Road, Water To Forest Ecolodge.
ThingsTodoPost © 2018 - 2024 All rights reserved.