How to Travel Around South America (and Beyond!)

This last of the posts that I've been wanting to write covers some general travel hints and tips. I'm going to focus on South America, but a lot of these are applicable wherever you're planning to go in the world, and whether you're going for a month or 16! It's quite a long post, but the headings should help you scroll through to find anything in which you're particularly interested.

Packing

Kev's bag contents (and bags!) before we left

• The golden rule is PACK LIGHT! Even if you're going for a year, you don't really need a lot more stuff than you would for a couple of weeks. You're not bringing clothes for a year - you will just be washing them every week or so! And remember anything you forget, you can usually buy when you get there. We got by for our trip with one big rucksack and one daypack each. My big rucksack was approx 45 litres, Kev's 65. Even with all our stuff including books, they usually weighed no more than about 12 kg each.
• Bring a notebook or diary - even if you are not normally someone that writes a diary, you might find you want a record of your travels. I guess you could also write this on a tablet or something these days - I prefer the old-fashioned way still!
• A small laptop or a tablet is pretty useful, it has to be said, particularly if you're writing a blog and for storing all your photos. However, to save on weight it's also perfectly possible to travel without and just use a smartphone. If you do bring a laptop, I'd also recommend taking some sort of further backup for your photos etc, e.g. a portable hard drive.
• Bring photocopies of all important documents (i.e. passport, driving licence, travel vaccinations record card, travel insurance details). Take one hard copy of each and also have something uploaded e.g. to Dropbox or attached to an email. Also bring a few passport-sized photos, especially if going somewhere where you will need a visa or two.
• Useful stuff you might not think to pack: duct tape (honestly, it's a godsend!), filter water bottle, sleeping bag liner, travel towel, bath plug, washing line, emergency medication / painkillers / plasters, plug adaptor(s), thermals, hat / scarf / gloves for cold weather, sunhat / sunglasses for hot weather, little cutlery set, pens, playing cards, something for carrying tickets / souvenirs (e.g. a plastic map pocket), torch (head torch is good), raincovers for bags, earphones with a built-in microphone (for Skype calls), card reader if you need it for online banking.
• For girls: be aware that it's pretty difficult to get hold of tampons in most countries in South America. Bring a large supply with you, and if you do see any (e.g. in touristy cities), stock up!

Accommodation 

One of the quirkier places we stayed - Las Olas, in Copacabana, Bolivia

• When booking accommodation, we've found the best policy is to contact places directly, either via email, through their website or by messaging their Facebook page if they have one. Failing this, our go to website was Booking,com. We like this booking website in particular because they often have some good deals, and if you book a certain number of times through them you start getting an automatic discount.
• Our general policy with accommodation in South America was to book one place ahead of where we were. Ideally, we actually prefer to just turn up and find somewhere - this was what we did throughout Southeast Asia - but in South America we found that places would often be full if we didn't book ahead. Hostels are also more spread out in general - it's not as easy as, say, Bangkok, where if you don't like somewhere you can usually find another hostel next door!
• As well as hotels and hostels, we also used AirBnB a lot. This is basically staying in someone's spare room, though increasingly these days you can rent a whole flat or house. It's often good value and a good way to meet locals. Couchsurfing is another option too (and it's free!)
• It might sound obvious but if you can't find any way to book a place online, phone them! If you haven't got a local simcard, it's usually very cheap to call through Skype (as long as you've got decent wifi!).

Getting Around

Bus

A very local bus in Bolivia.... it broke down of course!

• South America is pretty good for buses. Most of the long distance ones have comfy seats that recline, aircon and a toilet. Some of the more expensive companies even provide you with food (including alcohol if you're lucky!), an individual TV, a blanket and a pillow, and 180 degree reclining seats. It's a lot more comfortable than a plane! Many bus companies have websites and you can buy your ticket online - some require you to have a national ID or credit card though. We usually just bought tickets in the bus station the day before.
• Good websites to use for bus times and prices in South America are Plataforma Diez and Central de Pasajes (both mainly for Argentina but some other countries too), and Recorrido (mainly in Chile).
• Good bus companies: Argentina: Flechabus, Andesmar, ViaBariloche. Chile: Pullman Bus, TurBus. Peru: Cruz del Sur , Civa (and Excluciva ), Movil Tours. Colombia: Bolivariano.
• On nightbuses, be prepared for anything! It may be boiling, it may be freezing (especially in Colombia, where the aircon is Arctic on all buses), they may or may not give you food, there may or may not be stops along the way, you may or may not arrive / depart on time...
• Local buses (short distance) are a different story to the long distance ones - expect crowded vehicles that stop every couple of minutes to pick up more people. On the plus side, they're very cheap. 
• NB different countries have different names for just a generic, normal size bus. In Argentina they are sometimes called a micro. In Colombia you might find them called a colectivo.... etc.

Plane

Fortunately most planes were bigger than this one! This took us to
 the Kaieteur Falls in Guyana

• Skyscanner is pretty good for finding the cheapest flights. 
• The most reliable South American airline we used was probably LATAM (formerly LAN (from Chile) and TAM (from Brazil)). Avianca (based in Colombia) was fine too. We'd also recommend Azul, a relatively new low-cost Brazilian carrier. 
• For our long haul flights, we flew out to Buenos Aires direct from London with British Airways. On the way back, we went with AirEuropa, a Spanish carrier, via Madrid. Not recommended! The best way to describe it is as like a budget short haul airline (e.g. Ryanair) but for 12 hours! Not great. We'd also not recommend InselAir, which flies around the Caribbean and the north coast of South America - but there aren't many other options in this area.

Other methods of transport

• South American countries have a wealth of other transport within towns and cities. Taxis are usually cheap; some countries have metered taxis but in others you will have to agree the fare with the driver first. Many places also have shared taxis (colectivos) or shared minibuses of some sort, which are usually dirt cheap and very efficient.
• There are hardly any trains (except touristic ones) across the whole continent, and any that there are tend to be less reliable than the buses.

Useful Books

• A travel guide (or several) is invaluable. Lonely Planet, while we often complain about it, does do a good job in giving you the basics. Rough Guides is also decent. For South America, we took the big Lonely Planet South America on a Shoestring guide, which covers all countries and was useful just to get the general gist, plan vague itineraries etc. However, we also started our trip with the Argentina guide and the Chile guide, and then as we went on we exchanged these in hostels and book exchanges for the new ones we needed for other countries. You really need the extra detail in the individual country guides - the whole South America book is very limited in its scope. If you're planning to just visit a couple of countries, I'd recommend taking the individual guides and forgetting the big one.
• Also invaluable when travelling is a Kindle, or other type of E-reader. Don't fall into the trap of getting your guidebooks on the Kindle though - it's just not the same, and is a pain to try and find anything, Being able to flick through a paper copy is much better!

Useful Websites

• We use Wikitravel quite a lot for extra info on places and, often, better recommendations for restaurants and places to stay than Lonely Planet. As it's open source it's more up to date than the guidebooks.
• Tripadvisor is another useful resource, particularly for finding places to stay. We do think it discriminates a bit against newer places though - don't necessarily dismiss a place just because it only has a couple of reviews (everyone's got to start somewhere...)! The other main websites we use are travel blogs - usually just through a google search of the place in which you're interested. These are often the best sources of info of all.

Useful Apps 

• The Kiwix app allows you to read some web content offline. You can download the whole of Wikipedia and Wikivoyage (like Wikitravel) which is extremely useful on the go!
• The XE app is great for currency conversions.
• Maps.me is a fantastic mapping app. We've found it to be more detailed than Google maps in most places - great for footpaths as well as roads. You download the map for a particular country or region within a country, and can then use it offline with your phone's GPS. You can also put pins on places of interest, places you've been to etc.
• EasyTaxi is a very useful taxi app in South America. Most countries seem to have it - it's basically very similar to Uber except you pay the driver the agreed price in cash rather than it being done by card. It's safer than getting taxis off the street, and often cheaper too.
• Tripadvisor, Booking.com and AirBnb all have their own apps. The 'near me now' feature on the Tripadvisor app is very helpful for finding somewhere nearby for dinner.
• Splitwise helps you easily split costs and keep track of spending if you're travelling with someone else or in a group.
• Duolingo app - great for learning Spanish (or many other languages!).
• Skype app - make Skype calls from your phone.
• Kindle app - download books from your Kindle onto your  phone.

Finances

• When travelling for a long period it's important to work out how you are going to organise your finances. In particular, how you're going be able to get cash in the local currency. Do NOT just take your normal bankcard, unless it is a particularly great one for using abroad, as the chances are you will be hit with any number of charges.
• One option is a prepaid cashcard that you top up regularly. Several companies now offer cashcards that you can load online (either using a bankcard or by bank transfer) or operate through an app e.g. FairFX, CaxtonFX, Travelex Cash Passport, Revolut, WeSwap. It's worth shopping around and seeing what seems to be the best deal.
• Another option is a debit card that doesn't charge. Norwich and Peterborough building society are the only bank to offer this, as far as we know. With their Gold Classic current account, you can use the card abroad with no extra charges. This was the option we went for in South America and would recommend.
• Whatever you end up going for as your main card, it's vital to also have some sort of backup, in case your main card doesn't work or is stolen. For example, you might take an N&P debit card, but also a prepaid cashcard. Make sure one is Visa and one is Mastercard - some ATMs will only take one or the other. 
• It's also worth taking a credit card - several banks offer ones that are free to use abroad (Nationwide, Halifax and others). Good for card purchases, and as another backup card (even for a cash advance if you're desperate!). While we mainly found ourselves using cash, at times it made more sense to pay on card - especially in Argentina where the ATM fees are extortionate.
• Make sure you tell your bank you are going away, or you might find yourself unable to use online banking or with your card stopped!
• Don't forget to bring a card reader if you need one for online banking.
• Bring a few US dollars for emergencies / paying for visas etc. Consider bringing a lot of dollars in cash to Argentina and changing them to avoid the (extortionate) ATM fees.

Health

• Always carry water with you. It's 100% worth buying a filter water bottle, for example a Travel Tap (which you can buy on Amazon), since tap water is often not safe to drink. The filter bottle means you can refill with water anywhere and you are not harming the environment (and your budget) by buying endless plastic bottles. 
• Always carry tissues or a roll of toilet paper, and handgel - toilets may not be the most well-equipped or hygienic!
• If you get food poisoning, the dreaded traveller's diarrhoea, etc (which to be honest is pretty much guaranteed in Bolivia!) we recommend Powerade or just flat Coke - the real sugary stuff, not diet, obviously. Shake the Coke up to defizz it, or in a glass you can also do this by wiggling a spoon around in it for a while. Also try peppermint tea with sugar, and bananas if you can face proper food.
• Use the NHS Fit for Travel website to research any diseases or other health risks you need to be aware of for each place you visit. The malaria maps, showing you where you need to be taking antimalarial medication, are particularly useful. Some countries may require you to have a yellow fever vaccination and the card that proves this - check before you go.
• Standards of healthcare vary in South America. Chile, Argentina and Uruguay are generally good, especially in the big cities; Brazil, Ecuador, Perú and Colombia are fine in the big cities especially the capitals but be more wary out in the countryside; Bolivia, Paraguay, Suriname and Guyana are not so good.
• Healthcare is free in Argentina if you use one of the public hospitals, even for foreigners. If your situation is serious though, consider going private as the standards will be better and the wait less long.
• Dentistry standards are pretty high - the only places we'd be less sure about would be the poorer countries again (Bolivia, Paraguay, Suriname and Guyana).

Safety 

• Keep an eye on your belongings at all times. When on the go never turn your back on any of your bags or you might find they disappear (this happened to me in Perú!). 
• It's usually fine to leave stuff in hotel rooms if you have a private room, but consider using the safe if there is one (or a locker if you're in a dorm in a hostel) for any valuables.
• Put a leg or arm through your bag strap whenever you are sitting down with it on the floor.
• The best advice for keeping safe is to listen to locals and to other travellers. When you arrive somewhere, ask the hostel staff whether there are any areas to avoid, whether it is safe to walk around at night etc. If deciding whether to go somewhere you've read might be dodgy, try and chat with fellow travellers who might have been there, or search for recent blogs.
• The British foreign office travel advice is okay for giving you an idea , but we found it is not always that accurate. For example, according to this website, most of Venzezuela is perfectly safe to go to - which is not what we heard from everyone else in South America!

General advice 

• Don't be overambitious with your itinerary. Travel is tiring! Have days off, and don't try and cover all of South America in 2 months. We'd suggest sticking to just one, or at most two, countries if you are planning to be away for a month or less.
• If you're trying to save time, don't fall into the trap of considering that a nightbus is the equivalent of a night's sleep! It's pretty unlikely that you'll sleep well on them, and several in a row will leave you totally knackered. Usually we'd arrive off a nightbus, find our hostel and then sleep for the rest of the morning.
• Take season into consideration - research beforehand what the weather is likely to be like at different times of year. For example, if you go to Patagonia in the middle of winter, you certainly won't be able to do any hiking, and most things (including lots of roads) will be closed. Equally, if you go to the tropics in the hottest season you'll be baking to death!
• Learn some of the language - just a little is better than nothing, locals appreciate it. Duolingo is pretty good for the basics - learn through the website or the app.
• Consider getting a local simcard if your phone is unlocked - useful for calling hostels. You can also call cheaply on Skype. We used Skype a lot while we were away to keep in touch with family - nearly everywhere had good enough wifi  for this (Argentine Patagonia was probably the worst!).
• Try not to travel on too tight a budget, so that you have some flexibility, can do what you want to do and can allow yourself treats from time to time. There's not much point going to the other side of the world if you can then only afford to sit in your hostel...

That's all for now! And that's the last post I will be writing about South America. Sad times. But hopefully this post might help anyone looking for advice on independent travel. Feel free to share with your friends who might be planning to go off on a trip! And as ever, if you have anything to add, please let me know.

See you next time we go travelling! :)

The Very Best and Very Worst Places to Stay in South America

This is a post I've been thinking about doing ever since I made a list of some of our absolute favourite and absolute least favourite places we stayed during our trip. That was initially just for my own records, but I realised it might be good to share it. Firstly for the amusement factor of some of the really awful places, and secondly as useful recommendations for anyone in South America at the moment or heading that way soon.

So. The awards for the best places to stay go to (in no particular order):

Costa Azul B&B,Valparaiso, Chile 
'Valparaiso's Best View', boasts their website, and we have to agree. This little B&B is up on one of Valparaiso's many hills, away from the tourist centre where most people stay. The views over the city and the bay from your very own room window are unbelievable! It's run by a super friendly Slovenian couple, who cook you an amazing breakfast to order every day, and we even got a free bottle of wine on arrival. Best coffee in Chile too.

View of Valparaiso from Costa Azul

Hostal La Sombra del Viento, La Serena, Chile
Probably our favourite of all, this calls itself a hostel but could easily be a boutique hotel! It's quite new and the French owner has done it all up from scratch. The rooms are lovely - really big and with amazing showers - and breakfast is all homemade, from the bread to the yoghurt. You can also use the kitchen, which is brand new too and extremely well-equipped. The hostess, Marie-Laure, was so lovely and had travelled all over the world too so we enjoyed chatting over a pisco sour. She asked us what we thought of the room prices, and when we admitted we thought she could easily charge double, she said she likes to keep the prices down to encourage younger, backpacker travellers to stay there.What a legend!

With our hostess (and her world scratch map) at La Sombra del Viento

Rendezvous Guest House, La Paz, Bolivia
It's more expensive than most places in Bolivia but still an absolute bargain by Western standards. Rooms are hotel standard with really comfy beds and there is artwork all round the hotel. The breakfast was an epic buffet spread of everything you could wish for! Free bottled water all the time, a kitchen to use, and a huge DVD library complete the package. The owner, Zach, is American and was a fantastic host, even letting us stay in the spare room in his family home when we wanted to stay an extra night and the hotel was fully booked!

Cable car in La Paz

Kinde House, Quito, Ecuador
This was where we opted to stay for Christmas, and it was an excellent choice. It's run by a friendly Ecuadorean family, who invited us to their family gathering on Christmas Eve and even cooked a special Christmas dinner for us. They also drove us to places themselves several times, including to the out of town bus station that was at least a 25 minute drive (for no charge). Rooms wouldn't look out of place in a posh hotel and had such comfortable beds. It's also a 2 minute walk from an amazing craft beer / pizza pub, Bandido Brewing.

With our hostess at Christmas dinner in Quito

Mi Casa Guatape, Guatape, Colombia
This is a proper backpacker hostel with dorms and private rooms available, and one that does everything right! Lovely sunset view from the balcony over the reservoir, excellent kitchen (massive rack of spices, which is a godsend in Colombia) and perfect location for climbing up the Piedra del Peñol. Quite a small hostel with a great communal area, so really good for meeting fellow travellers. It's run by an English / Colombian couple, so no problems if you don't speak Spanish! We wished we hadn't booked our next place ahead as we could easily have stayed several more nights.

On the way from our hostel to the Piedra del Peñol 

Hotel La Calzada del Santo, Santa Marta, Colombia
We stayed here as a mini treat on the recommendation of friends, and ended up being here nearly a week after I got ill (probably zika!) and Kev injured his foot. We couldn't have asked for a better place to be stuck though. The rooftop terrace with hammocks and even a tiny splash pool had great views of the city. The staff were fantastic - the lady in charge even gave me painkillers and some gel for my aching back and warmed up a heat pack for me! Possibly best of all was the breakfast, which included an enormous plate of fruit with at least 8 different types each day. Yum.

The Town Hall in Santa Marta

Casa Baba, Taganga, Colombia
Casa Baba wasn't about luxury - it's a small hostel with just three very simple rooms. What really made it stand out were two things. Firstly the incredible view right from your room window. Taganga is right on the Caribbean coast and has to have some of the most beautiful sunsets of the whole continent - and Casa Baba's location near the top of a hill is a prime spot for watching them. There's even a little terrace even higher up, with rocking chairs! Very relaxing. And secondly, the lovely French / Colombian couple that run it. David and Salome were wonderful people  and we loved chilling out and chatting with them.

One of the many gorgeous sunsets in Taganga, from Casa Baba

Hosteria Villa Cardon, Cachi, Argentina
In the small village of Cachi in northern Argentina, we didn't expect to find one of the best little B&Bs we'd ever stayed in! But there you have it. We had a good feeling about this place as soon as we arrived (with no reservation) - we managed to negotiate a substantial discount on the online rate, and we were given a free glass of freshly squeezed orange juice (a rarity in Argentina). There were so many well thought out little touches, like candles outside the rooms at night and tasteful room decoration. It was also probably the most spotlessly clean of anywhere we stayed. Everything in the bathroom was shining!

View over Cachi

Hotel Rustico Cerro del Valle, San Agustin de Valle Fertil, Argentina
This was another surprising find in the middle of nowhere - we stayed a couple of nights in order to visit Ischigualasto Provincial Park. I can't say enough good things about this place. The rooms are rustic but perfect, with wooden furniture actually handmade by the guy who owns it. Our room had the most impressive minibar we've ever come across - not your usual generic drinks but an amazing selection of local wines and produce, at reasonable prices. The sheep's cheese in rosemary-infused olive oil was to die for! And the couple that run the place really went out of their way to make everything perfect for us. They organised our trip to Ischigualasto and made a huge effort to get us the cheapest deal possible; they sat us down with a map of the area and gave us some recommendations; and they even drove us back to San Juan, the nearest city (2 - 3 hours away)!

The 'Submarine' rock formations in Ischigualasto Provincial Park

Chez Mario y Solange, Montevideo, Uruguay

This is a cross between a B&B and a backpacker hostel, and one that has got that balance perfectly. It's quite new and clearly so much thought had gone into the retro decor. We loved the chairs made of tyres and even the beds were built from crates! Fantastic hosts, great breakfast with really tasty granary bread (not easy to come by in Uruguay) and good location in the centre of Montevideo too.

The City Gate on Independencia Square, Montevideo

All of the above are places that were roughly within our normal price range (around £25 - £35 a night) - maybe slightly more, but not a posh hotel or anything like that.  We did also occasionally have a splurge for a special treat, and some of these also deserve a mention:

Les Lezards B&B, Cartagena, Colombia
We stayed here for Kev's birthday. It's quite expensive, even for Cartagena (which is generally overpriced), but really nice. The six rooms are all themed - our room, the Provence room, was actually in its own little tower, with the bathroom at the top complete with rainfall shower head. All available shelves in the room were full of books, DVDs and magazines! We also had a little terrace to sit on outside. The B&B had lots of greenery everywhere, as well as two cats and even two tortoises. There was also a rooftop jacuzzi, which we loved.

At the San Felipe fort in Cartagena

Forum Hotel, Cuenca, Ecuador
A treat for my birthday this time! A hotel in a beautiful historic building right in the heart of old town Cuenca. The best thing about it was the little extras that the staff did as surprises - for example, bringing us a little snack in the early evening and even putting a hot water bottle in the bed! I also loved that the old-fashioned style living room had a piano in it that I could play (perfectly in tune too).

The pretty river in Cuenca

Belmond Das Cataratas, Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
This 5 star hotel was undoubtedly the biggest splurge on accommodation of the entire trip, but also the place we were most glad we'd splashed out on. It's the only hotel actually within the Iguazu Falls National Park (Brazilian side). Everything was as amazing as you'd expect for a hotel this posh - we loved the swimming pool and gym, not to mention the champagne for breakfast every day. But you'd get all that in any 5 star hotel - what really made this one awesome was the exclusive access to the falls. In the mornings and evenings when the park was closed to the public, we could enjoy the falls (the first viewing point is only a stone's throw from the hotel) to our heart's content. There were times where we had the view all to ourselves. It's definitely worth the money just for the opportunity of seeing the sunset over the falls - unreal!

Off, champagne in hand, to see the falls in the morning

And now for the wooden spoon prizes. I haven't bothered to put links to these, since a) you don't want to stay there, and b) most don't have websites!

San Martin 385, Bahia Blanca, Argentina
Bahia Blanca lacks many places to stay, With hindsight (this was only the third place we stayed of the trip), we should have splashed out more, or looked at AirBnB. The place we'd actually booked to stay looked so awful that we feared we'd be murdered outside, so we ended up here instead. Rooms were old, dirty and stank of cigarette smell and gas (even though the proprietor assured us there was nothing gas powered in the whole hotel... !). Absolutely sweltering at night with a fan that did nothing at all. A feeling like you'd be bound to catch something nasty just by sleeping in the bed - we used our sleeping bag liners. Well, it was pretty cheap...

The main square in Bahia Blanca

Hospedaje Tropical, Molina, Chile
Of all the awful places we stayed, this one probably takes the crown. We weren't meant to stay in Molina at all, but due to ridiculous bus times got stranded here on the way to the Siete Tazas National Park. Molina's a small town with no tourists, and this was basically the only place to stay. The old lady who ran it looked at us like we were mad when we asked if she had a room free. She also looked at us like we were mad when we asked if we could have some clean sheets (we found a dirty tissue in the bed...!). The bathroom was twice the size of the bedroom but was literally a (cold) shower in one corner and the rest totally empty. There was just one towel, that looked like it had been used by several previous guests. Everything was filthy, and there was a huge gap above the bedroom door. We cooked in a kitchen full of pots that revealed odd bits of meat soaking in water when their lids were removed. Never again, even though it was literally half the price of anywhere else we stayed in Chile.

Our reward for finally getting out of Molina -
 the Siete Tazas waterfalls

Santa Cruz Backpackers' Hostel, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
This hostel was brand spanking new with a swimming pool, and not bad, room and facilities wise. However, what was terrible was the attitude of the manager, who was one of the rudest and most confrontational persons we'd ever met. Our trouble began when we came to check out. We'd booked it on Booking.com, with a price in USD, and had to pay in Bolivian currency. We'd expected that, but what we hadn't expected was to be hit with a ridiculous exchange rate way over what it should be. This was bad enough, but then we had to pay for some laundry that we'd done at the hostel, and were also massively overcharged for that (30 Bolivianos a kilo; to give you an idea, most places in Bolivia charge about 10). When we complained, the guy got really angry! He eventually agreed to bring the laundry down to 25 Bolivianos, but when Kev gave him 30 he then refused to give us any change, shouting at Kev that he didn't like his attitude. It was a very unpleasant experience.

Understandably, we have been keeping an eye on the Tripadvisor reviews of this place to see if anyone else had a similar experience. We actually discovered that a few months after we stayed there, the manager got so angry with someone for challenging his dodgy exchange rate that he threatened them and then came running at them with a chair! The guest in question reported this to the police. After that, there were no more reviews and we assume it was closed down!

The cathedral in Santa Cruz

Roy's House, San Juan de Chuccho, Colca Canyon, Perú
You don't expect luxury at the bottom of a canyon, no, but they could do better than this. We were in a group of six at the time, and all of us had pre-booked a room here from our hostel in Cabanaconde at the top of the canyon before we started our hike. Somehow the message had not got through, and instead of three private rooms we had to make do with one and a dorm. The rooms we were put in were old and horrible, with holes in the ceiling, dust everywhere, and horrendous beds. We had to look on longingly as other guests arrived, who apparently did have successful reservations, and got to stay in the modern buildings instead. Oh, and the shared, outdoor bathroom had no door or floor, leaving a muddy pool of water to shower in!

Trekking in the Colca Canyon

Hostal Cabañas Quilotoa, Quilotoa, Ecuador
Staff began by trying to massively overcharge us - the first price they asked was $50 a night, but we bargained them down to $30. It's not even worth that so we feel sorry for any non-Spanish speaking or unwary tourists who might be screwed over. The room stank of sewage, the bed broke when we sat on it, and one of the dogs outside barked loudly the ENTIRE night. It was impossible to sleep. We decided to stay just one night instead of two and the staff refused to refund our money because they 'didn't have any cash' - apparently all of yesterday's takings had been, in an organised fashion, taken to the bank (NB there are no banks in Quilotoa)!

Lake Quilotoa was pretty awesome, even if we had to stay somewhere awful!

Casa Pastoral, Las Lajas, Colombia
Las Lajas is a village that people come to in order to see its incredible church built inside a canyon. The standard of accommodation available was abysmal - we'd have been better off trying to get on to somewhere else than stay there! We ended up in what is actually still a working convent. It's a huge place so they rent some rooms out to tourists (who are mostly Colombian). Our room was the size of a cell, with a bed like a brick. It was the hardest we've ever slept on, even though we padded the mattress out with extra blankets. Nothing was clean and we couldn't even face the thought of the (horrible looking) shower! But less than £5 a night.

Las Lajas Sanctuary - amazing, but don't bother spending the
night in Las Lajas village!

Hotel Casa Salome, Cartagena, Colombia
One of the worst hotels ever - a lot of places on this list were so cheap you'd expect them to be bad, but here we were paying 70 US dollars a night. $70 for a cold shower, no breakfast, one of the worst beds ever, and one of the noisiest rooms ever. We propped one of our two(!) mattresses against the window to block out the streetlight and some noise. Oh, and they also had the grumpiest staff ever, who kept demanding we pay up front (clearly lots of people give up and leave after one night!). And did I mention the rubbish heap and pools of stagnant water in the road outside? A haven for breeding mosquitoes...
The lesson to be learnt is, if  you're going to Cartagena in holiday season (December and January). book WAY in advance. Better still, don't go in this season at all, since all the hotels double or triple their prices. Everything was booked up by the time we were looking a week before our arrival, and this was one of the only places left. The normal price for this hotel at other times of year is less than $30 a night, we discovered!

We may have had a bad hotel, but at least we had excellent
company! Celebrating Kev's birthday in Cartagena.

If you're interested to know about the other places we stayed over our 16 month adventure, the map page of the blog has a pin marking each one. I've reviewed most of them on Tripadvisor too.

I start work this week (!) but have one more post I hope to publish in a week or two's time, which will just cover some general hints and tips for travel in South America (and worldwide, really).

The Best Less-Visited Places in South America

You may have noticed that we like to travel independently, we avoid organised tours as far as possible and we try to get off the beaten track where we can. So after the last couple of posts covering various highlights of South America, Kev suggested I devote a post to some of the lesser visited places that we went to. These are places that are often a little more of a challenge to get to, but as far as we're concerned, worth the effort. They're places where you really feel that you've found somewhere unique - more special because the crowds haven't made it there yet.

I've ruthlessly cut my original shortlist down to 15, which was a hard task. A few of these appear on our list of highlights from two posts ago - which to my mind only reinforces how much we liked them! Several are also UNESCO World Heritage sites. Our mission to see as many of the UNESCO-listed sites in each country actually meant we saw a lot of places we'd never have known about otherwise. We'd recommend doing the same - anything on the UNESCO list is pretty much guaranteed to be worth visiting, and the website is a great resource for more info on anywhere on the list.

1. Cueva de las Manos, Southern Argentina

13 000 year old cave paintings, anyone? And the whole area around the cave is absolutely stunning scenery wise too.We did have to do a tour to get here, and in fact it was that ill-fated tour where we got all our belongings soaked in petrol.... but it was still worth it to see this incredible place. Just never use Zoyen Turismo! Cueva de las Manos is located a couple of hours away from Perito Moreno (the town, not the glacier), along RN 40 in Patagonia. There's nothing much to do in Perito Moreno itself, but a night here with a day trip to the cave is a great way to break up the journey between Bariloche and El Chaltén.

Handprints that are thousands of years old, at Cueva de las Manos

2. Isla Navarino, Southern Chile

In the competition to be the world's most southern town. there is only one real winner - Puerto Williams, a tiny Chilean town across the Beagle Channel from Ushuaia in Argentina. We were lucky to be able to get here at all as the boats across from Ushuaia stop running for the colder months of the year. We loved Isla Navarino - truly the end of the world, much of it still untouched wilderness and so beautiful.

At the top of Cerro Bandera, looking out on the Beagle Channel, Isla Navarino

3. Day Hikes in Chile - Conguillío National Park and Altos de Lircay National Reserve

Everyone's heard of Torres del Paine National Park. But what about these two? In fact, in our opinion, the whole area from Santiago down south to Patagonia is one of the most spectacular parts of the country. The day hikes we did in these two national parks were among our favourite of the whole trip. Lakes, (active) volcanoes, snow-capped mountain ranges, monkey puzzle trees... just ridiculously beautiful. And, unlike Torres del Paine, we had both of them virtually to ourselves, plus the entrance fees are negligible. Curacautín is the best town in which to base yourself for Conguillío; Talca is the best for Altos de Lircay.

Conguillío National Park

Vuew from El Enladrillado  plateau, Altos de Lircay National Reserve

4. Humberstone and Santa Laura, Northern Chile

These ghost mining towns, active from the 1880s to the 1960s, were important nitrate producers for many years. They are totally abandoned but have been left pretty much as they were. It's a surreal, slightly spooky but very interesting experience wandering around the arid landscape seeing all the old machinery and buildings. We hired a car for a day in Iquique to come here - that's pretty much the only way to do it unless you want to take a tour!

The long abandoned, empty swimming pool at Humberstone

5. Tiwanaku, Bolivia

Absolutely spectacular religious site built by the Tiwanaku empire, one of the most important pre-Inca civilisations. It's easily visitable from La Paz in a day - there are regular minibuses which only take an hour or two. As well as the remains of the buildings themselves (some impressive temple pyramids), the on-site Stone Museum showcases some incredible finds, including some massive carved monoliths.

One of the monoliths at Tiwanaku

6. Jesuit Missions, Bolivia

This circuit of several UNESCO-listed (obviously) Jesuit mission churches in eastern Bolivia was probably one of the most challenging weeks of independent travel that we did. The missions are in remote, dusty villages, with infrequent and unreliable buses and little tourist infrastructure. We stayed in some of the worst hotels of the trip, ate some very local food, got stranded in the middle of nowhere, endured long, hot, bumpy bus rides and had to hitch a lift in a truck when one bus broke down.... But it was an adventure! While the mission churches themselves were lovely, what really made this special was the whole experience -  meeting friendly locals, riding in buses packed with people (and chickens / goats), seeing Bolivian rural life and getting an idea of what it is like for people living out in the countryside. Oh and we also saved a ton of money compared with a tour!

The Jesuit church in San Miguel de Velasco

7. Archaeological Sites in Peru 

We've always said that Chile was our favourite country overall in South America. However, for history, there's no doubt that Perú wins out. There's the obvious - the breathtaking Macchu Picchu - but there are also countless other Inca and pre-Inca sites all over the country, many in unbelievably good condition. To mention just a few:

• Choquequirao, near(ish) Cusco - spectacular Inca complex that's comparable in size with Macchu Picchu, but gets about 20 visitors a day instead of 2000. It's a 2 day hike from the nearest road - we visited as part of our long trek to Macchu Picchu.

In a niche at the Inca ruins at Choquequirao

• Chavin de Huantar, near Huaraz - temple site built by the Chavín culture between 1200 and 500 BC. Underground passages, original carved stone columns and even an early sound amplification system!

Underground galleries at Chavín de Huantar

• Caral, near Barranca - the oldest known civilisation in the Americas,with remains of pyramids and other buildings that are 5000 years old! Unbelievable. 

Ruined pyramids at Caral

• Huacas del Sol y de la Luna, near Trujillo - excavations are still ongoing at these enormous pyramids built by the Moche culture (around 100 -800 AD). The wall paintings still being uncovered are amazingly detailed and retain their original bright colours.

Part of the intricate paintings at the Huaca de la Luna

8. Las Lajas, Colombia

Crossing the border from Ecuador into Colombia, we made a slight detour to go to Las Lajas, a small village near the border town of Ipiales. The reason? A Gothic-style basilica church built right across a canyon. Colombians come here on pilgrimage from all over the country and all the stalls full of religious souvenirs and paraphernalia are part of the experience. At night, it is lit up in garish colours! You only need to take an hour or two to visit here en route to somewhere else, and it's well worth the effort.

Las Lajas Sanctuary

9. Tierradentro, Colombia

A few hours away from the city of Popayán lies the tiny village of San Andrés de Pisambala and the impressive tombs of Tierradentro. You climb down steep stairs to enter these elaborate underground chambers dating from the 6th - 10th century AD. Many have faces and geometric designs painted or carved into the walls. We also visited San Agustín, famous for its megalithic statues. Both Tierradentro and San Agustín are world heritage sites.

 A tomb with decorated walls in Tierradentro

10. Kaieteur Falls, Guyana

To be honest, just going to Guyana at all is enough to fulfil the criteria of 'less visited'! Like all of the 3 little countries at the top of the continent, Guyana is a totally different experience to the rest of South America. For one, the national language is English! The Kaieteur Falls was the highlight of our few days in the country. This waterfall is a short flight from Georgetown in a tiny plane and the flight itself is unforgettable - an hour gazing down over pristine jungle. Kaieteur is the highest single drop waterfall in the world, and the best thing is that the only other people around will be anyone with whom you shared the plane. Awesome. NB it's not cheap though, and you do actually have to do this as a tour. We booked direct with the airline, Air Services Limited, which saved a bit of money on going with an agency.

Kaieteur Falls

11. French Guiana

French Guiana is another country, well, to be precise, province of France, which very few tourists visit. We found it an intriguing place - pretty much exactly like mainland France, but in the tropics! It was surreal crossing the border from Suriname and suddenly finding excellent roads, clean streets, tap water you could drink, Western style supermarkets and even proper French bakeries. There's also plenty to see, including the famous Iles du Salut (prison islands where Papillon among others was detained). French Guiana is extremely expensive, - by far the most expensive place in South America. But on the plus side, the French wine was super cheap, and the AirBnbs in which we stayed were great - far more affordable than hotels too.

One of the old prison buildings at the Iles du Salut

12. Hornocal, Northern Argentina

All of the region of northern Argentina around Salta and Jujuy is spectacular - mountains and landscapes of all the colours of the rainbow. It's some of the most dramatic scenery you will ever see. But our favourite of all was the Hornocal. It's a 2 hour drive up to well over 4000m above sea level. The suspense builds as you wind your way up and then finally you're met with a jaw-dropping view - a kaleidoscope of countless colours, in triangular shapes stretching all along the other side of the valley. Surely one of the wonders of the world. For some reason this has yet to make it into most guidebooks - go there before everyone else does!

The Serranía de Hornocal mountains

13. Ischigualasto Provincial Park, Central Argentina

This park is one of Argentina's richest areas of fossils - in fact, the earliest dinosaur fossils ever discovered were found here. These were from the Triassic period rather than the Jurassic. The scenery is also astonishing - a desert-like landscape with rocks sculpted into some bizarre shapes. It feels like being on an another planet! Getting here was a bit of a mission but we made it in the end, basing ourselves in the tiny town of San Agustín de Valle Fertil for a couple of days and getting a taxi to the park. It closes if there is a lot of rain, so go in the dry season. NB the little hotel in which we stayed in San Agustín was one of our favourites of the whole trip - highly recommended!

The Sphinx rock formation at Ischigualasto

14. Quebrada del Condorito National Park, Central Argentina

Yep, we've mentioned this a few times before! Seeing the gigantic condor, the iconic bird of South America, has to be high on the agenda of most visitors to the continent. The Colca Canyon in Perú is probably the most popular spot, but we preferred this national park in Argentina. Arriving early in the morning, we were lucky enough to see loads of condors, including two so close up we thought at first glance they were human figures! It's easily doable as a day trip from Córdoba.

A condor overhead, in Quebrada del Condorito National Park

15. Fray Bentos Meat Factory, Uruguay

As our blog post at the time put it, 'The only meat factory with UNESCO status'! I'm sure lots of you still buy, or at least remember, Fray Bentos meat pies. Well, in Uruguay you can visit the original factory, now derelict, and its attached museum. It's surprisingly fascinating, especially due to its links with the UK - after WWI it was bought by the English and renamed Anglo. The interesting history, the super knowledgeable and friendly guide and all the artefacts on display make it totally worth a visit - don't miss it if you're in Uruguay.

Old machinery at the Museum of the Industrial Revolution, Fray Bentos

That's it for now! Hopefully this will help any of you planning to travel to South America with some ideas and inspiration if you're looking to visit somewhere a bit different as well as the main tourist spots. Obviously there are plenty more places that could be added to this list - if you've travelled in South America and think there's somewhere awesome that we've missed, do get in touch or leave a comment!

Our Top 10 Cities of South America

As promised, here is the second of our South America summary style posts. Apologies for the delay - it turns out job applications / interviews etc take up quite a lot of time!

For us, South America was mostly about the outdoors - the real highlights, as you may have noticed in the last post, were the hiking, the scenery and the wealth of opportunities for outdoor and adventure activities. However, given that we definitely spent more time overall in towns and cities than elsewhere, it would be unfair not to give them a mention. So this time I've opted to write about our favourite cities of the continent. It seems an appropriate time to post this as the Olympic games are about to start in Rio - which definitely makes our list, as you will see. I've also looked back on our stats to provide you with some info about how long we stayed in each of these cities, and some hopefully helpful hints for you if you were to visit. So, ordered by preference this time, here are our top 10.

10. Córdoba, Argentina (6 nights)

Córdoba was never actually on our list of places to visit. It didn't really fit into our planned route, and Lonely Planet focused mainly on the city's reputation for partying and nightlife. However, near the end of the trip we found ourselves in central Argentina with some unexpected time to spare.We made a quick decision and got on a nightbus from Mendoza. Córdoba turned out to be very pleasant - a beautiful colonial city, with several universities so a great atmosphere, with lots of students around but not many tourists. Córdoba is also ideally located for visits to the surrounding hill ranges, the Sierras Chicas and Sierras Grandes, and the Quebrada del Condorito national park - one of the best condor viewing opportunities in all of South America.

The striking Capuchin church in Córdoba

Hints: You only need a day or two in the city itself to appreciate the sights, although it is a nice place just to chill out for a while. The UNESCO-listed Jesuit church is a must-see. There are several options nearby for hiking - try Capilla del Monte, Mina Clavero or La Cumbrecita (all of these would be best spending a night or two there rather than going from Córdoba for the day). Don't miss the Quebrada del Condorito, which is doable as a day trip from Córdoba.

9. Valparaiso, Chile (5 nights)

Most people fall in love with picturesque Valparaiso, and we were no exceptions. The city sits on the coast of Chile, only an hour or two by bus from Santiago and just south of Viña del Mar, one of Chile's most popular beach resorts. Valparaiso is famous for its hills, of which there are over 40. The colourful houses are squeezed up the sides of the hills, often built on such steep sections that you wonder how the floor could be horizontal! Some of the hills have little funicular railways to take you up - great fun. The city is also known for its street art: practically every available house and wall is covered in striking designs and patterns. You could spend hours looking at them! It was well worth doing the free walking tour, which took us to see some of the highlights.

Street art in Valparaiso

Hints: 2 or 3 days is fine - Valpo is more about absorbing the atmosphere and wandering the streets than any specific sights. We found an amazing place to stay  here - Costa Azul, a little B&B run by a Slovenian couple with wonderful sea views.

8. Buenos Aires, Argentina (9 nights)

It has to be said that we weren't massively enamoured with Buenos Aires on our first visit. It was our first destination of the whole trip, and it was quite underwhelming! On this occasion, we stayed in the very centre of the city. It was great to be within walking distance of some of the main attractions, e.g. the main square and the Casa Rosada (office of the president). But we didn't feel that the place had much of an atmosphere. It was hard to find restaurants in the centre that were open for dinner, and we didn't feel all that safe walking some of the streets at night. And on Sunday the place was completely dead!

The Casa Rosada, Buenos Aires

However, on our return to Buenos Aires at the very end of our trip, we had quite a different experience. We stayed this time in Palermo, a fairly upmarket, almost hipster-ish area a few stops on the Subte (metro) out of the centre. Perhaps it helped that we had a friend living here this time - plus a much better grasp of Spanish and more of an idea of what to expect from a South American city in general - but we enjoyed the city a lot more. Palermo was lovely - really buzzing, with busy cafes and restaurants lining the streets, little boutique type shops and even a few craft beer bars! There were lots of young people around and a culture of sitting at the tables outside the cafes for a coffee and a chat despite the cold weather at this time of year. We didn't really do anything specific, just strolled around the streets and the pleasant parks nearby, absorbing the vibes. By the time we left, we'd quite changed our opinion of Buenos Aires. In fact, we decided that if we were to live in any of the South American capital cities, it would be this one.

In the Japanese garden, Buenos Aires

Hints: We'd recommend devoting about 4-5 days to Buenos Aires. Stay in Palermo or Recoleta rather than the centre - or spend two nights in the centre (not at a weekend!) and then another two or three in a different district.

7. Cuenca, Ecuador (8 nights)

Cuenca is the kind of place you intend to stay two days and end up staying a week. First of all, it's a really pretty city, with a UNESCO listed historic centre. There are also some Inca ruins within the city itself, outside the Pumapungo museum. Secondly, we found it was one of Ecuador's best cities for restaurants - we ended up eating out nearly every night, and had some amazing food. Our favourite, Salvia, which has sadly now closed, was actually run by an English couple! For my birthday Kev treated me to a meal at Tiesto's - a seafood specialist restaurant renowned throughout the country. It was superb.Thirdly, Cuenca is close to the spectacular Las Cajas national park. And finally, it has an amazing zoo! Not your average zoo, more like a hike that takes you up past the (large) animal enclosures.

The impressively domed New Cathedral in Cuenca

Hints: Cuenca's definitely worth spending more time than you think...

6. Cartagena, Colombia (9 nights)

Cartagena is right on the Caribbean coast and probably Colombia's most popular destination for foreign and Colombian tourists alike. The city is one of the best examples of colonial architecture you will find. Meandering through the pretty streets, you find yourself taking a photo every other step. It also has a real Caribbean feel to it, from the cuisine to the music to the ethnicity of the people. The impressive San Felipe fortress was nice to wander around and had some cool underground passages to explore. We also went up to the La Popa convent, which has amazing views of the city and out to sea. Cartagena has a fantastic atmosphere too - in the balmy evenings people sit outside in the squares socialising and drinking, often with live music.

One of Cartagena's many picturesque little streets

Hints: Avoid Cartagena during peak season (Christmas and January) - prices skyrocket and everywhere is booked up! The major sights of the city only take a day or two, but it's such a nice place we'd advise allowing plenty of time just for relaxing, exploring and photographing.

5. Punta Arenas, Chile (10 nights)

Punta Arenas is one of the contenders for the southernmost city in the world - and it probably takes that title, being substantially larger than Argentina's Ushuaia further south. What can I say about Punta Arenas? Just that we liked it, really! The city had quite an orderly, English feel to it, and a pleasant seafront to stroll along. There were several museums, all worth a visit but surprisingly difficult to ascertain if / when they were open. Punta Arenas seems to have quite a local feel, despite being a common starting point for Antarctic cruises, and we much preferred it to the crowds of package tourists in Ushuaia. There's a cemetery that we really liked - nicer than the famous La Recoleta in Buenos Aires we thought. It's also a good base for various activities nearby, especially the striking, volcanic Pali Aike national park.

Seabirds on an abandoned pier in Punta Arenas

To be fair, when we returned to the city at the very start of spring on the way to meet my family in southern Argentina, we were less enthused by the prospect of living there. Our plane landed in the strongest winds either of us had ever experienced - over 150 kph - and we were then stranded at the airport for hours as there were no taxis!

Hints: As with all of Patagonia, we'd recommend visiting during shoulder season to avoid peak season but also avoid the worst of the winter. March / April and October / November are good times. Don't bother visiting Fort Bulnes.

4. Cusco, Perú (7 nights)

As the capital of the former Inca empire and the obvious base for trips to Macchu Picchu, Cusco is deservedly popular. Up at nearly 3400 m above sea level, it can take a while to adjust to the altitude if you're not accustomed to it. The city is simply stunning. There is still a great deal of the original Inca architecture - you can admire the Incas' amazing craftsmanship as you wander past walls built out of gigantic stone blocks, with no mortar necessary to join them together. The whole area around Cusco is also rich in Inca heritage, with several other very impressive sites to visit (not least Macchu Picchu of course).

Inca walls in Cusco

Hints: Be wary of the altitude! We had no problems as we'd been up above 2500m for several weeks already, but we did hear some horror stories of people who'd flown straight in from Europe and felt pretty awful. We'd suggest going to somewhere like Arequipa (2400m ish) first to acclimatise.
Due to the number of tourists that flock here, Cusco is home to some great restaurants, bars and accommodation. Prices are substantially higher than elsewhere in Perú however. We'd recommend spending plenty of time in and around the city - 5 days to a week (not including Macchu Picchu!).

Inca terraces at Moray, near Cusco

3. Sucre, Bolivia (10 nights)

Sucre was by far our favourite city in Bolivia. It's the constitutional capital and is known as the 'White City', with tons of attractive colonial buildings mostly painted, as you might guess, white. It's also a great place to study Spanish - there are several Spanish schools, all with the cheapest prices you'll find anywhere in South America. We'd recommend Me Gusta. Just outside Sucre you can visit a wall covered in genuine dinosaur footprints, millions of years old - pretty cool! And the surrounding Cordillera de los Frailes is spectacular. We did a 4 day hike here with Condor Trekkers and had an amazing time, sleeping in tiny villages and walking through stunning, colourful landscapes. The local bus back to Sucre was quite insane though!

The San Felipe Neri convent in Sucre

Hints: do a Spanish course, do a trek, don't miss the great cafes around the main square.

2. Arequipa, Perú (5 nights)

Arequipa is in some respects quite similar to Sucre - for one, it is Perú's 'White City', with ornate buildings built mainly from sillar, a white volcanic stone. The vividly painted 16th century Santa Catalina Convent was a real highlight. We loved the city not just for the architecture but the wealth of fantastic restaurants (Zingaro was our favourite), chocolate shops, cafes and bars. Arequipa is also well situated for adventure activities - we did some whitewater rafting / kayaking nearby, as well as a three day trek through the spectacular Colca Canyon.

Inside the Santa Catalina convent, Arequipa

Hints: don't stay in Dreams Boutique Hotel (very disappointing!), do go to the Arequipa Beer Club (handily situated right near the convent, has an amazing selection of beer). Go to the Colca Canyon for a 2-4 day trek - no need to go on a tour, it's far better to do it yourself.

The Colca Canyon - the scenery was jaw-dropping

1. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (8 nights)

Of all the South American cities we visited, there is really no competition for the top place in this list. Rio was just incredible. Basically, it has everything! Absolutely stunning, picture perfect beaches; rainforest areas with many species of monkeys, marmosets, butterflies and much more; hills / mountains - most obviously the celebrated Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf) and Corcovado (Christ the Redeemer); great music (most famously Samba); tasty food (mmm, feijoada); amazing colonial architecture; museums galore; and a fascinating history. It is surely one of the most visually spectacular, beautiful cities in the world - and so much to see and do too.  We spent 8 nights and could easily have stayed a lot longer.

Sugarloaf Mountain, taken from Fort Duque de Caxias

It seems a shame to me that Rio is getting a bit of a bad press at  the moment with the media scaremongering and claiming that the Olympics will be a fiasco, etc. Yes, there is a political crisis. No, the water is not drinkable (along with many other countries in the world, some of which have doubtless also hosted big sports events). Yes, there is a zika outbreak (I had what was almost certainly zika: it's like a mild flu! There's no risk unless you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant). It's interesting that the media is more focused on zika than, say, dengue, which is also widespread in Brazil.

Beautiful late sunset view over Botofago, from the Morro da Urca
(hill on the way up to the Sugarloaf)

Hints: Allow a lot of time - we'd advise a week at least. Bear in mind that during the summer months (December - March) it is so hot that you will struggle to do much during the heat of the day. We stayed in the bohemian Santa Teresa district, near the city centre, which was lovely. Lots of tourists also head for Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. Don't miss sunset from Sugarloaf mountain and from Ipanema beach; hike up (or down) Corcovado rather than getting the train; try the national dish (feijoada) and drink (caipirinha); also try pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread) and the açai berry slush puppies that are sold everywhere; and make sure you visit the excellent National History Museum.We heard the nearby city of Petrópolis is worth a visit too, though we ran out of time!

How could I write about Rio without putting a photo of Christ the Redeemer?

A few other honorourable mentions that didn't quite make the cut for top 10: Valdivia, Chile; Santiago, Chile; La Paz, Bolivia; Quito, Ecuador; Medellín, Colombia; Bogotá, Colombia; Salta, Argentina; Mendoza, Argentina.

Hope you've enjoyed this post. As ever, if you or anyone you know is heading to South America soon, feel free to get in touch and hit us with any questions you might have. We're keen to help (and travel vicariously through others, haha)! You can also check out my tripadvisor profile if you're interested - I've reviewed most places we've stayed, restaurants we've been to and attractions.

More to follow in the next few weeks!