GENERAL
- Carry your own toilet paper everywhere and expect exceptionally little from public conveniences. You'll only find a decent dunny in expensive hotels and restaurants.
- Carry a notebook and pen for times, dates, details, address, fone numbers, etc, a photocopy of your passport to use as ID when required, but no obvious jewelry, phone, camera etc that make you an attractive target (without intending to suggest that you aren't).
- Long-distance coaches are the norm for inter-city travel. There are varying standards depending on what you want to pay and the premium ones are really nice and still relatively affordable, so don't be too confronted by the prospect of overnight or longer journeys.
- South America gets more civilised the further south you go. Argentina and Chile are really quite 'european' and the southern (patagonian) regions are really nice. But the less civilised regions are cheaper.
- Aussies need a visa for Brasil, Paraguay (but don't bother going) and maybe others so suss that out now and start getting organised as you have to give them your passport for a few weeks for each one. It's possible to arrange whilst there but not a hassle you need.
- Learn some basic spanish. Hola, por favor, quiero, disculpa, gracias (obrigada in Brasil) can make a big difference. It's not just being polite, if you limit yourself to dealing with english-speakers, you will pay a premium of up to 400% in some cases.
- Hook up with a local, here and there - it's the same as trying the local food!
SIGHTS
- You don't have time to see all the nice things in South America. You need to plan and prioritise a bit but be flexible to take advantage of the options and opportunities that will arise and are often the coolest things. My suggestion would be to anchor a plan and schedule around some major attractions and flex it from there. My top 10, from South to North:
* PERRITO MORENO glacier near El Calafate, southern Argentina. There are other nice spots around there and further south to Ushuaia and Punta Arenas (Chile) is meant to be beautiful but I didn't get there.
* BUENOS AIRES. Amazing city, good base. Hotel Chile on Avenida de Mayo is nice and AR$160/night - about $55. Too much other detail to include here. Argy beachside spots in January: Mar del Plata, Pinamar, Punta del Este (Uruguay) are popular with upmarket locals.
*ANDEAN CROSSING: Mendoza (ARG) to Santiago (Chile) bus ride through the mountains is spectacular. Mendoza and Córdoba are also nice cities to visit, the latter with a good student lifestyle but maybe less so during summer holidays. Valparaiso and Viña del Mar near Santiago and Salta in northern Argentina are also meant to be good.
* IGUAZÚ FALLS (Cataratas, Foz) are unmissable, allow at least 2 if not 3 days to visit the whole park from both Argy and Brasil sides of the river. (That northern Missiones region of Argentina also provides some cheap and tranquil places to hide.)
- CARNAVAL: A time rather than a place, Brasil is a party for the second week in February. Rio is an amazing city but scary and dangerous. I really liked the south coast outside Rio: Ilha Grande and Parati. The south of the country is meant to be really nice but I haven't been there - Porto Alegre and Florianopolis. São Paulo is big and scary and dangerous, with a few nice things here and there.
- LAKE TITICACA: Stay a night on Isla del Sol (island) on the Bolivian side of the lake - it's spectacular and amazing. It's not far from La Paz, an interesting city but I didn't get to explore it. On the Peru side you can visit the Uros indians living on floating reed islands and then nearby you have...
- MACHU PICHU: Famous and deservedly so - a really special place. You can get a train there if 4 days walking and camping doesn't suit you but don't drink the water there - I was sick for 4 days! The 'base' city for the region is Cusco, a real gringo-trap party-town, which didn't appeal to me but whatever floats your boat.
- THE PEOPLE: One of the best things for me is the people. If you have a chance to get to know some locals (not working in tourism) I think you'll see what I mean. Some are stoked to show you around a bit, or have a drink, or just practice their English!
Love, respect and enjoy!
- Carry your own toilet paper everywhere and expect exceptionally little from public conveniences. You'll only find a decent dunny in expensive hotels and restaurants.
- Carry a notebook and pen for times, dates, details, address, fone numbers, etc, a photocopy of your passport to use as ID when required, but no obvious jewelry, phone, camera etc that make you an attractive target (without intending to suggest that you aren't).
- Long-distance coaches are the norm for inter-city travel. There are varying standards depending on what you want to pay and the premium ones are really nice and still relatively affordable, so don't be too confronted by the prospect of overnight or longer journeys.
- South America gets more civilised the further south you go. Argentina and Chile are really quite 'european' and the southern (patagonian) regions are really nice. But the less civilised regions are cheaper.
- Aussies need a visa for Brasil, Paraguay (but don't bother going) and maybe others so suss that out now and start getting organised as you have to give them your passport for a few weeks for each one. It's possible to arrange whilst there but not a hassle you need.
- Learn some basic spanish. Hola, por favor, quiero, disculpa, gracias (obrigada in Brasil) can make a big difference. It's not just being polite, if you limit yourself to dealing with english-speakers, you will pay a premium of up to 400% in some cases.
- Hook up with a local, here and there - it's the same as trying the local food!
SIGHTS
- You don't have time to see all the nice things in South America. You need to plan and prioritise a bit but be flexible to take advantage of the options and opportunities that will arise and are often the coolest things. My suggestion would be to anchor a plan and schedule around some major attractions and flex it from there. My top 10, from South to North:
* PERRITO MORENO glacier near El Calafate, southern Argentina. There are other nice spots around there and further south to Ushuaia and Punta Arenas (Chile) is meant to be beautiful but I didn't get there.
* BUENOS AIRES. Amazing city, good base. Hotel Chile on Avenida de Mayo is nice and AR$160/night - about $55. Too much other detail to include here. Argy beachside spots in January: Mar del Plata, Pinamar, Punta del Este (Uruguay) are popular with upmarket locals.
*ANDEAN CROSSING: Mendoza (ARG) to Santiago (Chile) bus ride through the mountains is spectacular. Mendoza and Córdoba are also nice cities to visit, the latter with a good student lifestyle but maybe less so during summer holidays. Valparaiso and Viña del Mar near Santiago and Salta in northern Argentina are also meant to be good.
* IGUAZÚ FALLS (Cataratas, Foz) are unmissable, allow at least 2 if not 3 days to visit the whole park from both Argy and Brasil sides of the river. (That northern Missiones region of Argentina also provides some cheap and tranquil places to hide.)
- CARNAVAL: A time rather than a place, Brasil is a party for the second week in February. Rio is an amazing city but scary and dangerous. I really liked the south coast outside Rio: Ilha Grande and Parati. The south of the country is meant to be really nice but I haven't been there - Porto Alegre and Florianopolis. São Paulo is big and scary and dangerous, with a few nice things here and there.
- LAKE TITICACA: Stay a night on Isla del Sol (island) on the Bolivian side of the lake - it's spectacular and amazing. It's not far from La Paz, an interesting city but I didn't get to explore it. On the Peru side you can visit the Uros indians living on floating reed islands and then nearby you have...
- MACHU PICHU: Famous and deservedly so - a really special place. You can get a train there if 4 days walking and camping doesn't suit you but don't drink the water there - I was sick for 4 days! The 'base' city for the region is Cusco, a real gringo-trap party-town, which didn't appeal to me but whatever floats your boat.
- THE PEOPLE: One of the best things for me is the people. If you have a chance to get to know some locals (not working in tourism) I think you'll see what I mean. Some are stoked to show you around a bit, or have a drink, or just practice their English!
Love, respect and enjoy!
I whipped up this diary of my travels on the road as I went as best I could, more for my own benefit than anyone else's. But feel free to read about and see pictures of my travels. I've kept my notes in a little Fluminense pad I got in Rio - wish I hadn't rushed away from that market stall at Recoletta now!
Postcards:
SAT 31st Jan, Rottnest Island, Australia - Recovery
Not much to say just some pics from the week of relaxation & recovery...
.... THE END ....
(Until next time)
DJNige.com's Notes
South America - Top Travel Tips from DJ Nige!Dec 2, 2009
Around the world in 80 days: travel diary 03/04Sep 13, 2009
03/04-18: RottoSep 13, 2009
03/04-17: Homeward BoundSep 13, 2009
03/04-16: ParisSep 13, 2009
03/04-15: LuxembourgSep 13, 2009
03/04-14: BelgiumSep 13, 2009
03/04-13: The Netherlands (or Holland)Sep 13, 2009
03/04-12: ItalySep 13, 2009
03/04-11: ViennaSep 13, 2009