The LATA Guide to Latin America 2011

www.lata.org THEGUIDETOLATINAMERICA2009

InsIde:10 great routes

round Latin America25 country guides

Directory of tour operators & members

The LaTIn amerIcan TraveL assocIaTIon

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C H I L E

URUGUAY

PARAGUAY

B O L I V I A

B R A Z I L

P E R U

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SURINAME C O L O M B I A

FRENCH GUIANA GUYANA

V E N E Z U E L A

PANAMA

U N I T E D S T A T E SO F A M E R I C A

BERMUDA

M E X I C O

PUERTORICO

ANTIGUA &BARBUDA

DOMINICA

DOMINICANREPUBLIC

HAITI

B A H A M A S

C U B A

JAMAICA

GUATEMALA

BELIZE

EL SALVADOR

HONDURAS

NICARAGUA

COSTA RICA

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

A R G E N T I N A

GRENADABARBADOS

ST LUCIA

ST VINCENT

ST KITTS& NEVIS

DUTCHCARIBBEAN

P l a t t e

Mi s s i s s i p p i M i s s o

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Galapagos Islands

FALKLAND ISLANDS/ ISLAS MALVINAS

South Georgia

Easter Island

P A C I F I C O C E A N


A T L A N T I C O C E A N

A T L A N T I C O C E A NG U L F O F M E X I C O

C A R I B B E A N S E A

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Cape Cod

Great Salt Lake

Cape Mendocino

SANTIAGO BUENOS AIRES

MONTEVIDEO

ASUNCIN

LA PAZ

LIMA

BRASLIA

CAYENNE

QUITO

BOGOT

PARAMARIBO GEORGETOWN

PANAMA

Halifax

Concord

Augusta

Boston

Montpelier

Albany

Montreal

Ottawa

Toronto Lansing Madison

St. Paul

Bismarck

Pierre

Cheyenne Salt Lake City

Boise

Carson City Sacramento

San Francisco

Hartford Providence

SANTO DOMINGO

HAVANA

MEXICO CITY

GUATEMALA CITY

TEGUCIGALPA

CARACAS

MANAGUA

SAN JOS

SAN SALVADOR

BELMOPAN

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Puerto Vallarta

ChichnItz

Tikal

Angel Falls

Guayaquil

CuscoMachu Picchu

Salar deUyuni

Santa Cruz

Calama

AtacamaDesert

Juan FernndezIslands

Puerto Montt

Torres del Paine

Punta Arenas

Ushuaia

Cape Horn

Mendoza

Crdoba

Iguassu Falls

Porto Alegre

Curitiba

So Paulo Rio de Janeiro

Salvador

Recife

Fortaleza

Belm Manaus


WelcomeLatinAmericagivesyouthechancetoexperiencesomethingextraordinary.The Latin American Travel Associationacollectionoftouristboards,airlines,guidebookpublishersandtouroperatorswillhelpyoucreateanadventurethatisbothunforgettableandsafe.AllLATAmembersarefullyATOL-bonded(seepage56)soyourholidaysareprotected.Formoreinformation,youllfindasearchablemapandlinkstoallmembersonourwebsite(www.lata.org).ButLATAmembersdontjustshareareputationyoucantrust,butapassionforLatinAmerica.Letthemshareitwithyouhere-happytravels!

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inside:pAge 02 10 great routes round Latin AmericapAge 11 Latin America in picturespAge 16 Country guidespAge 55 Directory of LATA tour operators & members

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routes round latin america

Always wanted to see Latin America, but not sure where to start?Weve picked ten top routes through this wild and wonderful region plus some handy short-cuts

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1 The PanamericanaMexico Guatemala El Salvador Honduras Nicaragua Costa Rica Panama

Colombia Ecuador Peru Chile ArgentinaBig trip: 4-6 months Get a taste: From 2 weeks > Highlights Drive the wild Carretera Austral from Puerto Montt to Villa OHiggins, Chile (2 weeks); brave chicken buses in Guatemala (2 weeks); tour Ecuadors lofty Avenue of the Volcanoes (2 weeks).

Simply the ultimate roadtrip: the mammoth Pan-American Highway starts in Alaska, but the best part delves downwards from the US/Mexico border to the tip of South America, 12 countries and well over 10,000km later.

Its not one exact route: there are scenic detours, plus a notorious 90km no-mans-land forcing a flight over (or idyllic sail around) Panamas impenetrable Darien Gap. But whichever way you take, this is a real road adventure.

Link Mexicos Sierra Madre mountains with Spanish lessons in Antigua (Guatemala), a sail to Lake Nicaraguas volcanic Ometepe Island, a hike up active Arenal (Costa Rica), a wander around the pre-Columbian burial site of San Agustn (Colombia), haggling with the Panama-hat makers of historic Cuenca (Ecuador) and a horseback canter across Chiles lunar-like Atacama Desert, before veering into Argentina, pointing south and not stopping until the road does...

routes round latin america

hiking in Torres del Paine national Park, chile


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plantations. Most visitors, though, head east (perhaps in a vintage Chevy) for Santa Claras monument to Che, charming Trinidad, the labyrinthine town of Camagey and the infectious music scene of Santiago de Cuba. Do stay in casas particulares (family-run B&Bs) en route, for the best insight into local living.

3AntArcticEXPLOrEr Argentina Falkland Islands AntarcticaBig trip: 3 weeks Get a taste: 2 weeks

> Highlights Sail direct to the Antarctic Peninsula (7-10 days); get a southern wildlife fix on a Tierra del Fuego cruise from Punta Arenas, Chile, to Ushuaia (4 days); fly to Stanley for land-based exploration of the Falklands and beyond (1 week).

Million-strong colonies of penguins; skies patrolled by albatross; elephant seals flumped

on frosty beaches; icebergs as big as battleships, but sculpted like works of art... The Antarctic region is owned by nature humans just get to pay a passing, privileged visit.

Access is often via Buenos Aires linger in the Argentine capital for tango clubs and succulent steak before flying south to the end of the world: cruise ships embark for the White Continent from Ushuaia, the planets southernmost city.

Sail to Antarctica via the Falkland Islands for added interest: visit capital Stanleys war memorials, drink with the locals in atmospheric English pubs and coo at the five penguin species on Sealion Island.

Next, navigate to the Antarctic Peninsula. Whale-watch on deck (blues, fins, humpbacks and more swim here), then wrap up for Zodiac trips: these zippy semi-inflatables get you intimate with calving glaciers, rusting whaling stations and countless curious penguins.

4 THE GUIDE TO LATIN AMERICA 2011 www.lata.org

clockwise from this image: Old-school charm in Havana; volcanic vistas on Lake nicaragua; whale watching in Antarctica

2cAribbEAn cOOLCuba Big trip: 2-3 weeks Get a taste: 1 week

> Highlights Plonk yourself in Havana and soak up the city (1 week); relax, or climb the Caribbeans highest peak, Pico Duarte, in the nearby Dominican Republic for a classic take on the region (1 week).

Geographically in the Caribbean but utterly unlike the rest of it, Cuba is an island that augments its fine beaches with salsa rhythms, ageing autos and revolutionary zeal.

Havana is a great intro; it can be hard to tear yourself from its atmospheric crumbling colonial mansions, mojito bars once frequented by Hemingway and gorgeous nearby seasides. West of the capital, Viales Valley offers sublime cycling amid mogotes (domed hills) and tobacco

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civilisation crumbled after the Spanish arrived, many sophisticated structures remain.

Start on Mexicos Yucatn Peninsula with visits to iconic and accessible Chichn Itz and beachside Tulum, heading south via the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve here, as well as ruins, you might spot Bairds tapirs, howler monkeys and jaguars. Next, delve into Guatemala, where Maya traditions are still very much evident in the clothes and culture of the living population. Tikal is the show-stopper site, but there are many more-remote ruins: Ceibal has fine carving, Quirigu has the tallest obelisks and jungle-covered El Mirador reachable only after a multi-day trek is the biggest adventure.

In Belize, mix Maya sites (try Caracol, Lamanai and Lubaantun) with spectacular snorkelling; similarly in Honduras, the Bay Islands provide idyllic relaxation after exploring the glyph-engraved temples of Copn.

4The Maya rouTeMexico Guatemala Belize HondurasBig trip: 1-2 months Get a taste: 10 days

> Highlights Use Cancn as an entry-point for Yucatn exploration (10 days); blitz Belizes Maya sites, then nip over to Tikal (10 days); experience Maya life near Lake Atitln then trek to jungle-hidden El Mirador, Guatemala (2 weeks).

That the central chunk of Central America is dotted with some of the continents best ruins is a bonus. Frankly its natural make-up is appealing enough: chirruping jungle pocked with azure sinkholes, sugary Caribbean beaches, conical volcanoes and rolling, rugged ranges.

But this region, from southern Mexico to northern Nicaragua, was the one-time stronghold of the Maya though their

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Cuba is an island that augments its fine beaches with salsa rhythms, ageing autos and revolutionary zeal


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5Roam the Guianas Guyana Suriname French Guiana Big trip: 3 weeks Get a taste: 2 weeks

> Highlights Fly from capital Georgetown into Guyanas wild interior (2 weeks); visit French Guianas capital Cayenne for its raucous Carnaval (1 week).

Latin Americas least-travelled chunk, the Guianas offer a very different take on the continent. British, French and Dutch influences dominate, with Amerindian, African and Asian flavours mixed in.

Starting-point Guyana is emerging as a top wilderness spot. From capital Georgetown fly inland to combine an ogle at 250m Kaieteur Falls with wildlife at Iwokrama rainforest, then a gallop across Rupununi savanna with the local vaqueros (cowboys).

Backtrack to the coast and cross into Suriname capital Paramaribo is Unesco-listed, with fine Dutch architecture though most fun is a trip to untouched Maroon and Amerindian villages, involving jungle hikes and riverboats (look out for dolphins).

French Guiana serves up croissants, a space centre and Devils Island, home to the grim penal colony that inspired Henri Charrires book, Papillon.

6Land of the GauchoChile Argentina Uruguay Big trip: 3-4 weeks Get a taste: 2 weeks

> Highlights Base yourself at a Uruguayan ranch for full gaucho immersion (10 days); ride between estancias in Corrientes province, Argentina (2 weeks).

The gauchos (cowboys) of the South American pampa have long been a proud bunch, skilfully herding cattle on this endless grassland. Their hard

work is best appreciated by staying at exquisite estancias (ranches) and eating juicy hunks of beef. Ideally those steaks should be accompanied by a glass of local red, so start in Santiago, slurp your way through the Maipo Valley and then hop over the Andes into Argentina for more vino in Mendoza.

Heading east, horizons expand as you reach the vast pampa. San Antonio de Areco has a gaucho museum and festival (Nov), but its best to find a remote restored ranch where you can ride the horses or relax with fine food.

Cosmopolitan Buenos Aires demands a few days, before you head over the river to Uruguay take a ferry from BA to Colonia, full of graceful architecture, then find an estancia for a few days riding (perhaps around Florida) before finishing with a parrilla (meat grill) at Montevideos mouthwatering market.

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THE GUIDE TO LATIN AMERICA 2011 www.lata.org

The gauchos have long been a proud bunch, skilfully herding cattle on endless grassland

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7In PatagonIa Chile Argentina

Big trip: 4-5 weeksGet a taste: 2 weeks

> Highlights Fly Santiago-Punta Arenas-Buenos Aires to combine capitals and deep Patagonia (2-3 weeks); mix whales and Wales on the coast and in the Welsh villages of Peninsula Valds, Argentina (1 week); explore the end of the world Cape Horn and windswept Tierra del Fuego (1 week).

The Americas far south is the epitome of wilderness: a land of horn-like peaks, sparkling lakes, wind-blasted alpaca and few people. Entry to the Chilean side is via Puerto Montt: drive from here down to Villa OHiggins past lakes and alerce forests, stopping to raft the Futaleuf River; or take the fjord-weaving ferry to Puerto Natales. Trek into craggy Torres del Paine, then hop over to Argentina for the white tongues of Los Glaciares National Park.

North from here on the Argentine side lies good hiking round El Chaltn, the calving bulk of the Perito Moreno Glacier and, further still, beautiful lakes around Bariloche. South is the end of the earth take the ferry to Tierra del Fuego to hear tales of hardships and shipwrecks, and to sail the Beagle Channel. Flights from Ushuaia up to Buenos Aires restore you to the real world.

8Inca adventureEcuador Peru Bolivia ChileBig trip: 1-2 months Get a taste: 2 weeks

> Highlights Focus on Peru, from Lima to Machu Picchu, via the Inca Trail (2 weeks); enjoy the ultimate wildlife trip a cruise round Ecuadors Galapagos (2 weeks); combine Bolivia with southern Peru (3 weeks).

Machu Picchu is the poster-child of Latin America with good reason: the iconic lost city is a stunning ruin, gloriously perched in the Peruvian Andes.

But its far from the only Inca site. Fly into Quito and zip down the Avenue of the Volcanoes to the hillside ruins of Ingapirca (using the hair-raising Devils Nose railway to link Riobamba and Sibambe en route). Fly over to the Galapagos islands for wildlife encounters, or cross into northern Peru dont miss the fortress of Kuelap, built by the Chachapoyas people.

Skim the Andes to reach the Sacred Valley Inca heaven. Explore the many sites around Inca capital Cusco, including the train or trek to Machu Picchu; fit pioneers could opt for the new Inca Trail hike to the little-visited mountain-side remains of Choquequirao instead.

The empire extended into Bolivia but the countrys main site is far older after border-crossing via ethereal Lake Titicaca, head for the 2,000-year-old ruins at Tiwanaku, near La Paz. Continue south to the sparkling salt flats of Uyuni, into the north of Chile the furthest boundaries of the Inca empire. Spewing geysers and star-gazing in the Atacama Desert await.


thunder, thunder the bellowing waterfalls at Iguau

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9Coast to CoastPeru Bolivia Paraguay Brazil Duration: 1 month Get a taste: 2 weeks

> Highlights Hit the Pantanals Transpantaneira Highway (2 weeks); explore Jesuit churches and cowboy badlands in Paraguay (1 week).

Lima to Rio Pacific to Atlantic via some of the most iconic Latin sites, is a feet-itching prospect. Paraglide over the ocean in Limas Miraflores district before heading south: detour via the Nazca Lines vast desert geoglyphs and colonial Arequipa, or go straight to Cusco for Inca intrigue. Sail via Lake Titicacas floating reed Uros Islands to enter Bolivia. Spot flamingoes at the rainbow lakes of the altiplano (high plains) and traverse the Salar de Uyuni salt flats before crossing into

Paraguay to pick up the wild Trans-Chaco road to capital Asuncin. Hightail into Brazil at Iguau Falls 250 thundering cascades in the rainforest.

Turn north for the Pantanals wildlife-heaving wetlands before finding even wilder life on the Atlantic beaches of Paraty and in the samba clubs of raucous Rio.

10amazonia & beyonDBrazil Venezuela Colombia EcuadorBig trip: 2-3 months Get a taste: 10 days

> Highlights Explore Los Llanos and the table-top tepuis mountains of Venezuela (2 weeks); stay at an Amerindian-owned ecolodge in the Ecuadorian rainforest (10 days); watch rainbow macaws and other exotic species in the Manu Biosphere Reserve, Peru (2 weeks).

This monster trip from Rio to Quito showcases the Amazons immensity and will spark ideas for shorter forays. However, if you can spare the time...

Hug the Brazilian Atlantic coast, travelling north via Salvador (the place to try martial-art-dance capoeira) and the golden dunes of Lenis Maranhenses, to board a riverboat at Belm and sail inland along the Amazon.

Scour the banks for critters (caiman, monkeys, myriad birds) all the way to Manaus, where smaller craft leave to ply narrower tributaries best for wildlife-spotting.

Head north to Venezuela the grasslands of Los Llanos offer more animals (anteaters are a highlight), while there is great tepuis trekking in the Gran Sabana (try scaling the massive massif of Mount Roraima). Next, into Colombia: travel via the hammock-slung beaches and profuse birdlife of Tayrona National Park to Cartagena, simply the continents prettiest colonial city.

South, via Colombian capital Bogot, sits Ecuador. Here, linger with the hummingbirds in the cloud forest north of Quito before flying to remote, wildlife-rich, locally owned lodges in the Oriente. Or jump on a plane and head over to the Galapagos Islands for an alternative animal adventure.

Linger with hummingbirds in the cloud forest before flying to remote, wildlife-rich lodges

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LATIN SPIRITLatin America is a photographers dream as these winning images from the Wanderlust Travel Photo of the Year competition demonstrate

ARGENTINACerro Torre & Monte Fitz Roy,Patagonia, ArgentinaAs its a seven-hour round trip to see Torre up close and a longer, more arduous hike up to glimpse Fitz Roy which is often shrouded in cloud and mist it was a rare treat to see the entire range from such a vantage point. Nori Jemil

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chileVicuas grazing in lago chungar, lauca National Park, chile Vicuas were almost hunted to extinction for their fine wool in the early 20th century but are now protected. i followed this family group for half an hour. Niall Corbet

costa ricatree frog Few countries have placed so much emphasis on care for the environment as costa rica, a wildly biodiverse destination that abolished its army in 1958 and instead declared peace with nature. Danny Beath

ecuadorotavalo Marketi came across this side-street wall mural, celebrating the traditional Quechua way of life. For me, the shot is all about movement and change how in these times of rapid development, the local Quechua have achieved commercial success while still holding on to their rich cultural heritage. Ben Haskey


brazilStreet workers, rio de Janeiroi noticed these workers one morning when i was looking down from the balcony of our hotel overlooking ipanema beach. Victoria Fry


galapagos Islandssally lightfoot crabMost of the wildlife in the galapagos is relatively unafraid of people it doesnt see humans as predators but more as passing curiosities that come and stare every now and then. Andrew Chong

antarctIcaIceberg waveIn december 2005, we were approaching graham land through a heavy south atlantic swell. the rolling waves hitting this huge iceberg were almost exploding as if smashing into solid land. the elements came together to create an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Eddy Lane

BolIvIacyclist crossing the salar de UyuniI was on a tour crossing Bolivias largest salt pan in a 4Wd and spotted someone cycling into town. I grabbed my camera and fired off a few frames. Jonathan Clay

For more details, visit www.wanderlust.co.uk/magazine/awards



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South America is the most popular gateway to Antarctica, the worlds last great wilderness. Cold, wind-beaten and desolate, the white continent boasts the lowest temperature ever recorded -90C but for many it remains the most beautiful place on the planet.

The coastline is teeming with rare wildlife; gigantic icebergs and vast mountain ranges reflect in the freezing water, and the continent shivers under a blanket of snow and ice, like nowhere else on earth.

Cruises run during the Antarctic summer (November to mid-March) and represent the only way to reach unique landscapes such as the Ross Ice Shelf a glistening mass of floating ice the size of France and Paradise Harbour, Antarcticas most beautiful bay.

But it is the wildlife that attracts most visitors. Youll be taken ashore in Zodiacs to see some of the worlds rarest birdlife, including the endangered wandering albatross. Youll also likely see minke whales and seals.

Then there are the penguins hundreds of thousands of them. Visit in November to see them courting; through December and January to spot the chicks being born; or during the last days of the austral summer (February to March) to watch the impossibly cute youngsters head out to sea.

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AntarcticaThe planets final frontier is as cool as ice

EssentialsVitaL statisticscapital: Governed by an

international treaty and not owned by anyone no capital cityPopulation: 1,200 (winter), 5,000 (summer) all scientific expeditionstime: Many expedition ships keep the same time as the port they left international dialling code: +672Money: Bases generally accept US$; ships usually run a tab system you pay at the end of the tripVisas: Not required, but UK nationals must have a permit usually provided by the tour company for the whole vessel. Check before you depart

WHen to goNovember to mid-March,

unless you fancy total darkness and temperatures below -50C

toP 5 exPeriencesMarvel at the ross ice shelf, a near-vertical sheet of ice

stretching for 800kmSail to the south shetland islands, a British dependency

around 120km north of the Antarctic peninsula, renowned for nature-spotting opportunities

Make flat-footed friends on south georgia this

archipelago is home to colossal penguin colonies, as well as Shackleton history

Take in views of snow-capped mountains and ice cliffs at the

aptly-named Paradise Harbour, in the north of the peninsula Cruise through the Lemaire

channel, flanked with calving glaciers and snowy peaksI

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Argentinas contrasts never cease to amaze. One day youre on a boat rushing towards spectacular waterfalls as electric-blue butterflies flutter through the spray. Next thing you know, youre walking across the sculpted surface of a vast glacier.

Argentinas extraordinary natural wonders are largely untouched. The mighty Andes form the countrys spine, their jagged peaks a trekking paradise. From Mendoza you can climb Mount Aconcagua or ski for miles, before sipping a fine malbec at a nearby bodega (winery). In the peaks around Bariloche are lakes of navy, peppermint green and the palest blue, surrounded by ancient forest. Nearby you can fish for huge

rainbow trout from the Chimehuin River, or walk among monkey-puzzle trees in Villa Pehuenia.

Argentinas history stretches back to pre-Incan cultures, whose ruined cities are perched on hillsides in cactus-strewn valleys. Quiet adobe villages are oases in the Quebrada de Humahuaca,a vast gorge of vermilion rock. Wander through palm-filled plazas in colonial Salta to the sounds of a vibrant pea (folklore group), as crowds of locals clap and sing.

Across the sweltering savannas of Corrientes, storks and caiman stand on islands of vegetation:a nature-watchers heaven. For more exotic creatures and mighty waterfalls, head to the emerald jungle of Iguaz National Park,or follow red-earth roads to the evocative Jesuit ruins atSan Ignacio in Misiones.

The capital, Buenos Aires, is another Argentina altogether, with a swift pace, chic restaurants and Parisian-style architecture. Marvel at the intricate footwork of the tango one night and, next day, ride your horse over the pampas to a gorgeous colonial estancia (ranch) to eat sublime steaks cooked on the asado (barbecue) under the stars.

There is no experience like Patagonia: liberating, empty expanses of nothing just sheep, llamas, wind-whipped clouds and Mount Fitz Roys granite turrets rising up from the steppe. All along the Atlantic coast are beautiful, wild beaches that are home to penguins and colonies

of seals, with whales basking in the bay right next to your boat.

But Tierra del Fuego is the ultimate wilderness, with jagged mountains whose tree-cloaked slopes turn scarlet in autumn. Sail to the estancia (ranch) of the first pioneer and contemplate the end of the world in magical tranquillity.

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A

L .Superior

L.M

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L. H

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Ba

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C

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ni

a

CerroAconcagua

Pampas

Cabo Sta. Marta Grande

Cabo de So Tom

Pta. de Baleia

Lake Poop

Nevado Ancohume Volcn El Misti

Nevado Ampato

Pen. Paracas Lake

Titicaca

P L A N A L T O D E M A T O G R O S S O

B R A Z I L I A N H I G H L A N D S

Barragem de Sobradinho

Nevado Huascarn

Punta Aguja

Chimborazo

Ponta do Calcanhar

Punta Galera

Nevado del Huila

Nevado del Tolima Mount Roraima

Delta del Orinoco Lake

Maracaibo

Cabo Corrientes

Cape Sable

Cape Cod

Great Salt Lake

Cape Mendocino

Pt. Arguello

Mt. Whitney

Cape Hatteras

Cape Fear

Punta Eugenia

Cabo Falso

Mississippi Delta

Yucatan Peninsula

Cabo Corrientes

Volcn Arenal

Osa Peninsula

Nicoya Peninsula

Guanacaste

Sacred Valley

Colca Canyon

San BlsIslands

AzueroPeninsula

Darin

Pta. Gallinas

PariaPeninsula

The Corn IslandsVolcn MasayaOmetepe Island

The Bay Islands

Tikal

MountPico Duarte

AN

DE

S M

O

UN

TA

I NS

Sacred Valley

CopperCanyon

Patago

nia

Puerto Santa Cruz

Comodoro Rivadavia

Trelew

Mar del Plata Bahia Blanca

Mendoza

Cordoba

Santa Fe

BUENOS AIRES La Plata

Concordia

Florianpolis

Laguna Corrientes

Formosa So Paulo

Campinas

Santos

Juiz de Fora

Ro de Janeiro

Campos

Vitria

Caravelas

Montes Claros

Belo Horizonte

Goinia

Campo Grande

Santa Cruz Sucre

Cochabamba

Oruro Arica

LA PAZ Arequipa

Comas Callao LIMA

Huancayo

Nasca

Riberalta

Cuiab BRASLIA

Carinhanha

Salvador

Aracaju

Macei

Recife

Joao Pessoa

Natal

Juazeiro

Porto Velho Chimbote

Trujillo

Chiclayo

Guayaquil Manaus

Belm

So Luis

Teresina

Fortaleza

Macap

CAYENNE

QUITO

Buenaventura Cali

Neiva

Armenia Ibagu BOGOT

PARAMARIBO

GEORGETOWN

Ciudad Guayana Ciudad

Bolivar

Barquisimeto

Medellin Manizales

Pereira

PANAMA

Halifax

Concord

Augusta

Boston

Montpelier

Albany

Montreal

Ottawa


St. Paul

Bismarck

Pierre


Boise


San Francisco

San Diego

Los Angeles

Las Vegas

Santa Fe

Denver Lincoln

Topeka

Jefferson City

Des Moines

St. Louis

Springfield

Chicago

Frankfort

Indianapolis

Detroit

Columbus Harrisburg

Charleston

Richmond

WASHINGTON

Hartford

Dover

Trenton

New York

Providence

Raleigh

Columbia

Atlanta

Savannah

Nashville

Montgomery Jackson

Little Rock

Dallas

Oklahoma City

Austin Baton Rouge

El Paso

Chihuahua

Ciudad Jurez

Hermosillo

Phoenix

Torren

Monterrey

San Antonio

Houston

New Orleans

Tampa

Tallahassee Jacksonville

Orlando

Miami

SANTO DOMINGO

PORT-AU-PRINCE

HAVANA

Mrida

Tampico

Leon

MEXICO CITY

Acapulco

Guadalajara

GUATEMALA TEGUCIGALPA

KINGSTON

PORT OF SPAIN CARACAS

Maracaibo Valencia

Barranquilla

MANAGUA

SAN JOS

Salta City

Potos

Sorata

Cartagena

Cusco

Portobello

Granada

Gracias

SAN SALVADOR

Lvingston Quetzaltenango

Antigua

Oaxaca San Cristbel de las Casas

Palenque

Varadero

Trinidad

Santiago de Cuba Jarabocoa

Sal

Kourou

Todos Santos Semuc

Champey

Monterrico Suchitoto

Tenorio NP

Jac

La Mosquitia

Panam Viejo

Tayrona NP

San Agustn

Awarradam

VoltaireFalls

Corioco

Cordillera Blanca

Bariloche

IguazuFalls

Ushuaia

El Calafate

Nasca Lines

Machu Picchu

Copn ruins

Tulum Teotihuacn

Ciudad Perdida (The Lost City)

Manu Biosphere Reserve

SanJuan

Noel Kempff Mercado NP

ChapadaDiamantina NP

Corcovado NP

Tortuguero

Morrocoy NP

AngelFalls

Sierra Nevada NP

Raleighvallen Nature Reserve

CentralSuriname

Nature Reserve

Leon El Imposible NP Cerro Verde NP

Los Haitises NP

Ruta de Flores

Manuel Antonio NP

HenriPittier

NP

Galibi Nature Reserve

Brownsberg NP

Salar de Uyuni NP

Istoc

kpho

to, L

yn H

ughe

s

ArgentinaFrom buzzy Buenos Aires to pristine Patagonia

www.lata.org THE GUIDE TO LATIN AMERICA 2011 17

URUGUBUENOS AIRESBUENOS AIRESBUENOS AIRESBUENOS AIRESBUENOS AIRESBUENOS AIRESBUENOS AIRESBUENOS AIRES

Concordia 1

MendozaMendozaMendozaMendozaMendozaMendozaMendozaMendoza

CoCoCoCo

Santa Fe 2

Bahia Blanca

Santa Fe Santa Fe 1

3

Tierra del Fuego

Santa Cruz

Ushuaia Ushuaia Ushuaia Ushuaia Ushuaia Ushuaia Ushuaia Ushuaia Ushuaia Ushuaia Ushuaia Ushuaia Ushuaia Ushuaia Ushuaia Ushuaia Ushuaia Ushuaia Ushuaia

4

PPPaattaaagggo

nia

El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate El Calafate

5

EssentialsVITAL STATISTICSCapital: Buenos Aires

Population: 40 millionLanguage: SpanishTime: GMT-3International dialling code: +54Money: Argentine peso (AR$), currently around AR$6.3 to the UKVisas: Not required by UK nationals

WHEN TO GOIts always the right time

to be somewhere in Argentina, though the south is cold in winter (May to October) and the north can be hot and humid with heavy rains during the summer months (December to February). The Argentine spring, from September to November, is perfect just about everywhere

TOP 5 EXPERIENCESWander Recoleta cemetery in Buenos Aires, home to Evitas

grave and many stray catsSlurp world-class wine in the Mendoza region, home to

mouth-watering vineyards, colonial villages and luxurious estancias.

Ride across the wild, drum-flat Argentine pampas saddle up

for games of polo, drive cattle across huge estates or just soak up the gaucho (cowboy) culture

Find the end of the world Tierra del Fuego is a land

of wind-whipped wilderness and dramatic landscapes

Take in Patagonias show-piece attraction, the Perito Moreno

Glacier a 30km river of ice snaking through the mountains

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17_Argentina10_thv5.indd 17 21/1/11 16:19:41

See www.lata.org for a list of specialist UK Tour Operators and ask to include us in your Belize itinerary.Talking Stick Marketing is our UK based Representation & Marketing Company with an exclusive portfolio of luxury properties and DMCs

in Central and South America, Africa and Asia. Contact Byron on [email protected] or visit www.talkingstickmktg.com.

A charming retreat located on WKHZKLWHVDQGEHDFKHVWKHworlds second largest barrier reefZLFWLKX F

An exquisite hideaway from which to explore Mayan ruins, pristine jungle, teeming birdlife and exciting wildlifeZKQL F

talkingstick-01.indd 1 11/25/2010 2:43:29 PM

Be one with awestruck. Be one with lush rainforests. Be one with this Hemi-spheres largest barrier reef. As one of the last unspoiled places on earth, youll feel an intimate connection to authentic experiences in Belize. All this in the only English-speaking country of Central America. Call 32.2.732 6204 or visit TravelBelize.org/LATA. And just be, in Belize.

M o T H E r NA T u r EsB E s T K E p T s E C r E T

53067_BELIZE_LATA GUIDE EUROPE AD Trim 135mm x 190mm18 THE GUIDE TO LATIN AMERICA 2011 www.lata.org

LATA11 Ads_thv3.indd 18 24/1/11 09:56:33

Belize, formerly known as British Honduras, nestles on the Caribbean coast between Mexico and Guatemala. Within this small country, the landscape varies incredibly: mountainous, tropical rainforests with abundant wildlife; fertile subtropical foothills where sugar, rice, cattle and fruit trees are cultivated; bird-filled coastal wetlands; and cayes (small islands) with beautiful beaches.

The coral and cayes form a 295km-long barrier reef sitting in crystal-clear water, perfect for fishing, diving and snorkelling. Warm tropical breezes encourage the laid-back attitude of the ethnically diverse population: Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker are the most popular. From here, take excursions to the smaller cayes and marine parks to sample spectacular diving at the world-famous Blue Hole.

Back on the mainland, in the west you can visit Guanacaste National Park and a number of eco-resorts, lodges and working farms offering accommodation in idyllic settings. A side trip to the Mountain Pine Ridge offers great hiking amid spectacular rivers, waterfalls and caves.

San Ignacio and its twin town Santa Elena have a pleasant climate and lie in a beautiful setting of wooded hills. The whole of Belize and especially the west is littered with ancient Maya sites; try the fine ruins at Lamanai.

In the south, Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary for jaguars is the main attraction. The coastal area around Placencia offers some spectacular sport fishing and diving, while offshore cayes reached by boat from Dangriga or Mango Creek offer seclusion, relaxation, lovely beaches and fabulous water.

CARIB-BEAN

SEA

Belize City

BELMOPAN

SanIgnacio

Big FallsLubaantun

Caracol

Lamanai

Punta Gorda

Dangriga

Placencia

Corozal

Orange Walk

Altun Ha

80

0%

G U A T E M A L A

M E X I C O

Ambergris Caye

The Blue Hole

CayeCaulker

CockscombBasin WS

Guanacaste NP

0 100km

Tony

Rat

h/to

nyra

th.co

m

BelizeMaya treasures and island bliss


EssentialsViTal sTaTisTicscapital:Belmopan;however,

BelizeCityisthemainhubPopulation:300,000language:English(official),SpanishandindigenouslanguagesTime: GMT-6international dialling code:+501Money:Belizedollar(Bz$),currentlyaroundBz$3totheUKVisas:NotrequiredbyUKnationals

When To goOfficiallywetseasonisJune

toAugustanddryseasonisFebruarytoMay.Realistically,youcouldgetrainedonatanytime,especiallyinthesouth.HurricaneseasonisJunetoNovember.Highseasonismid-DecembertoMarch

ToP 5 exPeRiencesLazeaboutonthecayesinthenorthofthecountryforataste

ofislandparadiseBeatonewithnatureattheMountain Pine Ridge Reserve,

anareaofdenseforestandcoolshade,excellentforexploringlocalcaves,riversandwaterfalls

MakethenortherntownofOrangeWalkyourbasefor

visitingthesurroundingMaya ceremonial sitessuchasLamanaiandAltunHa

HeadtothetownofDangrigatosamplethecustomsand

musicofthegarifuna people,anAfro-Belizeancommunity

Visittheworld-famousjaguar preserveatCockscombBasin

WildlifeSanctuary

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E-mail: [email protected] - Web: www.transturin.comPhone: 591-2 2422222 - Fax: 591-2 2411922

E-mail: [email protected] - Web: www.transturin.comPhone: 591-2 2422222 - Fax: 591-2 2411922

TITICACA LAKE...

...

Finest inbound Tour operator of Bolivia.

Owner of the Catamaran Cruise Ships operating on Lake Titicaca.

Owner of the Inti Wata Cultural Complex at Sun Island.

Pioneers and leading tour operator in Community Tourism.

Transfers, lodging, meals and guided tours all over Bolivia.

Daily connections between Peru and Bolivia

Transturin-Lata 2011 wanderlust.pdf 1 24/11/2010 15:49:02


LATA11 Ads_thv3.indd 20 24/1/11 09:57:53

0 200km C H I L E

URUGUAY

PARAGUAY

B R A Z I L


P E R U

E C U A D O R


FRENCH GUIANA

GUYANA



BERMUDA

M E X I C O

PUERTORICO

ANTIGUA ANDBARBUDA

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Archipelago Reina adelaide

Isla Santa Ins

Isla Wellington

Easter Island

Tierra del Fuego

West Falkland

East Falkland

FALKLAND/MALVINAS ISLANDS

South Georgia

Archipelago de Los chonos

Isla de Chilo

I. de Maraj

Sea Lion Island

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Golfo de San Jorge

Golfo de Penas P A C I F I C O C E A N

P A C I F I CO C E A N


Golfo San Matias

Bahia Blanca



Gulf of Guayaquil

B. de Maraj

B. de So Marcos

Gulf of Panama


Gulf of Venezuela

PanamaCanal


Lake Nicaragua


Itaip

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SI E

RR

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OR

DO

BA

SE

RR

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DO

MA

R

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L.M

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Cape Horn

C. San Diego

C. Tres Puntas

Lago Buenos Aires

C. Quiln

Pta. de la Galera

Peninsula Valds

Cabo Corrientes

Cabo San Antonio

Pta. Norte

Pta. Lavapi

C. Carranza

Pta. Lengua de Vaca

Cerro Aconcagua

PAMPAS

Mar Chiquito

Laga Mirim

Laga dos Patos


Nevado Ojos del Salado

Volcn Llullaillaco

Cabo de So Tom

Pta. de Baleia

Pen. Paracas

LakeTiticaca



Nevado Huascarn

Punta Aguja

Chimborazo

Ponta do Calcanhar

Punta Galera

Nevado del Huila

Nevado del Tolima Mount Roraima


Maracaibo

Cabo Corrientes

Cape Sable

Cape Cod

Great Salt Lake

Cape Mendocino

Pt. Arguello

Mt. Whitney

Cape Hatteras

Cape Fear

Punta Eugenia

Cabo Falso

Mississippi Delta

Yucatan Peninsula

Cabo Corrientes

PA

TA

GO

NI

A

Volcn Arenal

Osa Peninsula

Nicoya Peninsula

Guanacaste

Punta del Este

San BlsIslands

AzueroPeninsula

Darin

Pta. Gallinas

PariaPeninsula


The Bay Islands

Tikal

MountPico Duarte

AN

DE

S M

O

UN

TA

I NS

AN

DE

S M

OU

NT

AI N

S

Sacred Valley

CopperCanyon

Punta Arenas

Rio Gallegos

Stanley

Puerto Santa Cruz

Puerto Deseado

Comodoro Rivadavia

Puerto Montt

Valdivia

Rawson

Viedma

Mar del Plata Bahia Blanca Concepcin

Chilln

Valparaiso

Coquimbo

SANTIAGO

Mendoza City

San Rafael

San Juan Cordoba

Santa Fe

Rosario


Paran

Concordia

MONTEVIDEO

Rio Grande

Pelotas

Florianpolis

Laguna

Prto Alegre

Santa Maria

Corrientes

Formosa

San Miguel de Tucumn Copiap

Antofagasta

ASUNCIN Curitiba

So Paulo

Campinas

Santos

Juiz de Fora

Ro de Janeiro

Campos

Vitria

Caravelas

Montes Claros

Belo Horizonte

Goinia

Santa Cruz

Sucre

CochabambaOruro

LA PAZ

Comas Callao LIMA

Huancayo

Nasca

Riberalta

BRASLIA

Carinhanha

Salvador

Aracaju

Macei

Recife

Joao Pessoa

Natal

Juazeiro

Porto Velho

Chimbote

Trujillo

Chiclayo

Guayaquil Manaus

Belm

So Luis

Teresina

Fortaleza

Macap

CAYENNE

QUITO

Buenaventura Cali

Neiva

Armenia Ibagu BOGOT

PARAMARIBO

GEORGETOWN


Bolivar

Barquisimeto

Medellin Manizales

Pereira

PANAMA

Halifax

Concord

Augusta

Boston

Montpelier

Albany

Montreal

Ottawa


St. Paul

Bismarck

Pierre


Boise


San Francisco

San Diego

Los Angeles

Las Vegas

Santa Fe

Denver Lincoln

Topeka

Jefferson City

Des Moines

St. Louis

Springfield

Chicago

Frankfort

Indianapolis

Detroit

Columbus Harrisburg

Charleston

Richmond

WASHINGTON

Hartford

Dover

Trenton

New York

Providence

Raleigh

Columbia

Atlanta

Savannah

Nashville

Montgomery Jackson

Little Rock

Dallas

Oklahoma City

Austin Baton Rouge

El Paso

Chihuahua

Ciudad Jurez

Hermosillo

Phoenix

Torren

Monterrey

San Antonio

Houston

New Orleans

Tampa


Orlando

Miami

SANTO DOMINGO

PORT-AU-PRINCE

HAVANA

Mrida

Tampico

Leon

MEXICO CITY

Acapulco

Guadalajara


KINGSTON


Maracaibo Valencia

Barranquilla

MANAGUA

SAN JOS

Salta City

Potos

Cartagena

Goose Green

Colonia del Sacramento

San Ignacio Guaz

Portobello

Granada

Gracias

SAN SALVADOR


Antigua


Palenque

Varadero

Trinidad


Sal

Kourou

Todos Santos Semuc

Champey


Tenorio NP

Jac

La Mosquitia

Panam Viejo

Tayrona NP

San Agustn

Awarradam

VoltaireFalls

Coroico

Cordillera Blanca

Bariloche

Nasca Lines

Copn ruins

Tulum Teotihuacn


Iguaz NP

Noel KempffMercado NP


Corcovado NP

Tortuguero

Morrocoy NP

AngelFalls

Sierra Nevada NP


CentralSuriname

Nature Reserve


Los Haitises NP

Ruta de Flores

Manuel Antonio NP

HenriPittier

NP


Brownsberg NP

Salar de Uyuni NP

Santa Teresa NP

Madidi NP

Ambor NP Gran ChacoVolcn Sajama

MissionsCircuit

Sorata

In Bolivia you learn to expect the unexpected. This is where flamingoes feed from red and green lakes rimmed by volcanoes, where Dal-esque rock structures dot the altiplano (high plain) like a baby giants building blocks, and where waterfalls crash onto one of the most dangerous (but spectacular) roads in the world.

With close to 1,000 peaks over 5,000m, it is no surprise that Bolivia has the highest capital in the world. Even the airport is

4,000m above sea level. La Paz, 500m below in a deep canyon ringed by snow-capped mountains, is like a giant street market where indigenous women in traditional bowler hats and brightly coloured skirts will sell you absolutely everything you could possibly need from a cheap pair of designer jeans to a dried llama foetus.

Despite this, most of the country is made up of tropical lowlands, a lush carpet stretching all the way to Brazil. Twisting roads thread

their way down from the snowy peaks of the high Andes to steaming jungles, providing excellent if dangerous mountain biking. The 70km route from La Paz to Coroico is like sliding down a giant helter-skelter without the safety barrier.

A trip into the hinterland demonstrates that the rest of Bolivia is on a similar scale. In the north, Lake Titicaca is one of the highest navigable lakes in the world, while nearby Sorata is surrounded by mountains that locals insist are the site of the original Garden of Eden. In the south is the old colonial town of Potos, complete with silver mine, while a train graveyard lies on the edge of the Salar de Uyuni, the worlds highest and largest salt flat.

West of Santa Cruz, Ambor National Park encompasses three

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ckph

oto.

com

ecosystems the Amazon basin, the foothills of the Andes and the Chaco plain and is home to thousands of species of insects, birds and plants. The park contains more butterflies than anywhere else on earth.

In the remote eastern corner, Noel Kempff Mercado National Park is said to be one inspiration behind Conan Doyles The Lost World. Madidi, in the far north, is a pristine Amazonian watershed. And whats more, the lodges in this region provide some of the best examples of indigenous ecotourism in all of Latin America.

Leave the modern world behind as you gaze down over the worlds highest forest on the slopes of the Sajama volcano, or glide in silence down the rushing Beni River with only fireflies for company.

BoliviaAdventure and adrenaline at dizzying heights


EssentialsVital StatiSticScapital:Sucre( judicial),

LaPaz(political)Population:10millionlanguage:Spanish,QuechuaandAymaratime: GMT-4international dialling code:+591Money:Boliviano(Bs),currentlyaroundBs11totheUKVisas:NotrequiredbyUKnationals

When to goBolivianweatheris

unpredictableandvariesacrossthecountryitcouldrainatanytime,butespeciallyduringthewetseason(OctobertoMarch).AugustisgenerallythedriestmonthandcoincideswithmostofBoliviasmajorfestivals

toP 5 exPerienceSTakeinthedeepbluehuesoflake titicaca,oneofthe

highestintheworldSmallerthanLaPaz,thetownofSucrehasalaid-backcharm

andsomestunning19th-centurywhitewashedhouses;itsalsoaUnescoWorldHeritagesite

Crossthesparkling-whiteSalar de Uyunithelargest

saltflatsintheworldforanother-worldlyexperience;youcanevenstayinasalthotel

Gooff-pisteinnoel Kempff Mercado national Parkone

ofthecontinentsmostremotereserves,hometojaguarandmore

Soakupthesights,soundsandmarketstallsofcolourful

capitalcityla Paz

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Brazils Most Glamorous Destinations.

(OTELDAS#ATARATASs2ODOVIA"RKMs)GUASSU.ATIONAL0ARKss&OZDO)GUAUs"RAZILsWWWHOTELDASCATARATASCOMBR

#OPACABANA0ALACEs!V!TLNTICAs#OPACABANAss2IODE*ANEIROs"RAZILsWWWCOPACABANAPALACECOMBR

AF LATA.indd 1 10/11/10 16:36LATA11 Ads_thv3.indd 24 24/1/11 10:00:42

Described as the sexiest people on earth, Brazilians are themselves seduced by the sound of music and the lure of the beach. Along Brazils 7,250km coastline there is a stretch of sand for every volleyball player, capoeira dancer, surfer and dune-basher.

But Brazilians have a spiritual side to match their hedonistic streak. Many exotic religions flourish, most notable Candombl (based on African traditions), existing alongside Catholicism. Brazil also has a rich architectural heritage, dating back to the 16th century, when the Portuguese invested in some of the worlds most beautiful baroque buildings.

Brazilians say that God created the world in six days and on the seventh He created Rio de Janeiro. Few who have been to Rio would argue, given the citys spectacular

mix of mountain, rainforest and beach and its eclectic mix of cosmopolitan city and tropical resort. Corcovado, Sugar Loaf, Copacabana, Ipanema and Maracan stadium are all names and images that make Rio special as does the spectacular Carnaval.

Brazil is much more than Rio, though. The north-east is growing in popularity as a destination, led by the state of Bahia, often dubbed Africa in exile. This was the heart of colonial Brazil and the best architecture of that period is found in the state capital, Salvador, where more than 800 buildings dating from the 17th and 18th centuries can be found in an area designated a World Heritage site by Unesco.

The north-east offers a heady blend of cultures, cuisine and ethnic groups, as well as many natural wonders such as Chapada Diamantina National Park and the

Riot

ur B

razil

BrazilA heady brew of sun, sea and samba in South Americas largest country

stunning beaches. Other popular destinations in the north-east include the states of Alagoas, Cear, Paraba, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte and Sergipe.

The mighty Amazon river flows through northern Brazil to the Atlantic. Visitors can explore and experience the astonishing natural variety of the Amazons flora and fauna via gateways such as Belm or Manaus.

Offering a more visible display of Brazils varied wildlife is the Pantanal, a collection of ecosystems comprising the largest

wetlands in the Americas where an immense diversity of bird and wildlife can be found.

Brazils southern states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Paran are equally full of surprises. There are great beaches for sun and surf; crumbling colonial splendour at towns such as Paranagu; Bavarian architecture at Blumenau; Itaimbezinho Canyon, the largest in Latin America; and the spectacular falls at Iguau, which stretch almost 3km along the border with Argentina and Paraguay.

0 300km

CHILE

URUGUAY

PARAGUAY

BOLIVIA

PERU

ECUADOR

SURINAME

COLOMBIA FRENCH GUIANA GUYANA

VENEZUELA

PANAMA


BERMUDA

M E X I C O

PUERTORICO

ANTIGUA ANDBARBUDA

DOMINICA

DOMINICANREPUBLIC

HAITI

B A H A M A S

C U B A

JAMAICA

GUATEMALA

BELIZE

EL SALVADOR

HONDURAS

NICARAGUA

COSTA RICA TRINIDAD &

TOBAGO

ARGENTINA

VERACRUZ

MICHOACNSaman

GRENADABARBADOS

ST. LUCIA

ST. VINCENT

ST. KITTSAND NEVIS

N e g r o

S al a

do

Li m

ay

Ch u b u t

C h i c o


D e s e a d o

Colorado

Orinoco

Ca

uc

a

P l a t t e

A r k a n s a s


C a n a d i a n

Red

Colorado

Rio Grande

Ala

bam

a

C ol o

r ad o

Mis

s is s

ipp i

Mi s s o

u

r i



Isla Santa Ins

Isla Wellington

Easter Island

Tierra del Fuego

West Falkland

East Falkland


South Georgia


Isla de Chilo

Sea Lion Island

Trinidad


Curaao

Aruba

Tobago

D r a ke P

a s sa g

e

GU

LF

OF

CA

LI F

OR

NI A

Strait of Magellan

Bahia Grande

S C O T I A S E A

Golfo de San Jorge


P A C I F I CO C E A N


Golfo San Matias

Bahia Blanca

ATLANTIC OCEAN



Gulf of Panama


Gulf of Venezuela

PanamaCanal


Lake Nicaragua



Amazon

SIERRA N

EVAD

A

L .Superior

L.M

ich

iga

n

L. H

ur o

n

Ba

ja

C

al

if

or

ni

a

Cape Horn

C. San Diego

C. Tres Puntas

Lago Buenos Aires

C. Quiln

Pta. de la Galera

Peninsula Valds

Cabo Corrientes

Cabo San Antonio

Pta. Norte

Pta. Lavapi

C. Carranza

PAMPAS


Maracaibo

Cape Sable

Cape Cod

Great Salt Lake

Cape Mendocino

Pt. Arguello

Mt. Whitney

Cape Hatteras

Cape Fear

Punta Eugenia

Cabo Falso

Mississippi Delta

Yucatan Peninsula

Cabo Corrientes

PA

TA

GO

NI

A

Volcn Arenal

Osa Peninsula

Nicoya Peninsula

Guanacaste

Punta del Este

San BlsIslands

AzueroPeninsula

Darin

Pta. Gallinas

PariaPeninsula


The Bay Islands

Tikal

MountPico Duarte

Sacred Valley

CopperCanyon

Punta Arenas

Rio Gallegos

Stanley

Puerto Santa Cruz

Puerto Deseado

Comodoro Rivadavia

Puerto Montt

Valdivia

Rawson

Viedma


Chilln

San Rafael La Plata

MONTEVIDEO

Porto Alegre

Ro de Janeiro

Vitria

Cuiab

BRASLIA

Salvador

Recife

So Paulo

Porto Velho

Manaus Belm

Teresina

Fortaleza

Ciudad Guayana

Barquisimeto PANAMA

Halifax

Concord

Augusta

Boston

Montpelier

Albany

Montreal

Ottawa


St. Paul

Bismarck

Pierre


Boise


San Francisco

San Diego

Los Angeles

Las Vegas

Santa Fe

Denver Lincoln

Topeka

Jefferson City

Des Moines

St. Louis

Springfield

Chicago

Frankfort

Indianapolis

Detroit

Columbus Harrisburg

Charleston

Richmond

WASHINGTON

Hartford

Dover

Trenton

New York

Providence

Raleigh

Columbia

Atlanta

Savannah

Nashville

Montgomery Jackson

Little Rock

Dallas

Oklahoma City

Austin Baton Rouge

El Paso

Chihuahua

Ciudad Jurez

Hermosillo

Phoenix

Torren

Monterrey

San Antonio

Houston

New Orleans

Tampa


Orlando

Miami

SANTO DOMINGO

PORT-AU-PRINCE

HAVANA

Mrida

Tampico

Leon

MEXICO CITY

Acapulco

Guadalajara


KINGSTON


Maracaibo Valencia

Barranquilla

MANAGUA

SAN JOS

Cartagena

Goose Green

Portobello

Granada

Gracias

SAN SALVADOR


Antigua


Palenque

Varadero

Trinidad


Todos Santos Semuc

Champey


Tenorio NP

Jac

La Mosquitia

Panam Viejo

Tayrona NP

Bariloche

Pantanal

Santarm

Florianpolis

Copn ruins

Tulum Teotihuacn


IguassuNP

ChapadaDiamantina

NP

Corcovado NP

Tortuguero

Morrocoy NP

Sierra Nevada NP


Los Haitises NP

Ruta de Flores

Manuel Antonio NP

HenriPittier

NP

Natal

EssentialsVital statisticscapital: Braslia

Population: 196 millionlanguage: Portuguesetime: GMT-2 (Braslia and coast), GMT-3 (Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, western Par, Rondnia, Roraima), GMT-4 (Acre, West Amazonas)international dialling code: +55Money: Real (R$), currently around R$2.65 to the UKVisas: Not required by UK nationals

When to goBrazil can be visited at any

time of year, depending on where you go. Most of the country is tropical but, given its size, weather patterns can vary. National holidays run mid-December to February, so it can get busy around this time

toP 5 exPeRiencesEnjoy the beaches, juice bars and local hospitality in Rio de

Janeiro a city that has it allWander around the pastel-coloured colonial houses of

salvador, in the northern state of Bahia, a hotbed of Afro-Brazilian culture and music

Spot flora and fauna aplenty in the Pantanal, a vast and

verdant spread of wetlands a nature-spotters dream and real jaguar hotspot

Shake those hips at Brazils annual carnaval top places

to join the party include Recife, Salvador, So Paulo and Rio

Wildlife-spot, canoe-paddle and forest-delve in the vast

amazon Rainforest

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www.lata.org THE GUIDE TO LATIN AMERICA 2011 25

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25_brazil10_thv5.indd 25 24/1/11 11:55:22

years pioneering travel

to CHILE

Since 1980, Journey Latin America has specialised exclusively in travel to South and Central America.In those 30 years weve built up a team of specialists and guides with an unrivalled knowledge of the region, and a passion for sharing it. All of which means that whether its a tailor-made escape or a small group tour, we know the places youll love. ONLY LATIN AMERICA SINCE 1980

www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk 020 8622 8368

y

JLA Wander Chile.indd 1 11/11/10 13:21:47LATA11 Ads_thv3.indd 26 24/1/11 10:01:39

Chile is a ribbon of land squashed between the Pacific and the Andes. Its landscape embraces glacial wilderness and moonscapes, lakes and volcanoes, beaches, salt flats and the burnt colours of the desert. In one day its possible to scale a mountain, soak off the exhaustion in a thermal bath and then rest beneath the desert stars.

Santiago, Chiles sophisticated capital, nestles beside the Andes. Its a frenetic collision of skyscrapers, noise and nightlife. The nearby port of Valparaso was described by Brian Keenan as a Venice waiting to be discovered, with warrens of streets and bright houses.

In the far north is the small town of San Pedro de Atacama, an unlikely oasis set among geysers, volcanoes and salt flats. For real stargazers, there are astronomical observatories to take advantage of the regions clear skies.

South of capital Santiago is the popular Lake District. Much of this region is protected as national parks, and the mixture of forests, lakes and snow-capped volcanoes is unforgettable.

Further south lies the mysterious archipelago of Chilo, one of the most fascinating areas of Chile. Here you are almost always within sight of the sea, with dolphins playing in the waters and, on a clear day, views across to the twisting Corcovado volcano.

The Carretera Austral (Southern Highway) traverses a large tract of sparsely inhabited wilderness. Drive past forests, glaciers, fjords, small islands and hidden fishing villages. There are hot springs and excellent fishing and rafting in the cold, clean waters. You can climb mountains and cross ice fields, or cruise to the breathtaking sight of Laguna San Rafaels glacier.

In the far south lies the awe-inspiring Torres del Paine National

Felip

e O

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; Gas

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Oya

rzn

. Bot

h fro

m w

ww.vi

sitch

ile.o

rg

P E R U

A R G E N T I N A

B O L I V I A

PARAGUAY

Tierra del Fuego

Cabo de Hornos(Cape Horn)

Pata

goni

a

Torresdel Paine NP

Lake District

AtacamaDesert

Chilo

PA C I F I CO C E A N

AT L A N T I CO C E A N

Easter Island(Rapa Nui) Puerto Williams

Punta Arenas

Villa OHiggins

Puerto Montt

Valdivia

SANTIAGO

Chilln

Valparaso

La Serena

San Pedro de Atacama

Arica

Iquique

Hanga Roa

Pucn

Coyhaique

0 500km

ChileThe thin country reaching Pacific heights

Park, a mecca for trekkers and wildlife enthusiasts. Throughout the year, the park offers constantly changing views of the glaciers, peaks and the iconic granite towers, which overlook vividly coloured lakes and quiet green

valleys filled with carpets of wild flowers and shrubs.

For something completely different, head 3,790km west into the Pacific. Here sits Easter Island, famous for its 887 iconic and mysterious moai (stone heads).


EssentialsVital statisticscapital: Santiago

Population:17millionlanguage: Spanishtime:GMT-4(mainland),GMT-6(EasterIsland)international dialling code: +56Money:Chileanpeso(CLP),currentlyaroundCLP750totheUKVisas: NotrequiredbyUKnationals

When tO GOExplorethesouthNovember

toAprilbutavoidmid-winter(JunetoSeptember)whensomesouthernareasarealmostimpenetrable.ThemiddleofChileisbestinspringandautumn,whilethenortherndesertcanbeexploredyear-round

tOP 5 exPeriencesAmbleabouttheporttownofValparasoandfeastyoureyes

onthecolourfuloldtownTrekthroughthemagnificenttorres del Painenational Park

inPatagonia,forspectacularvistasoversnow-cappedmountainsandshimmeringlakes

Haveahead-to-headwiththegiantstonestatueson

easter island,remnantsofalong-vanishedPolynesiancivilisationintheremotestPacific

Tuckintoseafoodinthebuzzingmetropolisof

santiago,oneofSouthAmericasmosthappeningurbancentres

Driveformileswithoutencounteringanothersoul

onthewildcarretera austral

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27_Chile10_thv6.indd 27 21/1/11 15:29:32

Much of Colombia is now firmly on the travel circuit, and the adventurous will fall in love with this land of sun and emeralds. Colombia is a land of contrasts, from the cool heights of capital city Bogot to the sweltering Caribbean beaches.

Opportunities for climbing, trekking and diving are excellent, and there are mud volcanoes to bathe in, acres of flowers, remote coffee fincas high in the mountains and a CD librarys worth of music festivals, in addition to several superb historical sites.

Bogot stands on a plateau in the eastern cordillera of the Andes. The old centre, La Candelaria, boasts dozens of fine colonial buildings and a grand Gold Museum housing one of the most remarkable collections of pre-Hispanic gold in Latin America.

Outside the centre, head to the town of Zipaquir to explore the awesome cathedral carved out of a rock-salt mine a true wonder of this mysterious country.

South-west of Bogot, in the lush valleys around the little town of San Agustn, lies the countrys most impressive pre-Columbian site: the Valley of the Statues, where hundreds of enigmatic stone figures of men, animals and gods some over 5,000 years old adorn an ancient ceremonial site. Also

Proe

xpor

t; Co

lom

bian

Jour

neys


0 200km

C H I L E

URUGUAY

PARAGUAY

B O L I V I A

B R A Z I L


P E R U

ECUADOR

SURINAME

FRENCH GUIANA

GUYANA

VENEZUELA

PANAMA


BERMUDA

M E X I C O

PUERTORICO

ANTIGUA ANDBARBUDA

DOMINICA

DOMINICANREPUBLIC

HAITI

B A H A M A S

C U B A

JAMAICA

GUATEMALA

BELIZE

EL SALVADOR

HONDURAS

NICARAGUA

COSTA RICA

B A H I A

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

A R G E N T I N A

VERACRUZ

MICHOACNSaman

GRENADABARBADOS

ST. LUCIA

ST. VINCENT

ST. KITTSAND NEVIS

T i e t

Pa

rag

ua

y

Pa

r an

S al a

do

N e gr o

N e g r o

S al a

do

B e r me j o

Li m

ay

Grande

Ch u b u t

C h i c o


U r u g u a i

R i o I g u a u

P a r a n a p a n e m a

D e s e a d o

Colorado

Orinoco

Br a

nc

o

N e g r o

A ma z o

n

P ur u

s

Ma d

e ir a

T ap a

j s X

i ng

u

G u a p o r

Ar i n

os

To

ca

nt in

s

Ar a

gu

ai a

Orinoco

Ma

mo

r

Para

n

Pa

ran

at in

ga

Te l e s P i r e s

A m a z o n

Pa

rn

a b

a


P l a t t e

A r k a n s a s


C a n a d i a n

Red

Colorado

Rio Grande

Ala

bam

a

C ol o

r ad o

Mis

s is s

ipp i

Mi s s o

u

r i

Do

c e


Isla Santa Ins

Isla Wellington

Easter Island

Tierra del Fuego

West Falkland

East Falkland


South Georgia


Isla de Chilo

I. de Maraj

Sea Lion Island

Trinidad

Tobago

SalutIslands

D r a ke P

a s sa g

e

GU

LF

OF

CA

LI F

OR

NI A

Strait of Magellan

Bahia Grande

S C O T I A S E A

Golfo de San Jorge




Golfo San Matias

Bahia Blanca



Gulf of Guayaquil

B. de Maraj

B. de So Marcos


C A R I B B E A N S E ALake Nicaragua


Itaip


SI E

RR

A D

E C

OR

DO

BA

G

RA

N

CH

AC

O

SE

RR

A

DO

MA

R

AL

TI

PL

AN

O C

A

M

P

O

S

Cabo Frio

AT

AC

AM

A D

ES

ER

T

S I E R R A D O S PA R E C I S

C AA T I

N G A S

SIERRA N

EVAD

A

L .Superior

L.M

ich

iga

n

L. H

ur o

n

Ba

ja

C

al

if

or

ni

a

Cape Horn

C. San Diego

C. Tres Puntas

Lago Buenos Aires

C. Quiln

Pta. de la Galera

Peninsula Valds

Cabo Corrientes

Cabo San Antonio

Pta. Norte

Pta. Lavapi

C. Carranza

Pta. Lengua de Vaca

Cerro Aconcagua

PAMPAS

Mar Chiquito

Laga Mirim

Laga dos Patos


Nevado Ojos del Salado

Volcn Llullaillaco

ReprsaIlha Grande

Cabo de So Tom

Pta. de Baleia

Lake Poop

Nevado Ancohume Volcn El Misti

Nevado Ampato

Pen. Paracas Lake

Titicaca

P L A N A L T O D E M A T O G R O S S O



Nevado Huascarn

Punta Aguja

Ponta do Calcanhar

Punta Galera

Mount Roraima

Delta del Orinoco

Cape Sable

Cape Cod

Great Salt Lake

Cape Mendocino

Pt. Arguello

Mt. Whitney

Cape Hatteras

Cape Fear

Punta Eugenia

Cabo Falso

Mississippi Delta

Yucatan Peninsula

Cabo Corrientes P

AT

AG

ON

IA

Volcn Arenal

Osa Peninsula

Nicoya Peninsula

Guanacaste

Punta del Este

Sacred Valley

Colca Canyon

The Chaco

AzueroPeninsula

PariaPeninsula


The Bay Islands

Tikal

MountPico Duarte

AN

DE

S M

OU

NT

AI N

S

Sacred Valley

CopperCanyon

Punta Arenas

Rio Gallegos

Stanley

Puerto Santa Cruz

Puerto Deseado

Comodoro Rivadavia

Puerto Montt

Valdivia

Rawson

Viedma


Chilln

Valparaiso

Coquimbo

SANTIAGO

Mendoza City

San Rafael

San Juan Cordoba

Santa Fe

Rosario


Paran

Concordia

MONTEVIDEO

Rio Grande

Pelotas

Florianpolis

Laguna

Prto Alegre

Santa Maria

Corrientes

Formosa

San Miguel de Tucumn Copiap

Antofagasta

ASUNCIN

Concepcin

Curitiba

So Paulo

Campinas

Santos

Juiz de Fora

Ro de Janeiro

Campos

Vitria

Caravelas

Montes Claros

Belo Horizonte

Goinia

Campo Grande

Santa Cruz Sucre

Cochabamba

Oruro Arica

LA PAZ Arequipa

Comas Callao LIMA

Huancayo

Nasca

Riberalta

Cuiab BRASLIA

Carinhanha

Salvador

Aracaju

Macei

Recife

Joao Pessoa

Natal

Juazeiro

Porto Velho Chimbote

Trujillo

Chiclayo

Guayaquil Manaus

Belm

So Luis

Teresina

Fortaleza

Macap

CAYENNE

Neiva

IbaguBOGOT

PARAMARIBO

GEORGETOWN


Bolivar

Medellin

Pereira

Halifax

Concord

Augusta

Boston

Montpelier

Albany

Montreal

Ottawa


St. Paul

Bismarck

Pierre


Boise


San Francisco

San Diego

Los Angeles

Las Vegas

Santa Fe

Denver Lincoln

Topeka

Jefferson City

Des Moines

St. Louis

Springfield

Chicago

Frankfort

Indianapolis

Detroit

Columbus Harrisburg

Charleston

Richmond

WASHINGTON

Hartford

Dover

Trenton

New York

Providence

Raleigh

Columbia

Atlanta

Savannah

Nashville

Montgomery Jackson

Little Rock

Dallas

Oklahoma City

Austin Baton Rouge

El Paso

Chihuahua

Ciudad Jurez

Hermosillo

Phoenix

Torren

Monterrey

San Antonio

Houston

New Orleans

Tampa


Orlando

Miami

SANTO DOMINGO

PORT-AU-PRINCE

HAVANA

Mrida

Tampico

Leon

MEXICO CITY

Acapulco

Guadalajara


KINGSTON

PORT OF SPAIN

MANAGUA

SAN JOS

Esteros deIber

Salta City

Potos

Sorata

Cartagena

Goose Green

Colonia del Sacramento

Cusco

San Ignacio Guaz

Granada

Gracias

SAN SALVADOR


Antigua


Palenque

Varadero

Trinidad


Sal

Kourou

Todos Santos Semuc

Champey


Tenorio NP

Jac

La Mosquitia

Tayrona NP

San Agustn

Awarradam

VoltaireFalls

Corioco

Cordillera Blanca

Bariloche

Nasca Lines

Machu Picchu

Copn ruins

Tulum Teotihuacn

CiudadPerdida

Manu Biosphere Reserve

Iguaz NP

Noel Kempff Mercado NP


Corcovado NP

Tortuguero

AngelFalls


CentralSuriname

Nature Reserve


Los Haitises NP

Ruta de Flores

Manuel Antonio NP


Brownsberg NP

Salar de Uyuni NP

Santa Teresa NP

Buenaventura

south-west of Bogot is Cali, party-loving capital of salsa music.

The jewel in the countrys colonial crown is the beautiful city of Cartagena, full of wonderful old buildings lining flower-filled streets and with a fascinating history rich in emeralds and pirates. Today its the heart of Colombias Caribbean: miles of unspoilt coastline stretch west towards Panama.

To the east lies Tayrona National Park, where visitors share the beaches with pelicans, and enjoy an idyllic setting: the backdrop of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta rises straight out of the gentle waters of the Caribbean.

Located inland, high up in the mountains, lies Ciudad Perdida, an ancient centre of the once-great Tayrona culture.

ColombiaIdyllic beaches, cultural riches and hips that just dont lie

EssentialsVital statistiCsCapital: Bogot

Population: 46 millionlanguage: Spanishtime: GMT-5international dialling code: +57Money: Colombian peso (COP), currently around COP$2,985 to the UKVisas: Not required by UK nationals

When to goThere are no real seasons in

Colombia: weather is dependent on altitude. Heavy showers can happen at any time, though rain is more likely in April, May, October and November. The best time to visit is December to February, but take warm clothing for areas above 2,000m. Bogot has cool to moderate temperatures all year

toP 5 exPerienCesSun-worship on the white-sand Caribbean beaches

around tayrona national ParkGet a history lesson in the small town of san agustn,

famed for its intricate pre-Colombian statues dating back more than 5,000 years

Show off those salsa moves in Cali, Latin Americas

undisputed capital when it comes to the dance. Look out for the citys post-Christmas feria (carnival)

Stroll the warren of streets in the walled city of Cartagena,

Colombias most impressive colonial gem

Visit the sparklingly enlightening gold Museum

in La Candelaria, Bogot

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Peaceful, calm and politically stable welcome to Costa Rica. Coast to coast, the country boasts huge riches in wildlife. Indeed, more than 25% of Costa Rica is protected by national parks and reserves. Quetzals flit through the moss-draped cloud forest, hummingbirds congregate to drink nectar, monkeys howl, frogs come in a spectrum of dazzling shades and leatherback turtles nest on virgin beaches. In short, its a nature-lovers paradise.

In the far north-west, Guanacaste has the largest remaining area of dry forest in Central America and is a Unesco Natural World Heritage site. Further south, the Nicoya Peninsulas beaches are hidden in quiet, secluded coves, separated by rocky outcrops and fringed by jauntily angled palms rustling in the coastal breeze. The Central Pacific coast ups the pace very

slightly: visit the laid-back hangout of Jac and enjoy the unmistakable beauty and golden-sand beaches of Manuel Antonio National Park.

The coastal mangroves around Tortuguero are a teasing mix of natural wonders a huge national park comprising coast and jungle-fringed waterways teeming with bird and insect life. If youre lucky you may see a huge leatherback turtle lumber out of the ocean to lay soft-skinned, leathery eggs in a sandy nest. You might also catch the looping flight of a multi-coloured toucan or spot the vivid flash of morpho butterflies.

The capital city, San Jos, perches in the heart of the central highlands, on a loose line of volcanoes that runs the length of the country.

Dividing the Caribbean from the Pacific, the Central, Tilarn and Guanacaste mountain ranges contain six active volcanoes including mighty Arenal, which spews a constant trickle of red-hot lava, illuminating the night sky. For something less explosive, Rincn de la Vieja and Volcn Tenorio National Parks have spluttering mud baths and steaming thermal pools that you can wallow in.

Want some more action? Adrenaline junkies can tackle the barren pramo savannas to reach the peak of Cerro Chirrip. Or

0 200km

C H I L E

URUGUAY

PARAGUAY

B O L I V I A

B R A Z I L


P E R U

E C U A D O R


FRENCH GUIANA

GUYANA



BERMUDA

M E X I C O

PUERTORICO

ANTIGUA ANDBARBUDA

DOMINICA

DOMINICANREPUBLIC

HAITI

B A H A M A S

The LATA Guide to Latin America 2011

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Transcript of The LATA Guide to Latin America 2011