Brazil has around 8,000 kilometres of coastline and thousands of beaches to choose from. Images of Brazil are synonymous with year round sunshine, tropical palm trees, golden sands and tiny bikinis. For most Brazilians the beach is a way of life and they could wax lyrical about their personal favourites for hours on end. Copacabana and Ipanema often find their way to top spots but a new generation of adventurous travellers are now seeking out more remote and rewarding destinations. You might be surprised to discover that Brazil’s hottest new beach destination it situated in the heart of the Amazon jungle. The remote and stunningly beautiful village of Alter do Chão is nothing more than a twinkle of lights in the jungle but a sense of magic fills the air. This small slice of paradise is surrounded by virgin rainforest and filled with white sand beaches and clear, warm waters. It’s the kind of place you want to keep all to yourself but with the nickname ‘The Caribbean of the Amazon’, it’s no wonder Alter do Chão is fast becoming one of Brazil’s must visit beach destinations.
Mochima National Park – Aquatic Adventures
31 Oct
Parque Nacional Mochina is Venezuela’s second oldest national park, created in 1973 to protect the beautiful coastline, offshore islands and marine life against the unregulated building of holiday homes. The pace of life is slow and laid back and many travellers make this a logical stop to or from an inland expedition to Angel Falls or Roraima and stay for longer than they planned. Scorched, rust coloured mountains dotted with cacti make for a beautiful backdrop and plunge into calm, shallow bays with golden beaches. The islands offer a chance to get away from it all and find tranquility in your own slice of tropical paradise. It’s a great spot to recharge your batteries, or, if adventure is your desire, diving, snorkelling and boat trips can easily be arranged.
Postcard from Henri Pittier National Park
14 Sep
Henri Pittier National Park has always been appreciated for its natural beauty and diverse ecosystems and in 1937 it became the first national park in Venezuela. It was created to protect the cloud forest and marine coastal environments from land clearance for agricultural purposes, and was quickly recognised for its great variety of plants and wildlife. The park covers 1078 square kilometres of rolling coastal mountain ranges, beautiful bays of golden sand and turquoise waters. It’s justifiably earned a top spot on any backpacker’s Venezuelan adventure. The park ticks all the right boxes with stunning coastlines, well preserved colonial villages with funky budget accommodation and tasty food options, trekking trails through lush mountains and the chance to spot rare animals and birds in the wild.
Island hopping in Morrocoy National Marine Park
23 Jul
“Where you go today?” smiled our regular skipper as we climbed aboard his speedboat, brightly stencilled with a Bob Marley design. We paused for a moment before making another tough decision – which tropical island with powder soft sand ringed by coral reefs would we visit that day? It’s really tough being a backpacker.
Blown away by Adicora & Coro
9 Jul
There is always an element of uncertainty and nervousness when we set foot in a new country but to tell you the truth, we were scared out of our tiny little minds entering Venezuela! We’d heard so many bad stories about the crime, the gangs, the kidnappings and the murders that we didn’t have a chance to consider all the good things lying in wait for us. So imagine our surprise when we arrived at our first Venezuelan destination, Adicora, a calm, safe and charming colonial village by the coast, where the vibe was akin to a Caribbean island getaway rather than a gangland hood.
Venezuela – falling off the tourist radar
21 Jun
Venezuela, or officially “The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela”, is one of the most beautiful and diverse countries on the planet but it remains hugely under-visited by international travellers. It is incredibly diverse with habitats ranging from glistening Caribbean coast to Amazon jungle, and snow-covered Andes mountains to dry desert-like plains. The sheer variety of activities would wear out even the most enthusiastic outdoorsy types and vibrant festivals and pumping samba clubs will keep the party owls up all night.
So why is it so far off the tourist radar?
Palomino – beach combing & river tubing
24 May
Sometimes the best kept secrets were made to be broken. Those who were already familiar with Palomino would regularly tell others it wasn’t worth visiting or deny all knowledge of its existence, just to keep its beauty and peacefulness all to themselves. But now the word is out and curious travellers are starting to arrive. This simple hideaway has some of the best beaches in Colombia, pristine jungle to explore, good accommodation and tasty food. And to top it off, it’s completely crowd free – but be quick – it can’t stay like this forever. As if Colombia’s Caribbean coast hadn’t already made us chilled enough, we headed to Palomino for a few days to unwind and let time pass.
Ship wrecked in Tyrona National Park
17 May
If you were fortunate enough to be ship-wrecked on one of National Park Tyrona’s gorgeous beaches, you’d probably hide the flare gun and ignore passing ships offering to carry you back to civilisation, in favour of lingering a little longer to top up your tan. This park certainly ticks all the right boxes for becoming a real life Robinson Crusoe. There’s never been a better excuse to grow your beard long, let the sand exfoliate your bare skin, bathe in crystal clear waters, drink coconut milk and sleep under the stars. So without further ado, turn off the TV, put the newspaper down, hide your mobile phone and prepare to lose yourself in nature’s playground.
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Torres del Paine – the ‘W’ trek
Visitors from all walks of life converge on the small hamlet of Puerto Natales to visit Chile’s and perhaps the Continent’s number one national park – Torres del Paine. Located in the Southern Patagonian ice fields at the end of the Andes, the park offers diverse wildlife and incredible mountain scenery, glaciers, lakes, rivers and […]
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