South America Vacation Ideas?

Buenos Aires for food and culture. And hot guys.

Brazil Op.

Montevideo is very pleasant, and has a good gay scene plus a lot of beautiful classic architecture. There's also a great bike path all along the waterfront that goes for miles. Its also a four hour ferry ride from Buenos Aires which as R1 says is well worth seeing. Montevideo is basically a smaller, quieter version of Buenos Aires in many respects. And both have hot guys

Argentina and Antarctica

Just be careful you don't run into Moriarty in Montevideo. Rumor has it they hanged the wrong man...

Santiago in Chile is also worth seeing, and its close to the Andes, you can get day trips right up into the mountains and see condors. Much of it is quite attractive too

San Carlos de Bariloche in the Andes is a Swiss Paradise. Beautiful national park and lake. Much skiing there in our summer.

Check out the Gold Museum in Lima, OP.

An incredible collection!

I don't think there's enough to see in Montevideo for a full vacation. You can easily do Buenos Aires and Montevideo combined - there's a ferry called BuqueBus between the two countries - but I think the ferry only goes to Colonia and then it's a 2 hour bus ride from there. Flights between BA and Montevideo are cheap - that may be a faster option.

There's really not much to see on the ferry - so you're not missing out on views by taking a plane.

Colombia's tourism has soared and supposedly has a great gay scene. That's been on my list for awhile.

Lima, Peru has become a gastronomical powerhouse with several restaurants in the top 20 or 50 in the world.

R9 the ferry goes direct when I was there about 5-6 years ago, but you're right in that there isnt much to see on it. And yes, you'd want to do Buenos Aires and Montevideo as one vacation together, Montevideo isnt that big

R10 - did you go to Punta Del Este? That's the glamorous beach spot for Uruguay. Never made it there, but it's supposed to be very nice - looks kind of small to me though.

Very much the 'it' place for wealthy South Americans and the jet set. That could be an stop to extend the vacation in Uruguay.

[quote] Uruguay

Ur-a-gay. Fags!

Buenos Aires has the best cemetary - I spent 2 days there.

You can combine Montevideo with Punta del Este. Outside Punta, there is nudist beach (Chihuahua Beach) that has a gay cruising spot in the dunes and a little cabana like club on the beach with food, drinks and music. A very International crowd. Not too many Americans. Speaking Spanish is a plus and you would want to rent a car to visit La Barra, Ronda, and José Ignacio along he coast. There's an art scene there and it's laid back and lovely. It would be great to combine Buenos Aires with Uruguay. Punta has an airport and the flight to BA is very short. I agree that Montevideo is not a city to spend a more than a couple of days visiting but there are wonderful options if you explore the Uruguayan coast and beaches. The food in Uruguay is not great but you'll have Buenos Aires for that.

For historic architecture:

Buenos Aires has enormous riches of amazing architecture in rich variety from the early 20thC. Some of the best of it's type anywhere and with some innovative forms.

Lima has astonishing Spanish colonial architecture, wonderful stuff, and unspoiled.

Montevideo has a relatively small group of monumental buildings, some very interesting. Unfortunately there is much disregard to saving residential buildings and more ordinary types of old buildings and many are in recent years they are being demolished rapidly, replaced by cheap and flashy buildings of no quality that look shabby before they are completed.

Spend a week sailing around the Galapagos islands. V expensive but V worth it.

R11 never got to Punta Del Este, pity as it looks as if it would have been worth it and its only a two hour drive. Could also cycle it as a nice day ride along the coast. I rented a shitty bike from the hotel in Montevideo and did a coastal ride up as far as Parque Roosevelt and then back to the port and back to the hotel, about 55 km all up, took me about 2-3 hours

Gurl! Dare to dream! Take that trip to Venezuela! You only go around once!

You can do a weekend trip to Ushuaia, Patagonia to see the penguins and whales.

I agree that Santiago looks magnificent. It seems when you’re in the city the view of the Andes is always towering above you.

South America offers a diverse range of travel experiences. For nature lovers, a trip to the Amazon Rainforest or exploring the Patagonian landscapes in Argentina and Chile is ideal. Adventure seekers can hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru or go sandboarding in the Atacama Desert. For cultural experiences, visit cities like Buenos Aires for tango, Rio de Janeiro for Carnival, or Colombia’s Cartagena for colonial architecture. The Galápagos Islands in Ecuador provide unique wildlife experiences, while the salt flats of Bolivia offer stunning, surreal landscapes.

Yes - there are a lot of options - I would say you need to write down the options listed here, do some research and rank them. You'll only be able to do 2 or 3 max.

R21 = LATAM Tourist Board

Cartagena

What’s the gay scene like in Falkland / Malvinas islands ?

Thanks all! I’ve been watching videos online and I’m leaning toward Lima for the food and architecture. It’s a trip for my 60th birthday, so not too concerned about the gay scene.

Lima seems a great choice for those interests, OP/R26. The Baroque architecture is superb and surprising (and I live in Spain), and great food.

With Lima you can easily take some time to fly to Cuzco and explore the Incan city and take a day trip to Machu Picchu, which is unforgettable.

So, OP, if you go to Lima, Peru, do not under any circumstance be tempted to order an Inca Kola. Super sweet, liquid pink bubblegum flavor.

This ghoulish gunk is the foulest tasting soft drink in the world! Trust!

PERU: Pre-colonial wonders of the world. Amazon jungle. Colonial Cusco.

Then food & night life & sex in any of a dozen cities.

If you can afford it , do a Belmond trip in Peru. It’s nice having a driver and a guide.

[quote]Buenos Aires has the best cemetary - I spent 2 days there.

Shame on you! You call yourself an "old school goth" and you don't know how to spell "cemetery"?

Go back to school, goth.

r32 He's taking about the Recoleta Cemetery. Eva Duarte Peron's mausoleum is in there. Hers is grand but there are some truly magnificent ones nearby.

And that excuses the misspelling of "cemetery"?

You're not the sharpest knife in the drawer, either.

Iguazu - you can knock out three countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay) and the falls are not to be missed.

Iguuzuuzuu.

What did you decide, OP?

I’m pretty much decided on a week in Lima. The abundance of ceviche and the cats in Kennedy Park helped seal the deal.

Paraguay

Oh I know all I owe I owe Paraguay

I hear there’s a lovely hotel in BA with a nice balcony…

Stay home

BA has terrific food, it's stupid cheap and close to Montevideo.

Kind of Paris if Paris was falling apart. The new president is batshit nuts.

Has anyone been to Bolivia? Specifically the salt flats and La Paz?

[quote] Has anyone been to Bolivia?

No. No one has not even the Conquistadors.

Lima is good, but as much as I love my Uruguayan neighbors, Montevideo is not worth an entire trip. Go to Buenos Aires and take the ferry there. You shouldn't need more than 2/3 days and you get 2 cities for the prize of one

Last year, I found Montevideo far more expensive than other places in South America. The bus - ferry via Colonia wasn't bad. Two or three days is plenty.

I skipped Bolivia with its steep visa fee for US citizens. Asuncion instead was ... different.

Yeah, I can't imagine flying all that way just to skip BA for frigging Montevideo. There is nothing that special to see in Uruguay.

Lima does have some cool and unique sites - huge pyramids in the middle of the city, the gorgeous promenades by the sea cliffs. San Isidro and Barranco are nice, in addition to Miraflores. Traffic is horrendous and public transit sucks...stick to Uber.

[quote] Asuncion instead was ... different.

In what ways?

Uruguay has really beautiful beaches and quaint coastal towns, but as far as big cities, you're not missing anything

Do you scuba? If so, check out the Argentinian Naval Museum.

Definitely Peru for Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca. Just don't forget to bring altitude sickness medication.

Were I going all that way, I would try to see as many of the following as,I could:

Puma Punku. (Bolivia)

Tiahuanaco. (Bolivia)

Machu Picchu. (Peru)

Nazca Lines. (Peru)

Uruguay coast.

R53 = Giorgio Tsoukalos

I started a thread about traveling to Colombia a few years back, but as of present, cannot in good faith recommend it these days. Unfortunately, covid kinda screwed them over and violence has re-spiked. I'm glad I got to visit during a relatively short span of safety and upward mobility.

R55, is this your thread?

R56, no. Mine is linked below.

Ah. You're the male stripper in Colombia OP. I remember your thread which was quite popular.

Peru is amazing. Macchi Picu will blow your mind as will all the other Inca structures

Pikachu

Lima is really Mira Flores. That's where you want to stay.

I kind of found Bueno Aires boring. It’s like a European capital. They killed all the Indians

R61, Miraflores reminds of West LA.

Buenos Aires...boring? I guess, if you hate architecture, theatre, nightlife, handsome men...

Chile isn't chilly in the summer

No, it's not

It's chilly in the winter

When Chile should be hot.

[quote] They killed all the Indians

Dot or feather?

Casino or call center?

R54, He's The Man!

Iguasu Falls on the border between Argentina and Brazil. Spectacular. Beautiful. Don't miss it.

The falls on both side of the border are beautiful, but the Brazilian side is a bit grander and quite a sight. Stay at the hotel Das Cateratas on the Brazilian side of the border. The scenery is most picturesque, and you'll see the falls from your hotel. You can also take tours into the falls. When traveling between cities in South America, Iguasu Falls is a beautiful respite in the middle of a lush green forest.

[quote] I started a thread about traveling to Colombia a few years back, but as of present, cannot in good faith recommend it these days.

I was there in April (Cartagena, Bogota, Medellin) and we had no issues at all.

R69, good! I'm actually glad to hear that. Colombia is a gorgeous country with such friendly people and amazing sights to behold.

I've heard that Medellin has had an uptick in foreigner deaths(!). Although most appear to have been straight passport bros getting drugged and bamboozled by floozies.

Very few mentions of Ecuador here. It used to be relatively stable and safe.

R71 Ecuador was among the most epat-friendly countries in South America (and the world). Decent heathcare. Low taxes on foreign income. US dollar is official currency (no worries about currency fluctuations). Cuenca was very popular with Americans. Unfortunately the crime rate has recently surged including home invasions.

Downtown Asuncion was far more blighted than I'd expected, R49. Needs A LOT of urban Renewal, gentrification. Overall experience reminded me a bit of Mumbai. Now I can say I've been to Paraguay.

Regarding Lima, I took the express bus downtown from Miraflores, and it was jam packed then. Don't see how it could be used during peak hours at all? Art Museum definitely worth visiting, however!

OP, Lima is quite pleasant but not packed with a variety of things to see. If you're only going to Peru, an excursion to Cuzco and Machu Picchu would be mandatory as there isn't that much to see and do in Lima.

Buenos Aires

I was in Colombia in early 2020 with my partner and, honestly, it was possibly the most pleasant experience of travelling to a South American country I have had. Bogota was fabulous, and, surprisingly, felt incredibly safe compared to BA or Rio, say. We rented a car and drove to Zona Cafetera to stay in a luxury bio resort in a jungle (sort of). The hiking in the Cocoro Valley in the Andes was spectacular.

Would also recommend El Calafate in Patagonia.

Brazil if you want big dicks, just make sure you are up on your shots, and on prep.

Last week, the US government issued a report stating that Santiago, Chile has a crime wave, including people being beat up in the streets. The advisory states you should not go there.

R76 BA and Rio are, like, in 2 completely different universes of crime and can hardly compared to the other. BA is usually ranked top 3 of all of latinamerica when it comes to safety, Rio is always ranked near the bottom

OP here. I’m booked for a week in BA at the end of April. I’m really excited and thank you all for the advice!

Good choice, OP.

Thanks for starting this thread OP; I've been considering going to South America too - Chile specifically - but it's such a vast country and I don't speak spanish (though I've read that Chile speaks a slightly different dialect anyway), so I'm a bit intimidated as to where to start. Given it's coastline, you'd think there would be a lot of cruise ships, but that's not really the case. BTW, I too am planning a big trip for my 60th birthday (gulp), so I'm interested to see where this discussion goes.

R80 I'm from Argentina, let me know if you have any insider recomendations or questions.

R82 - Chile has a bit of everything...are you wanting to see Patagonia? The Atacama Desert? Close to Santiago you have vineyards, mountains, the seaside in Vina del Mar/Valparaiso, lots of options. Internal flights are quite affordable. I flew to Puerto Natales last year from Santiago and did a day tour of Torres del Paine. If you are into serious hiking, then you can look into the different treks available. Just remember that the seasons there are opposite of the northern hemisphere.

Plenty of foreign tourists come to Chile, so you shouldn't run into any problems. It's a very developed country and easy to get around.

You'll have a great time, R80! Stunning architecture, museums are great. When I visited the first time, decades ago, we toured the opera house, as well as visiting Evita's tomb.

Hope you like cheap steak and red wine combo, it's widely available. Also, lots of Italian food.

Not Colombia, apparently

My son is an inexperienced young traveler, he and a buddy are in Ecuador right now, doing a lot of hiking and hostels as they move north up the coast. It is sooooooo beautiful. It’s incredible.

The crime rate in Buenos Aires seems to be going up because of the increasing poverty, Two different friends said people tried to steal from them on recent visits.

I found Lima Peru the most skippable part of that incredible country. It's just another big city

[quote] The crime rate in Buenos Aires seems to be going up because of the increasing poverty

Actually it's quite the opposite. Crime is high in the Greater Buenos Aires but has decreased in recent years in the city proper. Still, I'd be careful. Don't go around advertising you're wealthy tourists.

Peru is world-class if you're into archaeology, exploring ancient ruins, trekking, that type of stuff.

I find it the most interesting country in S.A.

R90 even the greater Bs Aires area has a lower murder rate than 90% of the american cities. Argentina has the second lowest murder per capita numbers in the entirety of the Americas, second only to Canada.

R92 though I would add, thats true of the other "southern cone" countries in South America like Chile and Uruguay.

R87, has he been to Mindo yet?

I didn't find BA dangerous last year, but didn't go out at night.

I've spent close to a year in BA and never had an issue. La Boca is the sketchiest area which is popular with tourists... don't stay there or go there after dark. Probably not great to wander around the Microcenter too late either. But most neighborhoods feel safe late at night because it's such a nocturnal city. There are always people out and about.

Lima is the least interesting part about Peru.

[quote] Lima is the least interesting part about Peru.

I love their beans though!

I thought Patagonia was next to Penney's down at the mall.

In 2024, we went to BA and Montevideo. It was great in both places, but Montevideo was a little slower. We also flew to Iguazu Falls which was unlike anywhere else in the world I’ve seen.

In 2023 ,we when to Panama (canal tour was amazing), Medellin (also amazing) and Cartagena (like vacationing on the face of the sun). A great, great trip.

In 2022, we went to Peru and visited Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca and Lima. We went to Cairo and saw the pyramids this year. Machu Picchu was more amazing than that - just incredible. And for fat whores, the restaurants in Lima were out of this world.

South America is fantastic. Better than Europe.

Great descriptions, R100.

I agree, R100.

If somebody offered me an all expense paid trip to either Europe or South America, I think I choose South America again.

I love South America for the nature, and the fact that most of it isn't ruined yet by mass tourism, but its museums don't hold a candle to Europe. It's also much more expensive to fly around, with far fewer flight options - there are so-called budget airlines, but nothing comparable to Europe. No real high speed train travel either. Some areas have legitimate safety concerns, and political unrest is not uncommon. But of course, we can say the same for the US.

Europe is probably better if your trip is focused on museums and high-speed trains. But that long ago ceased to interest me.

Europe is not dynamic, not that interesting anymore. Asia, Africa, and South America are just so much more interesting and energetic.

But Europe does have the Eiffel Tower so there’s that to always interest some type of people - usually the Rick Steves crowd.

Right now, I wouldn't travel out of the country.

I wouldn’t let you, r105.

Too soon.

Well, I’m back from Buenos Aires. What a wonderful week in a great city! I stayed in Monserrat, just a few blocks from the national Congress. Food, shopping, the energy, the architecture, all just top notch. So many simply gorgeous men in the city, too!

I may have hooked up with a beautiful cop a couple of times, just to make sure I was having a good time.

I’m definitely going back there again. An absolute joy, all around.

Very good to hear, r108, and thanks for reporting to us. Glad you had a good time.

[quote]Europe is not dynamic, not that interesting anymore.

Europe is bored with you, too.