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Andy Adams is an IT worker and experienced writer
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What is a Gap Year?
Feb 13
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In the previous part of this article I began covering the top ten locations for UK tourists to visit this year in South America, already covered was Panama City, The Atacama Desert in Chile and cookery classes in Mexico. The rest of this list continues with some destinations a bit further south including Brazil, Peru and even director Francis Ford Coppollaâs lodge in Guatemala.
7.   Pantenal, Brazil
Brazil is famous for their football team, carnivals and the enormous statue of Jesus that overlooks Rio de Janeiro but aside from these iconic symbols there is a wealth of nature lurking just miles away from the cities. One such location is Pantenal; it holds the title of the worldâs largest wetland and many people in the know claim that the amount of nature present rivals even the Amazon!
Pantenal is just one of the many emerging holiday hotspots in Brazil as well as the Serra Geral Mountains in the southern part of the country. Recently interest in Brazils has been sparked by the sighting of tribesmen in the jungles within Brazil. You may not be looking to join a native tribe but the nature in Brazil can certainly rival the draw of the big city.
6.   Peru
Peru is a popular destination amongst backpackers and gap year students partially due to all the ancient ruins which are a spectacle to see. Manchu Picchu is a popular hot spot for hikers, but beware; the hiking is tough going.Â
The culture of Peru is a historic one too with many of the communities sticking to traditions that have lasted generations free of the trappings of modern life. Some holiday companies have an easy time getting people to come to Peru because in some cases the locals will insist you stay with them as hotels are few and far between in the mountainous areas.Â
By sharing the living space of a local family you can get the most authentic feel of what life is like in the region, plus all youâd need to pay for is your flights to the country which doesnât hurt!
5.   Guatemala
When the man who directed the Godfather and slaved over Apocalypse Now to the point of exhaustion chooses a holiday spot you can rest assured that it will be worth it. Francis Ford Coppolla owns a lodge in Guatemala called La Lancha and is set in an amazing area of Guatemala that should impress the Indiana Jonesâ out there.
There are many ancient Mayan ruins which served as inspiration for the latest adventure of Dr. Jones this summer nearby such as Tikal which is home to the enormous pyramids and encroaching jungle undergrowth seen in many movies. Similar architecture can be found at Uaxacatún which is home to large stucco sculpture traditional to the area. Yaxhá is a wonderful lakeside location that many people who have seen Indiana Jones and the kingdom of the Crystal Skulls will be familiar with. It is most definitely worthy of booking flights, packing the fedora and bullwhip to go exploring if you are looking for a more historic and interesting holiday.
In the final part of this article Iâll be covering the final four destinations that I recommend for holidays this year. With cheap flights to Mexico and other countries now may be the best time to explore new grounds.
One of the best countries to visit is South America, full of rich culture and a complete world away from the European lifestyle South America is home to many stand out countries such as Mexico, Brazil and Peru. The thing is that for every article you read on the (very considerable) wonders of Manchu Picchu there are a thousand other equally amazing sights to see in this immense continent. This article will cover ten secret holiday locations that you should consider if you want to see South America this year.
10. Panama City, Panama
This city is likely to see an increase in tourism this year especially for two reasons; firstly since April of this year flight company KLM has new routes going to Panama City making it easier to travel there this year. The second reason may be that the popular US TV show Prison Break was based there recently and helped showcase the relaxed city with its attractive mix of jungles and beaches.
The beaches can provide the perfect retreat from working life back home. Panama boasts over 900 species of birds, an amazing 1,500 species of trees and well over 7000 breeds of vascular plants. This makes for the perfect holiday if you are a nature buff and donât fancy bird watching in a damp field in the rain back home.
9.   Puebla & Oaxaca, Mexico
Mexico is a popular tourist spot for many Americans looking to venture outside their own borders. It is also popular amongst American college students during the summer and spring breaks. But whilst itâs got a great party atmosphere if that isnât quite your thing then there are plenty of other reasons to visit Mexico.
The main one that springs to mind is the cuisine, at some point chances are youâll have encountered some derivative of Mexican cooking here in the UK but as with all specialist cuisine you canât beat the taste at the source. If youâre not content with simply eating the local food then there are local cookery courses that you can partake in if you prefer a hands on approach. Cities like Puebla and Oaxaca have many cookery classes that can teach you the skills to impress family and friends upon your return from your holiday.
Mexico is also home to Cancun which has become popular in recent years and with many cheap flights to Cancun available now may be the best time to take advantage of this delightful countryâs food.
8.   San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
The Atacama Desert in Chile may not sound like the most inviting destination but there are a surprising amount of activities to do in Chile; one specialist hotel even offers an adventure holiday and spa out in the middle of the Desert. The Tierra Atacama Adventure and Spa is a boutique hotel that can offer tours of the terracotta coloured sands and neighbouring lagoons.Â
There are even areas that are so untouched by man, due to being protected areas, that they have earned the name Moon Valley as it resembles the moonâs surface with small but sharp crested hills.
The next part of this article will cover the many other locations in South America that you should visit this year. cheap flights to Mexico and other South American locations have seen many UK tourists spreading their wings and getting flights to see this wonderful corner of the world for themselves
Andy Adams is an IT worker and experienced writer
The previous two parts of this guide explored six possible holiday destinations in South America that were worthy of visiting this year. As well as well known locations such as Peru and Brazil there are plenty of other locations such as Guatemalaâs ancient ruins and the Chilean Desert which can offer all sorts of holidays from adventure holidays to relaxing beach lounging trips.Â
The final four are locations that you certainly wouldnât normally expect to see on a list of top holiday destinations but as trends are changing they very well may end up being the must-go-to spots this year. This final part covers some more northern areas of South America, specifically some Caribbean locations that are becoming popular this year.
4.   Costa Rica
Costa Rica has the benefit of both the Caribbean sea and the Pacific Ocean on either side but despite having a vast amount of coastline it still has vast mountain ranges and not just rainforests but cloud forests. These forests almost look like they are perennially foggy but in actual fact they are so high up that they are within the clouds.Â
A lot of nature photography taken of rainforests with the dense clouds interspersed with the trees will likely be of these cloud forests in Costa Rica. There are plenty of activities and hotels to stay at deep within the jungles themselves. The aptly named El Silencio lodge and spa is located within the these cloud forest and has a yoga platform, full-service spa and for those looking for more adventure than relaxation can go horse trekking or rafting down a river.
3.   The Corn Islands, Nicaragua
The Corn Islands whilst just off the coast of Nicaragua are still considered to be within the Caribbean Sea. Obviously like all other Caribbean Islands it has great reefs and coastlines for diving. Deep sea diving is popular in the region and is becoming a well known spot in the scuba world.
The Corn Islands doesnât sound too Latin in name; that is because it is a former British Protectorate and has recently been hoisted to the top of the list of best holidays for 2008 by a South American tour company due to its undeveloped land and superb marine life. There are a few lodges and hotels on the island that people are flocking to this year.
2.   Belize
Belize is quite similar to the Corn Islands as it too is popular for diving with its Caribbean coastline and varied wildlife. But more than this the southern Toledo district is an immense jungle that you can visit on nature trips to see the bird life in the area.Â
One particular attraction is the regionâs cocoa farms; chocolate fiends will be in heaven as this is where Green and Blacksâ Maya Gold bars are sourced from. Belize is able to offer both of these attractions: warm Caribbean beaches and dense jungles that can offer a bit of shade.
And now the last of the ten recommended holiday destinations in South Americaâ¦
1.   Zona Cafetera, Columbia
Columbia is at the top of this list as it is highly tipped to be the most visited South American location this year. With the film ‘Love in the time of Cholera’ being set in Cartagena it will no doubt draw in a lot of tourists from around the world.
Couple that with the New York Times putting Bogotá down as one of the must visit locations this year Columbia is likely to see a large influx of people getting hotels in one of the main cities.
So there you have it, the ten best locations in South America. Some of the locations listed you may never have heard but many experts on the region have recommended them to the public this year. If you book your holiday yourself you may be able to score cheap hotels if you just want to see the region or you could try one of the luxurious lodges or spas mentioned in this article. Either way South America has a whole lot to give and will likely turn out to be the hot holiday location for 2008!
Andy Adams is an IT worker and experienced writer