Although I didn’t include Foz do Iguaçu in my original plans for Brazil, I decided that one of the must-sees on my trip had to be a visit to Iguazu Falls. I cut off a few days in Ilhabela to make it happen.
Ilhabela translates to “Beautiful Island”. That is a correct description of Brazil’s third largest island, located just a few hours from São Paulo. It’s a popular weekend getaway for Paulistas with some incredible beaches, hiking trails, and waterfalls. One warning – bring lots of bug spray. The mosquitoes and flies are brutal!
Ubatuba is Brazil’s self-proclaimed surfing capital. This laid-back beach city with a funny name and some of the most spectacular beaches in Brazil gave me the opportunity to live a surfer’s life for a few days. I never actually got out into the water to surf, but I had a great time in a house full of surfers.
Paraty (pronounced para-CHEE) is an open-air museum of Portuguese colonialism in Brazil. Wandering the cobblestone streets, visiting the art galleries and shops, and eating at one of the many good restaurants in town is well worth a visit for a day.
Ilha Grande is an island just a few hours away from Rio de Janeiro, but a completely different world. There are no cars, no banks (so bring plenty of cash!), and dirt roads. The island is a lush green tropical paradise full of hiking trails and empty beaches, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. (UPDATE: a Caixa ATM machine has been installed at Vila do Abraão)
Armação dos Búzios, better known as Búzios, is a resort town about three hours from Rio de Janeiro. It was made popular in the 1964 when French actress Brigitte Bardot visited with her Brazilian boyfriend, Bob Zagury. This small town has several good beaches, great nightlife, and lots of shopping and restaurants.
A day trip to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay, is a very popular and easy getaway from Buenos Aires. It’s just a 90 minute ferry ride away (on the fast ferry).
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I got to Buenos Aires. It seems like a love it or hate it kind of place. The first impression I got wasn’t a good one. The view from my hotel showed lots of run down buildings and there didn’t seem like much action on the street.
Pichilemu is a laid back beach town in Chile known as one of the best surfing spots in the world, with the best year-round surfing in South America. It’s about three and a half hours by bus from Santiago’s Terminal Alameda.
