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Wine tasting in Chile to coffee plantations in Central America; archeological marvels in Peru, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and many others to modern marvels, such as the Panama Canal, the most pristine rain forests in Brazil or Costa Rica and the most wonderful hospitality and world class resorts of Mexico.
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It is next door: A flight to Mexico or Central America is as long as a flight inside the continental USA. Many of us do not realize that Latin America is really that close by.
Vacations are close to home.
It is inexpensive: Latin America offers great vacations at a fraction of the cost in the USA. The most popular destinations usually offer the best value. That is the result of stiff competition, but you will also get good value even if you decide to be slightly adventurous and explore some of the less popular destinations.
Where to go?
Pick a bunch of activities you enjoy, and based on that, you can pick a few countries that offer what you are looking for. With this information in hand, look for airfares on the Internet. At this time our favorite website is TravelZoo, but there are many other websites like Expedia and Orbitz to search for low fares. You may have to sign up with some of these websites to get an email on their lowest fares. The newsletters have excellent information on the best deals for vacations. Similarly you can sign up with airline websites like Delta or American airlines and they will also shoot emails when they have a sale going on.
Although Expedia and others have a lot of information, they do not always offer the discount tickets that are available with a consolidator. They also do not have access to all airlines and all fares. So it is also a good idea to do a general search on Google to find travel agencies and local airlines for the country you are targeting and inquire about fares and packages.
To find a consolidator, you should try a search on Google or look in the local phone book for travel agents targeting the country that you are interested in visiting. The more websites you visit and the more serious your research, the higher your savings will be.
Can you go to many countries in the same trip?
You can, but it is not as easy as it is in Europe. Some countries are big, such as Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Venezuela, and the airline connections between these countries are not always very good. In some cases, surprisingly enough, it is easier to fly back to the USA and connect to a flight going to that country than flying directly. If you are visiting smaller countries such as Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras the travel agencies in these countries offer group tours, especially if you have a theme vacation in mind, such as archeological sites exploration or visiting pristine beaches.
Learning vacations
Why not learn some Spanish while enjoying a relaxing time? Most countries in Latin America offer this possibility at very affordable prices.
Is it dangerous?
Frankly, it depends. If you are traveling to a tourist destination and remain in the tourist areas, usually it is safe even in risky countries such as Colombia. The moment you venture out in an unknown area, you have to be careful.
This does not mean that you have to stay in the resort all the time. You must ask at the hotel what areas are to be avoided and use hotel taxies. If you want to backpack or go alone to all areas, you probably are taking unnecessary risk, especially in the riskier countries.
You will often see armed guards in shops in many countries. That is the way life is in some countries; do not feel that you are in a war zone. That is simply not the case.
Always be aware of your surroundings and do not carry valuables with you. Use common sense and visit the Department of State website to find out if there are government recommendations about travel to some areas.
Current bargains
The most devalued currency goes a long way with our dollar. Argentina is a great buy at this time and one very exciting place with a unique culture.
Vaccines and food
Consult with your doctor. Always check the requirements regarding vaccination based on your destination and also check with the Department of State.
Concerning food you will find all the big fast food and family restaurant chains that you are familiar with, such as McDonalds, Wendy's, TGIF, and others. You will also find wonderful local foods, lots of fresh fruits and veggies, and world-class restaurants at affordable prices.
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