Photo Credit: hillsieboy
My friends and I had been talking about Venezuela and how the pageant should be renamed into Miss Venezuela instead of Miss Universe, and then one of them said that there was a study where someone went to Venezuela to see for himself if all the people there were as gorgeous as their reputation suggests. And I sure bet he wasn’t disappointed.

Apart from gorgeous people, Venezuela is also an incredibly beautiful country from the picturesque Andes to the Venezuelan part of the Amazonas. What else is there to wish for?

Just one place, the Canaima National Park, beats all. It is located in the Venezuelan Gran Sabana region, and stands as the gateway to the glorious Salto Ángel or Angel Falls, the highest waterfall in the world dropping a total of 978m from the Auyan Tepuy. This is the main reason where anyone and everyone goes to in Venezuela.

Tepuis are table-top mountains and they dominated the area’s grassy savannahs and on their own, are already grand sites.

The falls was called Parekupa-meru by the Pemon indians that are native to the area but was renamed Angel after Jimmy Angel, a pilot who crash landed in the area while looking for gold. Instead, he found an even bigger treasure, the waterfall.

You can join two day tours to the foot of the falls. You need to take a six hour boat ride to the base camp, another hour’s walk to the falls itself, but the experience is sure to be worth it. The trip itself is going to be great, offering views of unique jungle life and wonderful swimming opportunities. While you won’t be allowed to camp near the falls, you get to sleep in hammoks at night while being lulled by the sounds of cascading water.

That is the life.

Photo Credit: liknes
What do you think about when you hear the term Amazon forest?

The Amazon is the largest rainforest in the world, and probably one of the most important environmental treasures. It is, according to the website Amazon-Rainforest.org, “the last big space covered with tropical plants and animals”. It is spread across nine countries, the largest part lying in Brazil and covers almost half the country.

It is also said to be home to a couple of million species of insect, thousands of species of plants, about two thousand species of fishes, nearly a thousand species of birds and about 200 species of mammals. Who wouldn’t want to experience something as grandiose as that?

Since the Amazon Rainforest is immense, and that is no exaggeration, it may be impossible to visit all the places of interest. Again, I looked through Amazon-Rainforest.org and they narrowed it down to several most unique places.

First on their lists is the Serra do Divisor National Park, located in Brazil, and is very important to the West Indian Manatee conservation. It doesn’t seem to have tourist amenities yet.

Cabo Orange National Park, the only one in the coastline. Like the first one, it has no visitor amenities but is possible to visit by boat. Interesting to see because the different ecosystems of the Amazon rainforest and the Atlantic Ocean merge here.

Jau National Park is close to the capital of the Amazonas state in Brazil which means that there are accommodations and tourist facilities nearby. It boasts of unbelievable boat tours.

Visit their page for other unique Amazonian Places of Interest.

Photo Credit: realmerlyn
Rio de Janeiro is the second largest Brazilian city and lies on the South Atlantic coast of the country. It is known most for its gorgeous landscape and beaches. Probably the best place for a tourist to visit is the city’s Zona Sul (South Zone). Lots of hotels line up in Copacobana and Ipanema, some of the country’s most famous beaches. Although the Copacabana gets a bit too crowded, it’s still one place to drop by even if you just need to sit down on the sand and relax. Ipanema on the other hand has a a lagoon called the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas where you can walk around, jog or relax.

See a breath-taking view of the Zona Sul via cable car up the Sugar Loaf mountain, just a few minutes away from Copacabana. Or, better yet, take that tour of the Corcovado mountain, topped by the world famous 38m statue of Christ the Redeemer.

The South Zone also has museums for those who can’t travel without a dose of culture. Museu da República (Palácio do Catete), is the former presidential palace that had been converted into a historical museum. Right beside that an art gallery and small theater.

At night, lay your head down at the Copacabana Palace Hotel. Now this is the life.

Photo Credit: blucolt

San Juan, known as “La Ciudad Amurallada”, or the “Walled City”, is a major tourist resort in Puerto Rico. It is divided into several districts.

Old San Juan is a four hundred-and-fifty-year-old culturally distinct neighborhood with cobblestone streets and charming houses. Take a walking tour for $30. You can see the San Juan National Historic Site which consists of Castillo San Cristóbal which is a Spanish fortress and considered the Gibraltar of the West Indies, and it’s partner, the Castillo San Felipe del Morro, a citadel at the end of Calle Norzagaray. Old San Juan also has several plazas where you can marvel at the city’s history. The Plaza de San José is where a bronze statue of Ponce de León stands, and is a popular meeting place. Nearby, Plaza del Quinto Centenario has a statue that rises 40 feet high and commemorates the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the New World by Columbus.

If you’re looking for beaches, visit the Condado area where there is a wide range of beachfront hotels and casinos, and an assortment of restaurants and bars. Condado Beach has white sands and a beautiful lagoon. Isla Verde, on the other hand, is a great spot to hang out or have a picnic. The beaches in this part are mostly private and not that great for swimming but it offers solitude more than the crowded areas of Condado.

Remember that San Juan is a tropical city and sunny. You might want to bring caps, lots of water and to stock up on sun block.

All in all, San Juan is a pleasant city where you can enjoy both beaches and history.

Photo Credit: traveltheroads

The Christ Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is probably one of the most recognizable statues today. Standing at 38 meters tall and two and a half million pounds atop the Corcovado moutain, with its open arms, it symbolizes the warmth of welcome of the Brazilian people.

A trip to the top of the mountain is a must for every visitor to Rio de Janeiro. You can travel by train through an urban forest, and climb what used to be 220 plus steps by escalator. The view is spectacular from the base of the statue. You can see the beaches, the forests, a 360 degree view of the city and glorious sunsets. There is also a souvenir shop there for those who worry about buying trinkets to remember their trips by.

The Corcovado Mountain was originally called the “Pinaculo de Tentacao” which means “Pinnacle of Temptation”. It is located within the Tijuca Forest National Park, a place to see on its own. The Corcovado Rack Railway takes visitors into a charming trip of changing sceneries of the forest as it takes them up to the top. Corcovado is actually climable for those who seek more adventure. There are more than 50 climbing routes, but only for the experienced rock climbers.

Whichever you fancy, the Christ the Redeemer statue will welcome you with open arms.