South America is the wilder of the Americas and boasts of being home to the world’s biggest rainforest, tallest waterfall in the world (Angel Falls), largest river (Amazon) and highest mountain range outside Asia (Andes). The South American continent is also world renowned for its remote islands, beaches and icy landscapes. That said, today I’m gonna cover some wonderful South American destinations that haven’t been explored much by the global tourists. These destinations have been handpicked by a panel of judges: The Broke Backpacker, World Nate, Two Wandering Soles, Foodie Flashpacker and Luxury Latin America.
Previously I have written about the best emerging destinations of North America for the year 2019 and if you haven’t read it please do so by clicking this link. Now I’m gonna throw some light on the seven emerging destinations in South America.
Cali, Colombia
Santiago de Cali or just Cali has been the judges’ top emerging destination for the year 2019. Cali is the third largest city of Colombia and is known for its salsa music, party atmosphere and friendly people. Salsa is actually a mix of Latin music genres but is dominated by Cuban dance music, when you are in Cali a must-do thing for you is to dance to the Salsa and if time permits learn Salsa by taking lessons from a reputed dance school.
Apart from Salsa Cali is also popular for housing the famous Los Farallones de Cali National Park, head to this national park for sighting the fauna and flora of this region, you can expect to sight species such as bears, anteaters, Colombian Rock Chickens, eagles, marsupials and monkeys. Time your trip in such a way that you will not miss the most popular five day colorful dance and music Feria de Cali festival that takes places every year in Cali in the last week of December.
Bonito, Brazil
Bonito finds its place #2 spot in the judges’ award for emerging destinations for 2019. Bonito is now gaining popularity worldwide for being the main destination in Brazil for ecotourism and travel adventure. The place boasts of having crystal clear rivers, diving spots waterfalls and caves for all your adventures.
It’s worth a mention here about Bonito’s best landmark attraction- Anhumas Abyss famous for caving and scuba diving sports. A visit to this attraction is our top recommendation for your bucket list of adventures. You must rappel 72 meters down the Anhuman Abyss to get to the concealed cave at the bottom which has rock formations and a beautiful lake where you can do scuba diving or snorkeling to explore the underwater marine life.
Bolivia
At #3 spot is Bolivia, people only think of its jaw dropping salt flats- Salar de Uyuni but actually there’s more to explore here in Bolivia. Apart from touring Bolivia’s salt flats you must try swimming with the pink dolphins in the Amazon basin, biking on the world’s most dangerous road- Bolivia’s “Death Road” and exploring Tupiza’s mars like terrain. In short Bolivia is the destination for you if you are looking for some authentic South American adventure.
Montevideo, Uruguay
Montevideo is #4 in this list of emerging South American destinations, most critics consider this capital city of Uruguay as being an underrated city but off late Montevideo has been gaining recognition as a tourist delight, although it still needs to make its mark as a popular destination. The city has a rich history, art and gastronomy that needs to explored. The must-do things for you in Montevideo are 1) dining in the restaurants of Montevideo for fantastic gastronomy and 2) celebrating the world’s longest Montevideo Carnival Festival featuring renowned musicians and comedy stage shows similar on the lines of the carnival held in Rio, takes place every year during the start of the summer in June.
Lima, Peru
Lima has been judged by the experts as an emerging destination and it stands at #5 in this list. The judges feel that Lima is not just a stopover destination and there’s so much more that needs to be explored. The best thing about Lima is its pleasant climate with sunny days almost any time of the year and this is one reason why global tourists flock here. The things that you need to do while in Lima are indulge in eating sprees at Lima’s many high-end restaurants for a great foodie experience, take a tour of Lima’s most visited tourist attraction- Magic Water Circuit Park, world’s largest water fountain complex and explore Lima’s unique nightlife while sampling some of the best spirits found in Lima.
Fernando De Noronha, Brazil
Head to this archipelago of 21 islands in Brazil for its stunning beaches and underwater sports including snorkeling and scuba diving, this group of remote islands is a UNESCO designated world heritage site. Just a small note before you visit these remote islands, the entry to this archipelago is limited and there is an environmental fee for exploring these islands. Make sure you plan your trip to Fernando De Noronha in advance in order to avoid any kind of inconvenience.
