Anyone been to South America?

TenLeftFingers

I've been itching to travel for years but could never decide on where to go. I've decided to go to South America for the month of January.

I'll probably be going alone but I've made a contact in Chile who I'll visit at some stage. I've also been told that Rio has an amazing festival in the first week of January. Aside from that I've been told to see Peru and to avoid Columbia as the Irish aren't very welcome these days.

I've looked at flights and I think I'll be paying around the €800 - €1,000 mark for return flights.

If anyone has more info, I'd appreciate it.

Ninja_scrotum

I was recently talking to an Irish lad who just got back from 4months in SA. He had a great time in Venezuela, Peru, COLOMBIA and I think he hit Brazil as well.

He actually said Colombia was the best country out of the lot, he spent two months there with no hassle whatsoever. The cliched advice "don't trust everything the media says duuuude" is kind of true. The guy couldn't say enough good things about Colombia, the countryside, the cities n' people etc. Oh and he went on his own!

Who told you that the Irish aren't very welcome nowadays?

How Strange

merlin_bar.... I've been itching to travel for years but could never decide on where to go. I've decided to go to South America for the month of January.

I'll probably be going alone but I've made a contact in Chile who I'll visit at some stage. I've also been told that Rio has an amazing festival in the first week of January. Aside from that I've been told to see Peru and to avoid Columbia as the Irish aren't very welcome these days.

I've looked at flights and I think I'll be paying around the €800 - €1,000 mark for return flights.

If anyone has more info, I'd appreciate it.

OP, you'd be doing alot of travelling if you intend to hit Chile and Rio within one month. You should get a lonely planet book or check out the thornthree forum and read different threads and decide on a rough plan. Also, I think the carnival usually takes place in early Feb unless it is a bit early this year.

Weather will also determine where you go as one part of SA could be in the rainy season and another be dry and sunny.

Chile, Peru and Bolivia are three countries that you could do in a month but you probably would only be making your way down to Santiago in Chile to fly home. Chile itself is a huge country and could take a month alone. Obviously you'd only be hitting parts of Peru and Bolivia too.

I've heard different things about Columbia. It's one of the most dangerous countries in SA, the capital city is notorious even by SA standards so I don't think it has anything to do with your own nationality. If you decide to go there make sure you are always on guard and expect to be pick pocketed or mugged and by being on guard you will probably be ok. Having said that do you really want to spend a month like that. It's quite exhausting. You have to be on guard in Bolivia and Peru especially if you are on your own but they are not dangerous as such, its just you are a walking target for pick pockets.

I would say that a month isn't that long to make your way through a few countries so make a rough plan leaving loads of free time to relax and even stay a little longer in some places if you like them. Remember its a holiday not a race to see as much as possible.

If you can get flights for under €1000 you are doing well.

keefg

Ninja_scrotum wrote:

Who told you that the Irish aren't very welcome nowadays?

Remember the incident a while back where 3 suspected IRA men were accused of training rebel soldiers in Columbia?

That's probably what the OP is referring to.

I was talking to someone last Friday who spent some time travelling South America and he loved it, I think he preferred it to his year in Oz. He was expecialy fond of Argentina (but I think this may have changed after the rugby on Sunday )

TenLeftFingers

Thanks guys. I haven't travelled before so that's all great advice. I'll get the lonely planet book and check things out a bit more. I'm definitely not interested in watching my back 24 / 7 so I'll avoid places with a bit of a rep. There's loads to see without those places anyway.

keefg, you're bang on. I heard of a guy who was hassled by the police. They identified his nationality from his Irish rubgy jersey.

Savman

merlin_bar wrote:

I heard of a guy who was hassled by the police. They identified his nationality from his Irish rubgy jersey.

Now that's partially his own fault. Can't understand the need to broadcast our Irishness everywhere we go.

shrapnel222

i spent a month travelling through there and loved it, but yes watch your back, and i would say forget about bogota. Cali and medellin were both fine and we had a great time there, and then cartagena, santa marta, etc...are just brilliant!!!

as for being harassed by police, everyone does. they see tourist as easy money and employ plenty of scare tactics to extort money from you.

and always be ready to run like hell... you'll do a lot of that:D

Meathlass

shrapnel222 wrote:

i spent a month travelling through there and loved it, but yes watch your back, and i would say forget about bogota. Cali and medellin were both fine and we had a great time there, and then cartagena, santa marta, etc...are just brilliant!!!

as for being harassed by police, everyone does. they see tourist as easy money and employ plenty of scare tactics to extort money from you.

and always be ready to run like hell... you'll do a lot of that:D

I spent a month in Colombia this time last year and absolutely loved one. One of my favourite countries in South America and I spent 9 months there. Irish people don't need a visa to visit there any more so no reason not to go. At the border I was held a little longer than the locals while they processed my visa but nothing was said. I like Bogota but it's like any big city. Cartagena is amazing as is Parque Tayrona near Santa Marta. Didn't make it to Cali unfortunately. I spent a lot of time in the southern part of the country near San Augustin which is part of the cocaine producing area is and didn't have any problems then again I'm not a white male so that might have been the difference. No problems with police in all of South America. I say definately go but if you only have a month think of hitting just one country and remember prices vary considerably. 30 euros a day in Brazil down to 10 euros a day in Bolivia. You should consider flying into Buenos Aires and out of Santiago. Or maybe into Buenos Aires and out of Rio. A month is should a short amount of time, distances are huge and January is peak season so in southern argentina and chile in particular you could be caught waiting for buses.

TenLeftFingers

Thanks Meathlass, especially for the idea for flying to and from different airports. I think I will limit it to just one or two countries. But I really want to make Santiago as I know someone there that's worth meeting. I think I'll make that my fly home airport and I'll meet this person a few days before I go.

dory

Yup I heard a lot of people saying their favourite country here is Columbia. And they´ve started welcoming the Irish again! I´d say definitely go to Peru, but in one month you mightn´t be able to. And book carnaval accomodation beforehand, as you can imagine it´s quite a popular place at that time of year.
I´ll hopefully be there for it in 2008.

finbarrk

You could be mugged in Rio also so just don't carry too much money on you if you go there, when you are out for a walk, especially on Copacobana beach in the evenings.

damoz

First recommendation - spend longer! The flight is going to be the big part of the cost of your trip, so if at all possible spend more time when you get there.

If you only have a month you need to understand the sheer size of SA - its not so easy to get from A to B if they are 3000 miles apart - unless you get internal flights - which can be expensive.

From my travels - if i had a month - i would to from Santiago to Lima. Head north from Santiago to Valpariso, Calama, Pisco Valley and up to San Pedro de Atacama. Then get a trip across the Salar de Uyuni into Bolivia. In Boliva Potosi, Sucre, La Paz are definitely worth a visit. Then onto Peru, - Cuzco, Inca Trail, finally onto Lima for return flight. Alot of ground to cover but a good months trip.

Leave Rio for another day.

TenLeftFingers

Thanks damoz! That's great info. The trip has to be postponed at the moment. I got an offer to mind a house in south of Sweden with a friend so I'm going to go for it. But I will be going to SA next time I get a chance and that route sounds great!

Another option I'm considering is doing volunteering with the www.i-to-i.com crowd. It's expensive but you can do it for a few weeks and then head off on your merry way.