With massive increases in flights to the continent via global airlines, it has never been easier to visit South America!  While getting there by international flight is generally expensive, travelling within each country is generally a lot more reasonable!  In fact, it may be even more economical (cost-wise) to fly to a border city and cross the border by bus or car and, then, fly from across the border.

Argentina is the second-largest country in South America, behind Brazil. Its capital, Buenos Aires, is a popular tourist destination, offering visitors a wide gambit of attractions, from cultural tours ranging from the Obelisk to the La Bombonera stadium, home to the Boca Juniors football team. 

With Spanish, Quechua and many other indigenous dialects as official languages, Bolivia is one of the most culturally diverse countries in South America and has two capitals: La Paz and Sucre.

A favourite among tourist, Bolivia is home to beautiful and little-explored landscapes as the Sajama National Park, which is nestled close to the extinct Sajama volcano and the Payachata volcano complex (on the frontier between Bolivia and Chile), plenty of the natural wildlife of the Andean region, such as the vicuña, a close relative of the llama and alpaca, and the viscacha, a species of Bolivian chinchilla.

Brazil is the giant of the South America region. It is the fifth-largest nation in the world in terms of area and population.

Chile has established itself as one of the more economically stable countries in South America! 

Colombia has the second-largest population in South America and has destinations for all tastes and desires! In the capital, Bogotá, visitors can find the Museo del Oro, which contains the largest collection of objects from pre-Colombian America. There are plenty of other museums and parks, like Parque Jaime Duque.

The inspiration for Darwin’s theory of evolution, Ecuador is a beautiful and tropical paradise. Home to some important colonial cities, Ecuador is also surrounded by several active volcanoes. In its capital, Quito, several historic buildings are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and the bustling city also has a very lively nightlife.

Here, you’ll need a four-wheel drive, and the little planes here bring tourists to penguin-filled islands, surrounded by albatrosses and petrels ready for your binoculars!  Any amount of excursion of the great wilderness here instantly becomes an adventure!

French Guiana is an overseas department of France on the northeast coast of South America, composed mainly of tropical rainforest. The ruins of 17th-century Fort Cépérou overlook the capital, Cayenne, with its colourful Creole houses and street markets. Shops and cafés surround the palm-filled main square, Place des Palmistes. The Rémire-Montjoly suburb is lined with the Atlantic coast beaches.

Guyana, first colonised by the Dutch, is the only South American nation besides the Malvinas Islands, in which English is the official language. Guyanese Creole, a dialect based on English, is spoken by the population as a first language.

Paraguay has everything!  From the now empty Jesuit missions in Encarnacion to the Chaco, a virtually roadless land full of desert-like plains and dry forest. Observe here the thriving wildlife and botany with a guide to the religious Mennonites, people who have lived since the early 20th century!

The magical charm and ancient intrigue of Machu Picchu, the city of Cusco, located in the Peruvian Andes, is another hit and was once the capital of the Inca Empire. As such, it boasts countless archaeological remains, especially being famous for its Spanish colonial architecture.

Suriname is a tiny country in northeastern South America, well-known for its Dutch colonial architecture, but absolutely filled with rainforest and a beautiful melting-pot culture!

There is far more to Uruguay than Punta Del Este, a famous resort that has always attracted the international jet set. Like Colonia del Sacramento, for example, a city in the southwest on the opposite side of the Río de La Plata from Buenos Aires. It is famous for its Barrio Histórico, an area replete with buildings from when it was a Portuguese colony.

Isla Margarita and the Los Roques archipelago, on the Caribbean side of the country, are among Venezuela’s most popular attractions. The colonial city of Mérida, which serves as a base for visits to the Sierra Nevada National Park, is certainly worth visiting. 

The “Introduction to South America” online training course is brought to you by Visit Brazil Travel Association (VBRATA).

VSATA, also known as United South America Travel Association, is a not-for-profit organisation bringing together all South America countries to promote this fantastic region with its unique culture, tourism and gastronomy.

BBMag is the only London-based bilingual (Anglo-Brazilian and Anglo-Hispanic) publication dedicated to promoting international lifestyle, travel, tourism and culture. We publish two publications, Bossa Brazil Magazine and Bossa Latinos, both print and digital.