Central and South America

A region so diverse in cultures, scenery and climate

Tiny on a map, Central America packs in more diversity than any similar-sized area on the planet. The region has been able to capitalize on the popularity of ecotourism. Considered by naturalists to be a “hot spot” of biological diversity, Central America’s jungles are home to spectacular birds such as the quetzal and the toucan; five species of spotted cats, including the jaguar; and a bewildering variety of butterflies, some the size of small plates!

The Caribbean is undeniably one of the most agreeable places on earth. The sun is hot but not too hot; the sand and water can be world-class; and the gently insistent trade wind brings a delicious softness to the island climate. Given the increasing preference for spa therapies over sunbathing, the green and mountainous islands of the Caribbean may finally be coming into their own as fashionable and appealing destinations.

From Rio to the call of the wild in the Amazon, Brazil covers nearly half of the entire South American continent and contains an extraordinary variety of climates, cultures and landscapes that include the vast ecosystem of Amazonia. Buenos Aires often reminds travellers of the more desirable cities of Europe.  In the northwest of the continent, in the high Andes, you find the same intriguing juxtaposition. Inside the wonderful Hotel Monasterio in Cusco, you can see that the first layers of masonry are still the massive blocks that once supported Inca temples and palaces. Cusco presents the history of an entire continent, its ancient splendour, its violent conquest and the fascinating and evolving hybrid world of today.