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Serving drinks from the bow of an abandoned fishing boat, this bar blends traditional with sustainable, shabby with chic, and seaside with signature cocktails. UXUA is sprawled across spotless sand and nestled between the ocean and heritage-protected mangroves.
Lounge on a day bed with an ocean view or beneath a flat-roofed pergola. The open bar is far from crowded, and it’s relaxed enough for locals to drop by for a cold beer. There’s beach volleyball and the sandy banks are used for training in capoeira – a Brazilian martial art.
region: South America
The Harrison Speakeasy
Argentina may be known for its big, bold reds, but expertly crafted cocktails are on the rise, and the best are hiding in Buenos Aires. It will, however, take some work to find them. Concealed behind a nondescript cellar in the back of a sushi restaurant called Nicky New York, The Harrison Speakeasy transports guests from the Palmero Soho neighbourhood to the sultry world of the 1920s Big Apple.
Entry into this land of crystal decanters, champagne and bourbon is exclusive, so unless you’re a member or rub shoulders with the right people, you’ll need to book a meal at the restaurant out front and do your best to charm the waiters. Your efforts will be more than rewarded once you’re sipping a creation poured by one of Argentina’s best bartenders, Seba Garcia.
Witness a Boca Juniors superclásico
The Boca Juniors always put on a good show and their fervent, fanatical fans are the embodiment of soccer team pride. But for the ultimate sporting experience, score a seat at a Boca Juniors vs River Plate superclásico, and witness one of the world’s fiercest rivalries between the most raucous supporters. La Bombonera stadium (The Estadio Alberto J. Armando stadium) crams 49,000 soccer nuts into its shell, but tickets are hard to come by. Splurge on an agency trip or sidle up to stadium scalpers – just make sure you don’t snag a sham.
Shed all shades of red lest Los Xeneizes (Boca fans) mark you as a rival. Thrust a blue and gold flag in the air, and bellow along with the fans – we reckon no matter how hard you try, they’ll outdo you every time. As supporters swell with pride, they swing from scaffolding, guzzle beer by the barrel and litter the crowd with confetti. Keep an eye on La Doce, ‘the 12th player,’ a gang of ferocious fans who claim an entire section of the stadium to devote to their antics. The fanatics don’t stop at the final siren so expect singing, chanting and jeers at the losing side as the post-game rivalry spills onto the streets of Buenos Aires.
Discover Street Art in Buenos Aires
Hunt for a metropolitan masterpiece down the cobblestone streets of Buenos Aires, bask in the relaxed porteño lifestyle and photograph some of the world’s best street art.
Study intricate murals, cute cartoons and famous sketches as you make your way around on a relaxed street art tour. Your guide, Aigul, will illuminate the politics behind many of the paintings and explain the history of their quirky creators. Learn about influential artists like Blu, Jaz and Gualicho, then celebrate the city’s appreciation for arte urbano with a drink at the first street art gallery-cum-bar.
Venezuela’s Caribbean islets
If you’re keen to get off the grid, the Caribbean islets of Los Roques are tough to beat. This cluster of 350 islands, cays and atolls is awash with powder-white sand, eye-popping technicolour reefs and dazzling waters coloured in every shade of blue. Declared a national park in 1972, the archipelago has a cap on tourists and restricts development, ensuring the islands remain unspoilt.
El Gran Roque, the largest and only populated island, is dotted with rustic pousadas (hotels), markets and dive shops, yet still retains its local charm. Explore the surrounding islands – you’re spoilt for choice – and enjoy the chance to swim, snorkel and sand-flop in total seclusion. This just might be the paradise you’ve been searching for.
Rumba in Chiva: Colombia’s Booze Bus
You’ve probably never considered a bus tour to be a particularly cool way to explore a city, but then you’ve probably never heard of Colombia’s Rumba in Chiva. These night tours of Cartagena swap the usual dull, double-decker buses and pre-recorded audio guides for rustic, brightly coloured chiva buses, where party-loving revellers cram onto rows of benches. Add free-flowing rum, a three-piece band and empanadas to line your stomach, and you’ve got a recipe for a brilliantly trashy night out on the town.
After rumbling around the city to check out the best sights, you’ll be deposited at a nightclub. Your party bus will linger for an hour or so, but it’s far more fun to party like a local, so wave your wheels goodbye and make your way home at dawn.
Caño Cristales: Colombia’s rainbow river
The ‘liquid rainbow’ that runs through the tiny town of La Macarena, between the Andes and the Amazon, is considered the most beautiful river in the world for a reason – we guarantee you’ve never seen anything like it. For a few short months each year, the Caño Cristales bursts with colour – bold swathes of pink, red, yellow, orange and green – giving the crystal-clear water a festive appearance.
The source of this kaleidoscope of colour? The aquatic flower Macarenia clavigera, which blooms in a riot of hues, creating an Instagram-worthy natural phenomenon.
Casapueblo
When artist Carlos Páez Vilaró found a wooden shack on the beach at Punta Ballena, near Maldonado, he decided it was where he would work. Inspired by the architecture of Santorini, he added some rooms to the original structure then kept on building – for 36 years.
Now, the massive and distinctively quirky hotel – which deliberately features a total of zero straight lines – consists of 72 apartments across 13 floors, all of which have terraces overlooking the ocean. There’s also a studio and museum showcasing the work of Vilaró, who died in 2014.
The Incan ruins of Choquequirao
There’s no denying Machu Picchu is a stunning sight, but with thousands of visitors passing through its temples and rocky ruins every day, it’s not as if you’re going to feel like Hiram Bingham. If you’re not afraid to get a little hot and sweaty, take a trip instead to Choquequirao, high above the Apurímac River outside of Cusco. After a two-day trek, you’ll find yourself, with perhaps a handful of other hardy souls, wandering these magical Incan ruins.
One of the most amazing features is a series of terraces embellished with figures of llamas created from white stone. The only way out is the way you came, so it’s down the valley and back up again along steep switchbacks bathed in sunlight. Be sure to keep an eye out for huge shadows of the Andean condors that soar overhead. Some say this is the toughest trek in Peru, so consider engaging the help of a touring company in Cusco.
Witness Kaieteur Falls
Niagara eat your heart out. Kaieteur Falls in central Guyana is the largest single-drop waterfall in the world and five times higher than its North American cousin. The falls plunge 251 metres over a sandstone cliff (the biggest drop is 226 metres), with an Olympic swimming pool-sized torrent thundering over the precipice every four seconds.
Fly over these world-class cascades for a spectacular bird’s-eye perspective, then explore the falls, Potaro River and the surrounding rainforest on foot, keeping a lookout for golden frogs hiding in giant bromeliads, and colourful cock-of-the-rock birds.
