Recommend March 2011 - (Page 32)

MEXICO GUATEMALA Guatemala City San Salvador BELIZE Belmopan San Pedro Sula Tegucigalpa HONDURAS EL SALVADOR Managua NICARAGUA San Jose Barranquilla Pta. Gallinas Maracaibo COSTA RICA PANAMA Panama City Medellín ena Caracas VENEZUELA G oc Or in o A T L A N T I C O C E A Cabo Corrientes dal THE ANDEAN QUARTET Cali Mag Br Punta Galera an co Huila COLOMBIA Bogota U in Or I A N A GUYANA Georgetown Paramaribo FRENCH GUIANA Cayenne oc o H I G H L A N D S SURINAME Guayaquil ECUADOR Mar a nón Chimborazo Quito Ne Put gr Macapá na az o o Manaus Am B. de Marajó I. de Marajó Belèm B. de São Marcos umayo J apurá To c a n t i n s S E L V us A S M Punta Aguja J uruá r Pu ad e ir a T a p a jó s Fortal Xingu ia ua ag Ar Nevado Huascarán Pa r n ai ba The jagged spine of the Andes Mountains runs from the north of South America down the western coast of the continent, forming a monumental range linking Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. At the same time, this quartet of nations shares the cultural inheritance of the continent’s most illustrious pre-Columbian cultures and the colonial legacy of the Spanish conquest. N Gu S A S La Paz ATA ALT Lake Poopó BOLIVIA S C H A C O N an á C A M MATO GROSSO Brasília BRAZILIAN HIGHLANDS A R A N CHILE Nevado Ojos del Salado ilc N om PARAGUAY ayo T P ar I P A C I F I C O C E A N Belo Horizonte Reprêsa Ilha Grande Volcán Llullaillaco U Itaipu Res. u SER A R DO Asunción M O G M AR Rio de Janeiro Sao Paulo a y S U ru A T L A N T I C Pôrto Lagôa dos Patos Lagôa Mirim P I N Lake Titicaca PLANALTO DE O Mar Chiquito D E ARGENTINA Rosario N Co lor ad o P A Ne M Chu bu t P Santiago A gr o S Buenos Aires URUGUAY A FALKLAND/MALVINAS ISLANDS West Falkland Strait of Magellan Tierra del Fuego C. San Diego Cape Horn East Falkland Cartagena de Indias in Colombia. Lying at the extreme northwest corner of South America, Colombia is the gem of two oceans: 500 miles of Paciﬁc coastline and another 700 miles along the Caribbean. Vibrant and diverse, BOGOTA is Colombia’s ﬁrst city in every way: a commercial and intellectual hub, home to world-class museums, a charming colonial quarter and a vibrant restaurant scene. Top sights include a walking tour of La Candelaria historic district, packed with churches, craft markets and cafes; the Museo de Oro, housing 34,000 pre-Columbian gold artifacts; a day trip to the Salt Cathedral at Ziparqira. + From Bogota, plan to visit neighboring Boyaca Province, staying for two nights in VILLA DE LEYVA, a picture-perfect town of art galleries, craft shops, churches, cafes, restaurants and delightful inns occupying colonial buildings. + One of Colombia’s most special wildland outposts is TAYRONA NATIONAL PARK, located on the northern Atlantic coast beyond the historic town of Santa Marta. The park embraces both rainforest L6 COLOMBIA (alive with 100 animal species and 200 bird species) and seacoast (a vibrant coral reef for off-beach diving and snorkeling). Book accommodations at the new colony of ecohabs (upscale cabanas). + With good reason, visitors are ﬂocking to the colonial jewel of the Caribbean coast—CARTAGENA DE INDIAS, a lively, pastel-colored, fun-ﬁlled resort town. A well-preserved, walled-in old town and remnants of the Spanish Main’s 16th century glory days give Cartagena a great historical richness (it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site), while the Caribbean provides a front yard of clear waters, beaches and dozens of islands to explore on day trips. + Farther offshore, the resort island of SAN ANDRES is popular for its white beaches and scuba diving, and a 20-minute ﬂight away, the island of PROVIDENCIA offers the most authentic Caribbean ambiance of all. + Colombia’s most famous ancient ruins lie in SAN AGUSTIN NATIONAL PARK—the largest group of religious monuments and megalithic sculptures in South America. + To enjoy Colombia at her modern best, include time in MEDELLIN, a prosperous city enjoying a vibrant arts scene—a credit to native son Fernando Botero, whose sculptures crown many city squares. HOTEL HIGHS: SOFITEL SANTA CLARA in Cartagena started the craze of converting colonial mansions to deluxe hotels, but the buzz goes on in smaller boutique properties, such as the 11-room CASA PESTAGUA and the super-exclusive, 7-room TCHERASSI HOTEL. TOUR SAMPLE: YAMPU LATIN AMERICA TOURS (YAMPU.COM) TERENCE K. MURPHY offers an 8-day itinerary visiting Bogota, Cartagena and Tayrona National Park; priced from $3,643 pp dbl, including international and internal air and choice of three-, four-, and ﬁve-star accommodations. FAST FACTS: GETTING THERE: From the U.S., nonstop air service to Bogota, Cartagena, Cali, Barranquilla, Medellin ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: U.S. passport, valid for six months beyond visit BEST TIME TO GO: November to May; visiting the Amazon (gateway Leticia), choose July and August continued on page L8 recommend.com g A N Lima PERU T SI ER RA DO BRAZIL Barragem de Sobradinho Sáo ATI CA o cisc Fran S NGA D E S Ar M O in os S PA RE C IS apo ré U Salvado Mamo ré CAM IPL AN O A DESERT P Sala do O C E A N Sa lad o Montevideo http://www.YAMPU.COM http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend March 2011

Editor's Notes/Agent Speak
Hotel Desk
Tour Talk
Disney Dream
Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Mexico
Baja Airventures
Central Gems of Japan
2011 Guide to Latin America
The Tastier Side of Central Japan
Ireland With Brian Moore International Tours
Exploring Antiquity: Egypt, Israel & Jordan
Sailing Into Antiquity on the Nile
Florida's Ever-Changing Hotel Landscape
Riding North America's Rails
Small Ships in the Old South
Turks & Caicos Keeps Expanding
St. Lucia—Beyond the Pitons

Recommend March 2011