Brazilian Adventures—Take Your Pick!

Brazil is perhaps South America’s most emblematic country, but it’s also a regional anomaly.  It’s a Portuguese-speaking country surrounded by Spanish-speaking neighbors.  It’s one of the most ethnically-diverse countries found anywhere in the world.  It’s also massive in size and home to one of the world’s last true wilderness areas, the Amazon Rainforest.  It should come as no surprise, then, that Brazil is one of the world’s greatest destinations for adventure tourism—and like everything else in this country, there is so much going on that sometimes the array of possibilities can be overwhelming.  Let’s take a look at just a few of the choices that magnificent Brazil has to offer:

Paddling up the Amazon River

1. Exploring the Amazon

The Amazon Rainforest is the world’s largest, and it’s also home to the planet’s most massive river system.  The Amazon River itself is huge and is able to accommodate larger ships, making it a popular destination for luxurious “river cruises” that still provide a window into the natural beauty of the jungle ecosystem.  For a true adventure, however, take the opportunity to explore some of the river’s tributaries in smaller vessels or even a traditional dugout canoe.  In doing so, you’ll get up close and personal with the flora and fauna of both the river and the forest and you may even experience a chance encounter with one of the region’s many still-thriving indigenous tribes.



2. Adventures in the Big City

A Variety of Activities in Rio de Janeiro

Just because Brazil is renowned for its rainforest doesn’t mean you have to leave the city for an adventure.  Rio de Janeiro, one of the most exotic cities in the world, is cosmopolitan in every way, but it’s also surrounded by natural features stunning enough that they alone would make the city an attractive destination.  Within the boundaries of Rio de Janeiro itself, go cycling.  Go surfing or scuba diving off the city’s beach.  And, in the surrounding mountains, try hang-gliding, paragliding, or simply take a hike.

3. Visit Iguaçu Falls

Iguacu Falls, Brazil

On Brazil’s southwestern border sit the Iguaçu Falls, some of the most impressive waterfalls found anywhere in the world.  Though most of the falls are technically on the Argentinian side, this means that Brazil has the superior view!  Companies located on the Brazilian side offer helicopter tours to visitors who want to get up close and personal, so if this sounds like an adventure you’d like to take we highly recommend it.

Before You Go... 

Pick up our Brazil map. This GPS map will give you turn by turn directions to your destination using a point of interest (POI), city point, and/or latitude and longitude, with the ability to preplan driving destinations before getting into your car.


The easy to follow instructions allow you to download and install the map into Garmin BaseCamp desktop software and transfer it to your Garmin GPS in minutes. This installable map is compatible with ALL Garmin GPS units .

It's like having your own personal travel guide with you on your trip!

Screen Capture from our Brazil GPS Map.

Screen Capture from our Brazil GPS Map.

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Amazing Pictures of Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a beautiful and amazing place. It straddles the landmass of Central America, giving it both Pacific and Atlantic coasts, and has a wide, extremely diverse variety of plant and animal life. If you haven't been yet, we highly encourage you to plan your next vacation there. In the meantime, please enjoy this photoblog of Costa Rica. Then pick up our GPS Map and start planning!

Rainforest, Monteverde, Costa Rica

Rio Celeste waterfall, Costa Rica

Arenal, Costa Rica

Three-fingered Sloth

Volcan Poas, Costa Rica

Black beach in Jaco, Costa 

Bungee Jaco Costa Rica

Turtles in Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

Waterfalls, Monetezuma, Mal Pais, Costa Rica

Howler monkeys, Tamarindo, Costa Rica

Barra Honda National Park, Costa Rica

La Fortuna Waterfall, Costa Rica 

Tabacon Hot Springs, Costa Rica

Learn more about Costa Rica, including other top destinations, major cities, hotels, and restaurants in our Costa Rica Travel Guide.

Before You Go... 

Pick up our Costa Rica map. This GPS map will give you turn by turn directions to your destination using a point of interest (POI), city point, and/or latitude and longitude, with the ability to preplan driving destinations before getting into your car.

The easy to follow instructions allow you to download and install the map into Garmin BaseCamp desktop software and transfer it to your Garmin GPS in minutes. This installable map is compatible with ALL Garmin GPS units .

It's like having your own personal travel guide with you on your trip!

Screen Capture from our Costa Rica GPS Map.

Screen Capture from our Costa Rica GPS Map.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

You can also connect with us on Google Plus, see our travel guide pictures on Pinterest, and view some of our videos on YouTube.

Historic Suchitoto, El Salvador

Some of Suchitoto's famous cobblestones

Suchitoto is an important historic and cultural town in the hills above Suchitlan Lake, well known for it's cobblestoned streets. It is a popular weekend and vacation destination for El Salvadorans and tourists alike.

About an hour northeast of San Salvador, travelers can find Suchitoto easily with our El Salvador GPS Map. Here are some things to see in Suchitoto:



Iglesia Santa Lucía - Built in 1853, the church is the focal point of the historic town, facing onto a plaza where residents gather in the cool evenings. The church is one of the best examples of post-colonial architecture in El Salvador and you'll often find the nuns visiting with town residents in the plaza.

Iglesia Santa Lucia

Cascada Los Tercios - A unique geologic waterfall made up of hexagonal columns of rock. Water flows
over them between May and November, however it is worth a visit to see the rock formations even in the dry season. The waterfall is located 1.5km from town and there is a small scramble through rocks and trees to see the best view of the falls. Salto El Cubo and Los Limones are other waterfalls in the area worth visiting.

Turicentro Puerto San Juan - Along the banks of La
ke Suchitlan down the hill from town is a small tourist center. Although there are some swimming pools, restaurants and craft sellers the main attraction is a boat tour around the lake. For a small fee you'll get your own private tour explaining birds, islands, the history of the lake and anything else from the friendly captains. Try to go in the early evening as the sunset is best from the water.

Cascada Los Tercios

Cinquera - A guerrilla stronghold during the civil war, this small town is a short drive from Suchitoto. Historical markers include touring through a guerrilla encampment and kitchen designed to disperse smoke to avoid detection. The Cinquera Forest provides 5,320 hectares of protected terrain with various hiking trails and lookout points.

Ciudad Viejo - Just 9km from Suchitoto, this archeological site is the original capital city of El Salvador founded in 1528. Foundations of the buildings are located there including the first Catholic Church in the country.

Learn more about El Salvador, including other Top Destinations, Major Cities, hotels, and restaurants in our El Salvador Travel Guide.

Before You Go... 

Pick up our El Salvador map. This GPS map will give you turn by turn directions to your destination using a point of interest (POI), city point, and/or latitude and longitude, with the ability to preplan driving destinations before getting into your car.

The easy to follow instructions allow you to download and install the map into Garmin BaseCamp desktop software and transfer it to your Garmin GPS in minutes. This installable map is compatible with ALL Garmin GPS units .

It's like having your own personal travel guide with you on your trip!

Screen Capture of our El Salvador GPS Map.

Screen Capture of our El Salvador GPS Map.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

You can also connect with us on Google Plus, see our travel guide pictures on Pinterest, and view some of our videos on YouTube.

Exploring Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Macaroni Beach

La Soufriere

In the Lesser Antilles, due west of Barbados, sits the island nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The topography of the country is quite interesting—Saint Vincent is a relatively large island which comprises most of the nation’s land mass, while the country’s territory in the Grenadines archipelago is spread over hundreds of islands but amounts to considerably less in terms of square mileage.


As far as beaches go, there is no shortage in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.  Although it’s a small country, many are surprised to learn that it features both white and black sand beaches.  Two of the

Falls of Baleine

most famous white sand beaches are Macaroni Beach and Princess Margaret Beach, located on the islands of Mustique and Bequia respectively.  Though not on the main island of Saint Vincent, both of these beaches are located just a short trip away by boat or water taxi—making them popular with tourists due to a mix of exclusivity and accessibility.  The main island of Saint Vincent itself is where you will find the majority of the nation’s black sand beaches, this being due to the island’s volcanic history.  We certainly recommend you visiting a few while you drive around the island!

Natural beauty in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines goes beyond beaches, however.  For an incredible volcano hike, visit La Soufriere, and for a stunning waterfall swim, check out the Falls of Baleine.  By their very nature, these islands were made for exploring.

Before You Go... 

Pick up our St. Vincent & the Grenadines maps. This GPS map will give you turn by turn directions to your destination using a point of interest (POI), city point, and/or latitude and longitude, with the ability to preplan driving destinations before getting into your car.

The easy to follow instructions allow you to download and install the map into Garmin BaseCamp desktop software and transfer it to your Garmin GPS in minutes. This installable map is compatible with ALL Garmin GPS units .

It's like having your own personal travel guide with you on your trip!

Screen Capture from our St. Vincent and the Grenadines GPS Map

Screen Capture from our St. Vincent and the Grenadines GPS Map

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

You can also connect with us on Google Plus, see our travel guide pictures on Pinterest, and view some of our videos on YouTube.

3 Incredible Adventures in Costa Rica

Arenal Zip Line

Costa Rica is the most visited Central American country. Partly this is because it is considered one of the safest and most stable countries in the region, but primarily it is due to the extensive range of incredible adventure activities in stunning locations. We're listing our top 3 things to do in Costa Rica to inspire you to visit and explore this wondrous country. Each of these can easily be found using our Costa Rica GPS Map.

1. Ride the Sky Trek

Sky Trek is one of the most amazing zip line experiences in the world, and possibly the longest. Nine zip line cables take you 3 kilometers in two hours through the jungle, over Arenal Lake, and past Arenal Volcano. You will begin your journey by taking the Sky Tram to the top, so you will have magnificent views of your surroundings on the way up and zip lining down. Extend your trip with two additional options. Sky Walk is a combination of suspension bridges (up to 1,000 feet long) and trails that take you above the cloud forest. Sky River Drift adds 3 zip lines, a free style jump to the river, and a 3.7 kilometer raft descent.

Rio Celeste

2. Swim the Rio Celeste

Legend has it that after He finished painting the sky, God cleaned off his paintbrush in the Rio Celeste. The color of the water could certainly give that impression. Located in the Tenorio Volcano National Park, the Rio Celeste is off the beaten path for most visitors to Costa Rica. Depending on your hiking speed and weather, the trip from the Park entrance to the Rio Celeste waterfall will take 45-90 minutes of tough hiking, and it's worth every step. Once you arrive at the falls, take a few moments to dip your feet in the water, jump off a nearby rock, or just go for a swim. Once you've cooled off, you can head upstream to find the spot where crystal clear water combines with volcanic minerals to produce the incredible blue waters of the river. Along the way, stop off and visit one of the many hot springs. The hike from this confluence back to the Park entrance is about an hour and a half.

Bahia Drake

3. Drake Bay Adventures

Drake Bay is a great destination for those travelers seeking a combination of adventure and escape from the more touristy locations. In Drake Bay you can find it all: kayaking, scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, hiking, horseback riding, bird watching, sport fishing, bird-watching, or walks on the beach. Drake Bay is an excellent jumping off point for visits to Punta Río Claro National Wildlife Refuge or the Campanario Biological Reserve. Or you can head over to Cano Island for a variety of activities, including snorkeling, visiting the Caño Island Biological Reserve, examining mysterious pre-Columbian artifacts, or catching a glimpse of Ridley sea turtles laying their eggs.

Whether you follow our suggestions or create your own adventures, Costa Rica is the place to go for great adventure, beautiful scenery, and getting away from it all.

Learn more about Costa Rica, including other Top Destinations, Major Cities, hotels, and restaurants in our Costa Rica Travel Guide.

Before You Go... 

Pick up our Costa Rica map. This GPS map will give you turn by turn directions to your destination using a point of interest (POI), city point, and/or latitude and longitude, with the ability to preplan driving destinations before getting into your car.

The easy to follow instructions allow you to download and install the map into Garmin BaseCamp desktop software and transfer it to your Garmin GPS in minutes. This installable map is compatible with ALL Garmin GPS units .

It's like having your own personal travel guide with you on your trip!

A screen capture from our Costa Rica GPS Map

A screen capture from our Costa Rica GPS Map

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

You can also connect with us on Google Plus, see our travel guide pictures on Pinterest, and view some of our videos on YouTube.

Tantalizing Trinidad & Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago are two beautiful and amazing islands in the southeast Caribbean. As with many Caribbean islands, there is a wide variety of activities to enjoy, from lying on the beach, diving, and soaking up the sun, to exploring history and nature. Enjoy these pictures and then head on over to our website!

Paria Bay

Caroni Bird Sanctuary

Tufted Coquette

Green Iguana

Pointe-a-Pierre

Port of Spain

Sea Life

Baobab tree

Rincon Waterfall

Scarlet Ibises

Steps to Pirates Bay

Tobago

See more amazing pictures here!

Before You Go...

Pick up our Trinidad & Tobago map. This GPS map will give you turn by turn directions to your destination using a point of interest (POI), city point, and/or latitude and longitude, with the ability to preplan driving destinations before getting into your car.

The easy to follow instructions allow you to download and install the map into Garmin BaseCamp desktop software and transfer it to your Garmin GPS in minutes. This installable map is compatible with ALL Garmin GPS units .

It's like having your own personal travel guide with you on your trip!

A Screen Capture from our Trinidad & Tobago GPS Map

A Screen Capture from our Trinidad and Tobago GPS Map

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

You can also connect with us on Google Plus, see our travel guide pictures on Pinterest, and view some of our videos on YouTube.