Things to Do in Central And South America

Situated at the heart of Zona Sul and all but completely separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the upscale district of Ipanema, Rodrigo de Freitas Lake has been among Rio’s most distinguishing natural landmarks since the city was first established in the 16th century. In the shadow of Corcovado and covering nearly a square mile in surface area, the lagoon lends its name to the adjacent garden district of Lagoa and serves as a recreational area and beauty spot for local residents, with nearly 3 miles of bike and jogging trails, boathouses for rowing, and several exclusive social clubs located along the edge of the lagoon.

Named for a young Portuguese army official who lived in the area in the early 1700s, the history behind the glassy lagoon wasn’t always placid. The first Portuguese settler in the area, Rio governor Antonio Salema, slaughtered the indigenous Temoio Indians with smallpox-infected clothing when he arrived on the scene in 1575 to build a sugar mill. Subsequent conquests have been as recent as the 1960s, when residents of a favela built on a neighboring hillside were forcibly removed and the hill, along with the ramshackle dwellings, was flattened to make way for some of the high-class high-rises that exist today.  

Composing part of the border between Argentina and Uruguay, this 180-mile-long estuary is formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River. Though used for centuries by native tribes, the river wasn’t explored by Europeans until the 16th-century Spanish navigator Juan Díaz de Solís went in search of a passage between the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. He originally named this enclosed coastal body, about one mile across at its widest point, the Mar Dulce, or freshwater sea; after multiple explorations by various other Spanish navigators, the waterway came to be known as the Rio de la Plata, or River of Silver, for the promise of riches thought to lie upstream.

Located only 7.5 miles (12 km) from Bonito, this nature reserve along the shores of the Rio Formoso offers myriad activities. Adventurers can embark on horseback and hiking expeditions that weave through the green canopy forests of the Cerrado ecosystem, while the aquatically inclined can take to the transparent blue waters of the Rio Formoso outfitted in snorkeling or diving gear to glide past schools of fish and subaquatic plants. For an adrenaline rush, jump into a raft for a 90-minute descent along the river’s rapids. This thrilling ride ends at the Ilha do Padre, an island outfitted with a restaurant, bar, and plenty of inviting hammocks.

Palm-fringed, white-sand beaches stretch for 40 miles (64 kilometers) along the coast of Roatan, the largest of the Bay Islands. Roatan is located 30 miles (48 kilometers) off the coast of Honduras and is surrounded by the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. The island’s economy is based primarily on tourism and Roatan is dotted with small towns, resorts and gated communities. The Bay Islands are located along part of the world’s second-largest barrier reef system and Roatan is one of the top scuba diving destinations in the Caribbean.

How to Get to Roatan

Roatan’s cruise port is located on the south side of the island just outside Coxen Hole, the capital and largest city on the Bay Islands. You’ll find a variety of shopping and dining options within the cruise port complex, although there aren’t many attractions for visitors in Coxen Hole. Taxis and minibuses wait just outside the cruise port to shuttle visitors into town and around the island.

One Day in Roatan

Many of the best beaches and attractions in Roatan are located on the west end of the island and arguably the best way to visit these attractions is on shore excursions. West Bay Beach and Half Moon Bay are two of the most popular destinations for visitors to Roatan and offer excellent diving and snorkeling, as well as sport fishing and a variety of watersports including sea kayaking and sailing.
Experienced divers can visit some of the more secluded dive spots along the island’s central coast including the Valley of the Kings, French Cay Bank and Mary’s Place. Families will enjoy visits to the island’s iguana farm, the botanical gardens in Sandy Bay and the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences.

Port Information

Spanish is the official language in Honduras, although you’ll find that many people in Roatan speak English. The official currency is the lempira and it’s fixed to the U.S. dollar. U.S. dollars are widely accepted all over the island but you’ll often receive change in the local currency. It’s a good idea to carry small bills and change for things like taxi rides and tips.

Connecting the distant shores of Guanabara Bay—the wide expanse of water bordering Rio to the east that the first Portuguese explorers in Brazil assumed to be the mouth of a river one sunny New Year’s Day just over five centuries ago—the Rio Niteroi Bridge remains one of the country’s engineering marvels. First conceived in 1875 and finally opened 99 years later, the 8.25-mile-long bridge carries an average of 140,000 vehicles a day between Rio and the city of Niteroi, former capital of the federal state of Guanabara (now merged with Rio de Janeiro state) and home to the remarkable Oscar Niemeyer-designed Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC).

Officially named for former Brazilian president Lucio Costa e Silva, the bridge rises to 236 feet at its highest point and was the world’s second-longest span when it opened in 1974, trumped at the time only by Louisiana’s Lake Pontchartrain causeway. While not as picturesque an experience as the ferry link across the bay, the views from the bridge heading west into Rio are still stunning, with downtown Rio, Sugar Loaf, and Corcovado all striking a picture postcard pose. Scores of low-flying jets landing at nearby Santos-Dumont airport every few minutes also add to the spectacle.