Things to Do in Noosa & Sunshine Coast

Whether it’s hiking up the rugged terrain of Dominican Republic’s tallest falls on foot or riding horseback through the steep mountain passes, a trip to the El Limón waterfall is a quintessential Dominican Republic experience. Crested mountaintops stretch some 2,100 feet into the sky, and tropical plants, like coffee and cocoa, line trails that lead to the impressive cascade. And if picturesque Caribbean landscape isn't enough, a crystal-clear natural pool at the foot of the falls offers tired travelers the perfect place to cool off after a hot mountain hike. 

El Prado is a residential neighborhood of Montevideo that features beautiful historic homes and manicured, tree-lined streets. The area includes the former presidential residence, Montevideo’s main park area, the Juan Manuel Blanes Museum and three soccer stadiums. 

Parque del Prado is a peaceful spot for residents of Montevideo, as Miguelete Creek flows through the park and the expansive 102-acre (41-hectare) grounds feature a rose garden, botanical garden, fountains and monuments. The botanical garden contains over 1,000 plant species and is the only one of its kind in Uruguay. The rose garden includes imported roses from France and was designed by French landscape architect Charles Recine. Hotel del Prado, built in the French neoclassical style, sits within Parque del Prado’s grounds and serves as a tea house and meeting room today. 

What was once the official presidential palace (from 1947 to 2005) is today a shelter for homeless people. The most recent presidents did not move into the residence, with José Mujica (inaugurated in 2010) securing an agreement to let homeless people move in. 

The Juan Manuel Blanes Museum is also called the Museum of Fine Arts and celebrates the famous Uruguayan painter. The museum grounds also include a beautiful Japanese garden. 

Bella Vista Athletic Club (José Nasazzi Park), River Plate Athletic Club (Federico Saroldi Park) and Montevideo Wanderers (Alfredo V. Viera Park) are the soccer clubs that play within the El Prado neighborhood. 

Former Spanish capital Toledo was famously once home to three diverse and thriving cultures: the Catholics, the Muslims and the Jews. And there’s no better place to discover the rich history of the latter – the Jews – than by visiting the city’s El Tránsito Synagogue. It was constructed in the 14th century, and is now home to the Museo Sefardí (the Sephardic Museum) featuring Jewish art, objects and history.

The synagogue was founded and financed by Sameul ha-Leví, after whom it was originally named. Following the expulsion of the Jews, however, it eventually served other purposes, such as a military barracks, and as an church called Nuestra Señora del Tránsito, hence the synagogue’s current name. What you’ll find here today is a splendid, albeit small example of Mudéjar-style architecture, and, beyond that, an educational and meaningful link to the city’s Jewish past.

The largest of El Salvador’s four national parks, El Imposible National Park is also home to one of the world’s most fragile ecosystems, offering refuge for a number of endangered animals and plant species. Set on one of the country’s most important historic trade routes, El Imposible (The Impossible) was named for its treacherously steep gorge that claimed the lives of many travellers and mules throughout the years. 

Thankfully, since the building of a bridge across the pass back in 1968, exploring the park has been much easier and today the 3,800-hectare parklands are a prime spot for hikers - a sweeping landscape of riverside mangrove forests and rugged peaks soaring to heights of 1,450 meters. Wildlife spotting is another popular pastime with around 250 bird varieties found in the park, including rare species like Great Curassow, King Vulture, Turquoise-browed Motmot and black-crested eagles, as well as pumas, tigrillos, wild boars and a vast array of butterflies.

The Basics

El Picacho Mountain, located within the relatively new Parque Naciones Unidas El Picacho, is famous for the 65-foot (20-meter) tall statue of Christ the Redeemer at its peak. Visible from almost anywhere in Tegucigalpa, the statue has been watching over the city since it was erected in 1997. An old white-lettered Coca-Cola sign on the side of the hill has led to the nickname “Coca-Cola Christ” among the less religiously inclined residents of the city.

A fairly easy walk to the top brings visitors past a small zoo, but the main reason to make the journey is for the panoramic views of Tegus from the top.

El Morado is the name given to one of the most popular hikes in Cajón de Maipo, an area that follows a narrow river valley south east of the city, heading up towards the Andes, and to Argentina. Along this serpentine road, there are loads of places to stop and eat everything from full meals to a traditional coffee and kuchen (German-style fruit pastry), and in the plaza in San José del Maipo (the main town), there are always handicrafts for sale.

But further up the valley is the entrance to El Morado, a wide open uphill hike on which you can see the many striations of natural coloration in the rock, from red to brown to green and yellow. If you continue up, you arrive at the San Francisco Lagoon and Glacier. For those who have never seen a glacier before, it’s a stunning sight, and though you’ll probably want to dip a hand or foot in the milky glacial lagoon below just to say you did, you’ll probably quickly step away, as the water is at near freezing point. When the ice of the San Franciso Glacier is stable, you may see people climbing it, though it goes without saying that that is only for well-equipped experts.

Possible animal sightings here include many different types of birds including a giant hummingbird and some small mammals such as the small, burrowing herbivorous coruro, that looks a bit like a prairie dog.

Strolling past the grey concrete arch of El Rosario Church, it’s hard to believe that the bleak, hangar-like building is a place of worship, and if it wasn’t for the single, featureless white cross rising from its entrance, you’d likely pass right by. Don’t be put off by its dreary façade, though – step through the church doors and you’ll be confronted by a startling wall of color. The inspired creation of artist Ruben Martinez, the arched walls are adorned with scrap-metal figures and feature dozens of stepped windows made of colored glass, which flood the open, pillar-less hall with a kaleidoscope of light. 

Built in 1971, the church was as controversial as it was innovative, and today it remains among El Salvador’s most unique and memorable landmarks. El Rosario Church is also famous as the resting place of José Matías Delgado, or “Padre Delgado,” the father of Central American independence.

December 11, 1981, is a day El Salvador will never forget. That was the day when American trained soldiers marched into the town of Mozote, and massacred over 800 civilians—half of which were children. As part of El Salvador’s brutal Civil War, the massacre was simply written off as a tragic byproduct of conflict, where leftist guerrillas must be suppressed, regardless of what it might cost. Today, the world has come to realize the slaughter was only of innocent civilians, and had no bearing, and nothing to do with, the rebels the government was fighting. When touring El Mozote Monument today, hear the stories of the lone survivor who escaped the village alive, and see the church where dozens fled just be to shot while inside. Outside the church is a powerful memorial with the names of those who were killed, and a silhouette statue of a family holding hands that rests in the “Garden of the Innocents.” A second memorial sits atop a hill just half a mile from town, where the same silhouette of the family holding hands is which looks out over the forests and valleys that housed such senseless slaughter.

Located in San Jose de Maipo outside of the Chilean capital, El Yeso Dam (Embalse El Yeso) dammed the Yeso River to create a lovely turquoise reservoir that can hold more than 253 million cubic meters of water. While only 60 miles (98 kilometers) outside of Santiago, El Yeso Dam feels very remote. The views across the reservoir to the snow-capped mountains in the distance rank among the best in the Chilean Andes.

While the El Yeso reservoir provides drinking water to residents of Santiago, it also serves more recreational purposes. Residents and tourists alike head to the turquoise waters for sport fishing, windsurfing or picnicking on the banks.

Technically, El Sagrario is the chapel that’s physically attached to Quito’s Old Town Cathedral. Thanks to its separate entrance, however, and ornate, stone façade, El Sagrario is considered a sight unto itself when wandering Quito’s Old Town. Constructed between 1617 and 1747, El Sagrario showcases architectural styles from Baroque to Neoclassical. Ionian columns and Corinthian columns both help hold up the façade, and the interior is lavishly decorated with touches of Renaissance art. Gaze upward at the frescoed archangels flying their way towards the chapel’s cupola, or down at the crypts beneath the floor that hold some of Quito’s remains. One of Quito’s most celebrated sculptors—Bernardo de Legarda—placed his touches on El Sagrario in the middle of the 18th century, and in addition to being a literal sanctuary from Old Town’s bustling streets, El Sagrario is a cultural and artistic treasure that’s free and easy to visit.  

This nearly seven-acre botanical garden and zoo began as a privately owned nursery, for which the owner gradually began collecting animals and birds. Other people donated animals as well, with the most famous having once belonged to the dictator Manuel Noriega. In time, the site evolved into a public zoo, which now has animals from all around the world, some even from as far away as Madagascar.

Among the endemic animals are the Capuchin and spider monkeys, ocelots, toucans, jaguars, macaws and sloths. This is also one of the best places to see the striking, endangered, Panama native rana dorada, also known as the golden frog.

The onsite Centro de Conservación de Anfibios, with anquarium and exhibits, serves as a center for amphibian studies, sponsored by zoos from the United States. The zoo is surrounded by trees and a botanical garden, a pleasant area to picnic.

Located on Cozumel’s rugged eastern coast, El Mirador lookout is a rocky seascape dotted with natural bridges, tide pools, and stone spires. This wild, undeveloped area looks out onto the open Caribbean Sea and offers a breezy escape from Cozumel’s more touristy areas. 

Head to the lookout tower to watch giant waves crash against the rocky coast, soak up sun on a small sandy beach, explore sun-warmed tidal pools, or hike along the shore. Due to its remote location, El Mirador lookout is a good place to spot seabirds and other wildlife. Some Cozumel island tours—including private and wheelchair-accessible excursions—call on this wild lookout point, and often visit other local attractions such as tequila factories and flea markets. 

El Mirador lookout is located on the eastern side of Cozumel, in the Quintana Roo region of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. The beach lies roughly 20 miles (30 kilometers) southeast of San Miguel, the island’s main city. Taxis, rental cars, and scooters are popular ways to travel on the small island. 

You can visit El Mirador year-round but it’s busiest from December through April, when the weather tends to be sunny and warm. There are fewer crowds during hurricane season (May through October), but be sure to check the weather for storms.

Don’t-miss spots on Cozumel’s eastern side include Paradise Café, Chen Rio beach and restaurant, and Coconuts Bar & Grill—a restaurant with panoramic views of the rocky coastline. Punta Sur Eco Beach Park is a must-see wilderness spot on the island’s southern reaches—an area with expansive beaches, rich coral reefs, and wetlands home to crocodiles and migratory birds.

Perhaps the most well-preserved pre-Hispanic ruins in the state of Veracruz, El Tajin is rich with Mexican history and mythology from the infamous Totonac people.

Archeologists believe this once thriving town was occupied as early as the year 800. Its fertile grounds are divided into three distinct areas that include open plazas, natural greenery and iconic pyramids, including the famous Pyramid of the Niches. This popular landmark was built at approximately the same time as the well-known Chichen Itza in the Mayan Region. Its rocky steps lead to a peak that’s home to incredible views and a holy temple where Totonacs once worshiped. 

El Tajin Ruins are numerous, and while the World Heritage Site is interesting to wander alone, expert guides are available for travelers looking to learn even more about the history, culture and traditions of the Totonac from a resident expert. 

El Mokattam Mountain Cave Church, also known as the Monastery of St Simon, is located in the Mokattam mountain in southeast Cairo. The area is known as ‘garbage city’ due to the 

large number of garbage collectors or ‘Zabbaleen’ that live there and sort through the city’s waste, recycling up to 80% of it.

To reach El Mokattam Mountain Cave Church, visitors must weave through winding alleys before arriving at the entrance to what is believed to be one of the largest engraved monasteries in the world. The Zabbaleen are a minority Coptic Christian group and this gigantic church, which has been carved out of the mountainside and has a seating capacity of up to 20,000, is their place of worship.

The cave church is dedicated to Simon the Tanner, a craftsman saint who lived during the 10th century. The church as it exists today features various motives and sculptures depicting the life of Christ, and an amphitheater surrounding a central pulpit.

To truly soak up the magic of Cadiz, plan to explore its oldest neighborhood, El Populo. The barrio dates back to the 13th century, and gets its name from an image of the virgin that once stood vigil above one of El Populo’s gates. It read “ora pro populo,” meaning “pray for the village.” 

The grand Cadiz Cathedral, which rises high above the city skyline with its golden-hued dome, dominates El Populo. There are other sights to see here, too, such as City Hall, the almost-hidden Roman theater, and a handful of famous arches (or gates), one of which includes the aforementioned Arco del Populo. Perhaps one of El Populo’s most beloved sights, however, is simply its tiny tangle of streets that will have you happily lost, and certainly never far from the sea.

El Fayoum is a city in Middle Egypt situated 100 kilometers southwest of Cairo. El Fayoum is Egypt's largest oasis, measuring in at around 60 kilometers long and 70 kilometers wide. Founded in around 4000 BC, it’s the oldest city in the country and is home to a number of important archaeological sites; the pharaohs built palaces here and the Greeks built temples.

Rich in nature as well as history, El Fayoum’s landscape extends to sand dunes, palm trees, lakes, and valleys. Home to an abundance of wildlife, Lake Qaroun is an important natural lake here, where locals and visitors gather for such activities as fishing, watersports, and birdwatching. 

The Valley of Whales is another main attraction in the area. A UNESCO World Heritage site, this valley was once a vast ocean that was home to a variety of marine life. Today, it is the site of many fossils and skeletons of extinct whales, along with some fascinating rock formations.

At 9,895 feet (3,016 meters) above sea level, El Panecillo is Quito’s most popular lookout, affording 360-degree views over the city. On a clear morning (and mornings are the best time for cloud-free views in Quito) you can even see as far as Cotopaxi’s distinctive volcano.

The aluminum statue of the Virgin Mary was introduced to the Panecillo in 1976 and was inspired by the Virgen de Quito (Quito’s Madonna), which can be seen in the Church of St. Francisco.