Posted by Amelia Whitehart on April 3, 2023 in Travel
Colombia, Argentina and Cuba vacation attractions using the best VPN for travel: It’s the search terms you type into Google search. It’s the websites you read and the shops you buy things from. Or the particular content you choose to consume while online (movies, articles, social media posts). A VPN is used to make these things private. It stops other people from snooping on you. Without a VPN a whole host of actors can access, harvest and aggregate your data to create a scarily accurate profile of who you are and what you like and dislike. Information collected about you from your online activities can be used to sell you things or it can be used to steal from you. Potentially, information taken from your online activities can even be used to harm you and your family. Find even more details on Best VPN for Cuba.
Quebrada (which literally translates to “broken”) is a name used in Argentina to refer to deep ravines. And the 155-kilometer-long Quebrada de Humahuaca in the northwest of the country is a perfect example of a beautiful ravine with a wild river running through it in summer (the river dries up in winter). A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this arid valley was once part of the Inca Empire and an important trade route. Today, most people arriving here come for its beauty – a mix of reds, pinks, and oranges that look almost painted on the hills around. The tiny town of Iruya (only 1,000 people live here), not far from the quebrada, is a must-see as well. Built directly into the mountainside at an elevation of over 2,700 meters, it offers stunning views over the mountains and fertile valleys all around it. In town, the dirt streets, old houses, and colorful celebrations that incorporate Indigenous details offer great photo opportunities.
Colombia’s most popular hike is undoubtedly the four-day, 44-kilometer trek to Ciudad Perdida, a lost city hidden deep in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains that was only rediscovered in the 1970s. Built and occupied by Tayrona Indians between the 8th and 14th centuries, this ancient city is said to be one of the largest pre-Columbian settlements discovered in the Americas. Much of the site remains buried beneath a thick jungle quilt-the modern Indigenous inhabitants of the area have banned excavations-but you’ll find that the stone terraces and stairways are in outstanding shape. Independent treks are not allowed, you will need to go with a sanctioned and approved tour operator who will provide a guide and all meals. You can book a tour from Santa Marta in advance. If you decide to go, be prepared, this is no walk in the park. You’ll face blazing heat, stifling humidity, rainstorms, copious quantities of mud, and insects. The trail, although easy to follow, is never flat, plan to always be going up or down. However, it’s not all drudgery. Along the way, you’ll be treated to spectacular jungle views and the opportunity to swim in rivers and ponds. Hikes start early, usually around 5am to make use of the coolest part of the day. At the designated campgrounds, you’ll either sleep in a hammock or on a mattress; mosquito nets are provided. You should count on being able to walk about 12 to 14 kilometers or seven to nine hours in a single session. The trail is closed every September as part of an agreement with the local Indigenous community. The best time to go, with the least rain, is January and February.
If you’re an art lover, don’t miss Havana’s Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (National Museum of Fine Arts), with its vast and impressive collection of international and Cuban art. The collection is housed in two buildings, and includes works from ancient times to the present day. Clad in sumptuous Italian marble, the restored Spanish Renaissance-style Palacio del Centro Asturiano was designed in the 1920s by Manuel Bustos. It displays international art, including works by European Masters; ancient art from Greece, Rome, and Egypt; and works from Asia, the United States, and Latin America. The Spanish collection, in particular, is a highlight. The striking marble sculpture, Form, Space and Light, greets visitors at the entrance to the second venue, which dates from 1959. This Rationalist-style Palacio de Bellas Artes building displays a thought-provoking collection focusing on Cuban Art from the 17th century to the present day, including sculptures, prints, and paintings.
You’ll find some of the best beaches in Colombia within the protected Tayrona National Natural Park, which is known for its palm-shaded coves and crystal-clear coastal lagoons. Most beaches are set against the dramatic mountains of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, whose rainforested hills make for a great side trip on any beach vacation. Tayrona is also a fantastic place for snorkeling at protected areas near La Piscina beach and Cabo San Juan. Though remote, these secluded beaches aren’t exactly a secret, so it’s best to visit in low season (February to November) to avoid the massive crowds. Also, unless you’re paying for the lavish Ecohabs Tayrona, be prepared to sleep in a tent (or hammock) at one of the many beachside campgrounds.
My first day seeing sunshine in a couple of weeks, without hesitation I booked the first Airbnb I could find. And of course, I went out drinking. That night I wandered out onto my stoop to get wifi and noticed all the police had retreated from my area at about 10pm. Then the knives came out. Still unable to freely travel into and out of Cuba the tourists had all left. And the average Cuban relies on tourists to make ends meet. As you’d imagine by mid 2021, having been without tourists for 18 months things were starting to boil over among the less affluent populations in Cuba. So when I stepped out of my front door to get wifi and noticed all the police had taken off, I learnt that a running gang battle involving large knives, broken bottles and bricks had erupted. Right on my door step. Fantastic. Find additional information on https://inlovelyblue.com/.
The stunning Iguazú Falls lie along Argentina’s border with Brazil, with Iguazu National Park on the Argentinian side and Iguaçu National Park on the Brazilian side. Protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, these huge waterfalls are undoubtedly one of the most spectacular sights in South America. Visitors can get quite close to these thundering falls thanks to a network of easily accessible walkways and viewing platforms designed to provide the best possible views, including some at the bottom of the falls, an area known as the Devil’s Throat. Iguazu is, in fact, made up of between 150 to 300 individual falls along its nearly three-kilometer edge, a number that changes depending on the season, varying in height between 60 to 82 meters and each as spectacular as the next. Served by an international airport in Argentina (and one in neighboring Brazil), it’s relatively easy to visit, particularly if flying from Buenos Aires.
Exploring the town of Trinidad, Cuba, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is like stepping back in time. The beautifully restored buildings and cobblestone streets in the city center exude a quaint colonial feel. Much of the architecture dates from the 17th to the 19th centuries, when Trinidad prospered from both the sugar and slave trades. Today, Trinidad is one of the best cities in Cuba to visit, apart from Havana. You can soak up its lively ambience in the cobblestone Plaza Mayor, the city’s central square. Above the square stands the neoclassical Church of the Holy Trinity (Iglesia Parroquial de la Santisima Trinidad). Other Trinidad highlights are the Church and Monastery of Saint Francis (Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco), with its distinctive bell tower; the Museum of Colonial Architecture (Museo de Arquitectura Colonial); the art gallery at the Casa de Aldeman Ortiz; and the Palacio Brunet, a grand home built in 1812 and still featuring original frescoes and marble floors. East of Trinidad, on the road to Sancti Spiritus, the lush World Heritage-listed Valle de los Ingenios contains numerous relics and monuments from the 19th century, when the sugar cane plantations and mills flourished. One of the best things to do in Trinidad, Cuba is simply drive or horseback ride through the beautiful scenery of green sugar cane fields, palm trees, and mountains.