beaches

As spring transitions into summer in Buenos Aires you can still enjoy the rainbow-hued rose gardens of Parque Tres de Febrero and the purple blossoms of the jacaranda trees along Avenida Independencia.

Signs of the city’s scorching summer are starting to arrive. Last week in Buenos Aires, temperatures rocketed up to 86 F (about 30°C). That’s causing many Buenos Aires locals, or porteños (as residents of this port city are known), to start daydreaming about escaping the city heat to the beach. READ MORE

Peru is considered one of the most- biodiverse countries in the world with some unbeatable records such as number one in diversity of butterflies and number two on birds species. If you are a nature lover, Peru offers not only lively culture but unique experiences in diverse ecosytems.

Top nature destinations:

1. Macaws at the Tambopata National Reserve
It might be because I used to work as a guide here or because I love forests but I am in love with these trees, river and birds. READ MORE

There is only one thing Ecuadorians have on their mind in the month of August–the beach. This is the month when the people of the sierra (highlands) head for the coast. And it is undoubtedly Ecuador’s most under-appreciated destination by international tourists. Everyone comes for the Galapagos and the jungle while skipping one third of the country’s richest tourism destinations.

Take a brief tour down the coast of Ecuador from North to South…

Northern Coast: Esmeraldas Province

We begin in the Province of Esmeraldas. First stop, Tonsupa, a beach where high rise condos dot the beaches. Next, Atacames, one of the region’s party beaches, fun for some, but not recommended if all you want is to hear the ocean surf. For a relaxing stay, try Puerto Ballesta Hotel.

Further South are the towns of Súa and Same, home to the exclusive Casa Blanca resort and community where many privately owned condos are rented for short stays.

From here, drive down the E-15 highway, a more primitive version of California’s Pacific Coast, and the road turns inland near Tonchigue. Your next stop is Mompiche, a fishing village awakening to the attention of more and more tourists. It caught the surfer’s attention in the 1990s and is now home to the Royal Decameron Mompiche Beach Resort, a 2,000 room hotel and spa on the beach and a village unto itself.

Photo courtesy of Casa Ceibo Hotel

READ MORE