4 week holiday South America

aka_Ciaran

Hi all - I have 4 weeks holidays coming up next year, from last week of February to last week of March. I've never been to South America and I'm hoping 4 weeks will be enough time to get there and do a bit of traveling and chilling out. Ideally I want to spend a week or 10 days sightseeing but then spend the rest of the time just relaxing and soaking up some sun.

So far I'm thinking of Mexico and chilling out in Tulum or Cancun as I've heard good things about these spots. I also do a bit of surfing and I hear that Ecuador has some good surf spots, but I know nothing about Ecuador or getting there, if there are good places to chill out for a few weeks, etc.

If anyone has any suggestions of good places to go for this kind of trip, or general info on what SA is like at that time of year, then I'd love to hear some suggestions or feedback.

Cheers

v.e.r.b.a.l

You can fly from Cancún through Panama to Quito in Equador I think?

As far as surfing goes, I know nothing, but a friend of mine swears by the beaches of Oaxaca in the Southwest of Mexico. Might be more reasonable in 4 weeks?

Neamhshuntasach

El Salvador is actually a great place to surf. In around the La Libertad and El Cuco regions. But the towns and cities close by are pretty horrible. You'd really wanna be into surfing to go there. Costa Rica also has some good pacific coastal places such as Tamarindo or Mal País. Manuel Antonio is good if you are a beginner and is a nice place. Or as mentioned above, Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca, Mexico. But a lot further south are the new surfing meccas apparently. Ecuador isn't as good as the winds aren't that strong and the waves are more calm. As for Tulum, there's feck all there except for the Mayan ruins. You'd be better off going to Cancún and taking the boat to Isla Mujeres if you wanted a place to chill out. Poc Na hostel is a good place to stay. The time you'd be going is spring break for the Americans. So you can decide whether that will be a good or bad thing.

South America is so big and each country is way bigger than Central America. It could serve you better to just fly into Cancún and go down through Central America. It's so easy to travel there and there is lots to see and do. From Cancún you can easily get to Palenque, Tulum, Chichén Itzá, San Cristobal, Puerto Escondido. That's mayan ruins, jungles, colonial towns and surfing. Caye Caulker in Belize isn't too far either or as is Tikal in Guatemala. Traveling as far south as El Salvador or Honduras is easily doable in 4 weeks. And it would still be dry season there then. In South America it all really depends on whether you are on the coast or inland or whether you are high up or at low level.

Not trying to sell you on Central America if you really wanted to go to the South. It's just that for 4 weeks it seems more easier to do without being on 30 hour bus journy's.

Whatever you do my advice would be to learn a bit of Spanish, even if it's only basic and don't get too ambitious about where you want to go. You'll be sick and tired of moving around. Some people wanna fit over 10 countries in a month and it's just too much. Everything takes longer than the guide books and is actually further than it looks on a map due to mountains etc.

nerraw1111

Peru is pretty good for surfing.
Check out the latest Outsider magazine, has five pages on surfing in Peru

aka_Ciaran

Neamhshuntasach wrote: »

Not trying to sell you on Central America if you really wanted to go to the South. It's just that for 4 weeks it seems more easier to do without being on 30 hour bus journy's.

Whatever you do my advice would be to learn a bit of Spanish, even if it's only basic and don't get too ambitious about where you want to go. You'll be sick and tired of moving around. Some people wanna fit over 10 countries in a month and it's just too much. Everything takes longer than the guide books and is actually further than it looks on a map due to mountains etc.

Hi Neamhshuntasach thanks very much for that, a lot of good advice there. I'm only starting to realise how vast Central and South America are...up until now I hadn't even differentiated between the two, I pictured them as one in my geographically challenged brain. I think you're right Central might be a safer bet and more do-able in the timeframe.

Flynn

All the places mentioned above are perfect for surfing but if your set on ecuador head to montanita... really cool surfer town with regular surfing comps held there.. mancora in peru is good for learning.. i would only recommend el salvador's punta roca if you would class yourself as a very good surfer.. but there is a huge differnece between punta and el tunco..
i would suggest sticking to central aswell.. you have the costa rica pacific & carribean.. mexico. el salvador.. and san juan del sur in nicaragua.. ( one of the best night spots in central IMO) just check the tides online.. san juan del sur had 2 foot waves one day and 2m waves the next...
anyway good luck

Neamhshuntasach

Flynn wrote: »

and san juan del sur in nicaragua.. ( one of the best night spots in central IMO)
anyway good luck

You thought San Juan del Sur had the best nightlife in Central America? It was okay in that Iguana place and Otangani. But i'd still hold Antigua, Panajachel, San Salvador, Tegucigalpa, Granada, Managua, Jacó, Tamarindo, Puerto Viejo and Panamá City higher. Guess it's just opinion. But i bet we could agree on how great looking the women of Central America are.

Anyways how far are you along on your travels now? I made it down to Panamá but came home for the Christmas. Heading out to Colombia in a week or so.

Doozie

I spent three weeks going around Peru last year and it was brilliant but as it was an organised tour we kept going and didn't see any beachs as we mostly went inland and stayed in the southern part of Peru. I would recommend doing Machu Pichu if you wanted a challenge and visiting the Amazon...most amazing time ever for chillout.
A hammok, a beautiful eco lodge, listening to the sounds of the jungle in a room with only three walls (the third was the jungle itself). Amazing.

aka_Ciaran

Neamhshuntasach wrote: »

From Cancún you can easily get to Palenque, Tulum, Chichén Itzá, San Cristobal, Puerto Escondido.

Hi again Neamhshuntasach, I've been researching good-o the last few weeks and I'm finally getting a feel for the layout and the different parts of Mexico. I've read some good things about Acapulco, seemingly authentic Mexican city, good night life, surf beaches, etc. I will probably fly into Cancun but Acapulco and Puerto Escondido seem mightily far away from Cancun. Any idea of the best way to get there...I read that internal flights are expensive in Mexico, 300 - 400 euro, so is bus the best option? How long would a bus from Cancun to Puerto Escondido take?

Cheers,

Ciaran.

Neamhshuntasach

Well by easy i meant that it's not that difficult to get a bus to it and the roads are good. It would be around 24 hours by bus. I always prefer to break up trips. Such as Cancún to Palenque is about 8-10 hours. Overnight buses are great and safe. Palenque to San Cristobal is about 5-6 hours. San Cristobal is a great place. Beautiful colonial and indigenous town. And then Puerto Escondido is about 1o hours from there. Overnight buses are the best way to do it. You save on accommodation and don't waste a day traveling. The bus service in Mexico is great and the roads are pretty good. The buses can be a bit expensive though. Well mainly in comparison with other Latin American countries. The San Cristobal to Puerto Escondido bus would be about 20 euro. You can get cheaper if you take a 2nd class bus.

aka_Ciaran

Hi again, well the flight is booked to Mexico and I'm heading off on Saturday. Flying with Delta into Mexico city and out of Cancun. I've got 3 weeks so the plan is to stay 3 nights in Mexico city then head to Puerto Escondido for probably a week (might stop in Oaxaca on the way for a night or 2, not sure yet). Then it will be onwards by bus to San Cristobal, Palenque and Tulum and the last couple of nights in Cancun before coming back on Paddy's day.

So some questions:

- What are the essentials - passport, mosquito spray...?
- Will my phone work or do I need a tri-band?
- Are US dollars accepted everywhere in Mexico or will I need pesos?
- Will ATMs in Mexico accept Visa credit cards for cash withdrawls?
(Is loading up and withdrawing on credit card the best way to get money?)
- In Mexico city what's the best way to get from airport to city centre?

Any other suggestions much appreciated!

v.e.r.b.a.l

Wow. You're doing nearly exactly the same as I am. I'm heading in March and flying into Mexico City. Staying there for a bit, going to see the ruins at Teotihuacan. Then heading down to Oaxaca for a bit. Then onto Peurto Escondido and then Peurto Angel. Heading from there to San Cristobal to Palenque. Then onto the ruins in Yucatan and Tulumn (or however you spell it)! then Cozumel and flying out of Cancun.

Have you found out anything about how you're planning to travel between places? I'm sure buses are easy enough, but I can't be sure cos there's not too much info online. I'm wondering what it's like to rent a car - I heard the Ixtapa area (around San Cristobal and Palenque) can be dodgy for car-jackings. I'm curious as to whether I can get a bus from Puerto Angel to San Cristobal or if you'd have to go back to Oaxaca for that?

v.e.r.b.a.l

Oh, and I've been advised by people to get a bus from the airport in Mexico City and not to get a taxi. Taxis are very dodgy in the city. The bus station is right beside the airport and cheap supposedly.

I've never been, but I've been told by a few people that this is the case.

aka_Ciaran

v.e.r.b.a.l wrote: »

Oh, and I've been advised by people to get a bus from the airport in Mexico City and not to get a taxi. Taxis are very dodgy in the city. The bus station is right beside the airport and cheap supposedly.

I've never been, but I've been told by a few people that this is the case.

Hi Verbal, our itineraries are very similar alright...my trip is gonna be 3 weeks what about you? I will probably do Teotihuacan in a day trip as well. Haven't heard of Puerto Angel is there much to do there?

Hadn't heard that about the taxis at Mexico city airport. I'm staying in the big Hostel Catedral that's right in the centre of the historic area...their website says to get a yellow and white taxi from the airport, which are the official ones.

I intend to travel everywhere by bus...a previous post on this thread says that buses are pretty good in Mexico and it's possible to get an overnight one. I wouldn't be bothered hiring a car too much looking after on it, don`t need the hassle of worrying about it.

Are you going to bring Mexican pesos with you or just US dollars? If you find out any more about getting from the airport in Mexico city to the city centre I'd be glad to hear about it.


Cheers,

Ciaran.

RATM

v.e.r.b.a.l wrote: »

As far as surfing goes, I know nothing, but a friend of mine swears by the beaches of Oaxaca in the Southwest of Mexico. Might be more reasonable in 4 weeks?

Your mate must've been on de herb cause the last time I was in Oaxaca it was landlocked and the surfing wasn't great:D

OP if you want good surfing and a real cool chill out spot in Mexico then get yourself to Zipolite on the west coast, v.highly recommended.

aka_Ciaran

RATM wrote: »

OP if you want good surfing and a real cool chill out spot in Mexico then get yourself to Zipolite on the west coast, v.highly recommended.

Have you been to Puerto Escondido? It's a bit further west looking at the map. My plan is to spend about a week there. Is there much bars/partying in Zipolite or is it more just chilling out?

RATM

aka_Ciaran wrote: »

Have you been to Puerto Escondido? It's a bit further west looking at the map. My plan is to spend about a week there. Is there much bars/partying in Zipolite or is it more just chilling out?

Never got to Puerto Escondido but I have heard good things about it. My intention was to spend 3/4 days in Zipolite first then go Puerto Escondido but I liked Zipo so much I ended up staying for 10 days:D

I wouldn't call it a raging scene but like anything whilst travelling, it all depends on who is there when you are. There are a good few bars on the beach and near it and generally they'll all have a few heads in them at nighttime though it would be hard to describe it as raging partying a la Ko Pha Ngan.

The main reason I recommended it to you is because of the surfing, its popular there and the waves are very consistent. Typically has 1-2m swells all day long. If you do go avoid the right hand end of the beach as you are looking out to sea unless you are into nudie sunbathing:eek:

aka_Ciaran

RATM sounds good, might stop off in Zipo as well then. Couple of things I'm only thinking of now

- did you get any shots for tetanus, rabies etc?
- what are the mosquitoes like is there a chance of malaria?
- did you have any pesos or did you use dollars?
- do the ATMs there accept Laser cards with the special thingy, or just credit cards?

I know these questions are probably answered elsewhere but i'm up to my neck in work and I haven't a clue where my passport is yet!

Cheers,

Ciaran.