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Create a trip plan with your favorite destinations, hotels, restaurants and more.
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So you need to go farther afield than your backyard or the local museum for a vacation, but the dollar's free fall squelched your plans for a Grand Tour of London, Paris and Rome? Instead of Western Europe, try traveling the Western Hemisphere. "American" doesn't just mean apple pie and hot dogs – try exploring the exotic flavors of Central and South America. ProfessionalTravelGuide.com shares some of the places in this hemisphere where you can enjoy more buying power and less jet lag.
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Costa Rica
Bird-watching, outdoor recreation, ziplining through a rain-forest canopy, ecotourism … If you seek any or all of the above, check out Costa Rica. Also, because of the tourism boom, Costa Rica has several world-class resorts for those who want to take a break from all the activity and rest in style. Either way, enjoy the natural beauty around you.
Hotel Recommendations
Looking for luxury, privacy and something different? Try La Mansion Inn in Manuel Antonio. In Tamarindo, the Los Altos de Eros Luxury Inn & Spa offers highly personalized service and outstanding surroundings. For sheer volume of amenities, Los Suenos Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort in Playa Herradura takes the prize.
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Ecuador
Ecuador may not spring to mind as a burgeoning tourist destination, but that is changing. Aside from the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador features the Andes Mountains, the Amazon River Basin, Inca culture and colonial architecture – and all relatively close to one another. Another point in Ecuador's favor: The U.S. dollar is the official currency.
Hotel Recommendations
Travelers to Quito who want to avoid chain hotels and to try something different should go to either Hotel Cafe Cultura or Hotel Patio Andaluz, both converted old mansions. Other good choices in the capital city are JW Marriott Quito, Hilton Colon Quito, Swissotel Quito and Dann Carlton Hotel.
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Panama
Natural attractions or a colossal man-made one? Visitors to Panama can easily take in both. As home to the Panama Canal, Panama already has good roads to facilitate travel, all the easier for tourists to sample the beaches and reefs, rain forests, mountains and abundant wildlife – including more bird species than the U.S. and Canada combined.
Hotel Recommendations
For location and service, the Coffee Estate Inn in Boquete can't be beat. Bird-watchers, however, will want to stay at the Canopy Tower, a former U.S. military radar tower for monitoring drug trafficking. The Melia Panama Canal near Colon also has ties to the U.S. military, as the former School of the Americas. For more amenities, the Gamboa Rainforest Resort pleases.
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Belize
Scuba diving, ecotourism, Maya ruins, the legendary Blue Hole and cave tubing are just a handful of Belize's attractions. Because of the country's size, its mountains and white-sand beaches lie fairly close together, enabling visitors to experience much of what the country has to offer. Another key point: U.S. dollars are widely accepted.
Hotel Recommendations
Jaguar Paw Resort offers excellent value for adventure seekers, as well as its own series of caves to paddle through. Caribbean Villas Hotel on Ambergris Caye provides an intimate experience and excellent bird-watching. Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy Caves Branch Jungle Lodge or duPlooy's Jungle Lodge.
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Honduras
Want to snorkel and scuba dive before retiring to your resort? You got it. Prefer to examine Maya artifacts? No problem. Looking for excitement with adventure or ecotravel? That's available, too. What wondrous place offers all this for surprisingly inexpensive prices? Honduras! It may be rough around the edges, but it's definitely a gem.
Hotel Recommendations
Ecotourists will enjoy Hacienda San Lucas near the Copan ruins or the Lodge at Pico Bonito in Le Ceiba. Divers should check out the Henry Morgan Hotel, and outdoor enthusiasts and relaxers alike will enjoy the secluded Palmetto Bay Plantation.
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Argentina
Yes, it may cost you more to fly there, but great rates on hotels and inexpensive meals can quickly make up that difference. Argentina offers visitors a variety of experiences, everything from the remote Patagonia to whale-watching to world-class fishing to the Andes to wineries to the European sophistication and nightlife of Buenos Aires.
Hotel Recommendations
If you want ultraluxe accommodations, be prepared for ultraluxe prices; however, plenty of lodgings offer high quality for much less. In Buenos Aires, try the Park Chateau Kempinski, cE Design Hotel, La Cayetana, … the list goes on and on. Wine enthusiasts will savor Club Tapiz in the Lujan de Cayo region, and skiers should try the Design Suites in Bariloche.
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Mexico
Beyond the party atmosphere of Cancun and Playa del Carmen and the urban sprawl of Mexico City, visitors to Mexico can find archaeological ruins, white-sand beaches and watersports, traditional arts and crafts, shopping and natural wonders such as Copper Canyon – all at moderate prices. Be prepared, however, to see poverty and pollution as well.
Hotel Recommendations
The number of hotels in Mexico is almost too great to imagine. In San Miguel de Allende, try Casa Luna for a more authentic experience. Cozumel's Playa Azul Golf, Scuba Spa offers good value, and the Camino Real Oaxaca lets guests stay in a monastery.
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Puerto Rico
A Caribbean escape complete with rain forest, white-sand beaches, urban nightlife, outdoor activities and luxury resorts – Puerto Rico seems to have it all. San Juan features many historical and cultural sites, and a completely unique adventure awaits in Phosphorescent Bay, where you can boat or swim in water full of bioluminescent microorganisms.
Hotel Recommendations
When in Ponce, stay at the Hotel Melia, or try the Copamarina Beach Resort in Guanica. If you want to frolic in phosphorescence, Parador Villa Parguera in La Parguera is a good choice. San Juan's Normandie gives luxury and style at a surprisingly affordable price.
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Laura Laxton
Editor
ProfessionalTravelGuide.com
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