Central & South America

Dust off your passport—Urban List Vacays has arrived. 

With 1290km of coastline, 28 national parks and over 500,000 species of animals, Costa Rica’s got a lot to boast about.

​Santa Teresa is perched on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula and it’s undoubtedly one of our favourite places in all of Costa Rica.

The beauty of travel is that it can be whatever you want it to be. A rustic weekend camping in the bush or boutique hotels and spa days in the world’s most famous cities. A spiritual getaway or a never-ending party. A one-night staycation or a year-long trip to the other side of the globe. But no matter the kind of trip you want to take, there’s always a way to be a responsible traveller while you’re at it. For a start, you can always respect local customs and traditions, support local and sustainable businesses and leave your destination in the same, if not better, condition than you found it in. 

COVID-19 is quite literally taking over the world and if you’re one of the hundreds of thousands who had planned to travel in the next little while, you’re most likely re-thinking or are being forced to postpone your trip. 

If you’ve ever found yourself in Bali during school holidays or hoiking your suitcase up 100-year-old staircases in Europe during a heatwave, you’ve probably learned that choosing where to travel is just as important as deciding when to go.

With a brand-spanking-new decade upon us, why not reflect on the travel you’ve done and—better yet—the exciting travel left to tick off?

There’s nothing better than a good waterfall with the thundering flow of water, dramatic rock faces and bright blue foamy water. Whether you want to admire one from afar, swim below one or climb down one, there’s sure to be a waterfall for you not too far away. While it’s a hard list to narrow down, we’ve found 10 of the best waterfalls in the world, from the world-famous to the lesser-known gems.

​Sometimes it’s nice to give up the gas guzzler for a big city holiday, but if you’re the kind who likes to explore beyond the beaten path, there’s no better way to do it than with your own set of wheels. From one day spins to month-long hauls, it’s time to fire up the playlist because these are the best road trips in the world.

Experiencing the local cuisine is usually the number one priority for us when on holiday, and there’s no better place to do it than at a local market. Whether you’re after ready-made deliciousness to dig into on the spot or you want to check out the local produce from the area, here are the best food markets around the world.

​Most people plan their South American adventure around the big ticket items. Machu Picchu, the Galapagos Islands, a trek through Torres del Paine National Park. But considering the growing problem of overtourism, it’s worth skipping the obvious stuff, ditching the crowds at the Sun Gate, and spending your hard-earned tourism dollars somewhere else. Let’s be honest, the Inca Trail will get along just fine without you.  

​Africa tends to drag most of the big ‘safari crowd’, which is fair enough. Not many continents can rival Tanzania’s wildebeest migration (in fact, outside Africa, wildebeest are generally pretty thin on the ground). But South America has a diverse wildlife tourism industry too. And it’s not just kicking with sea turtles off the Galapagos Islands either (although you can’t go past it). There are dozens of mind-blowing wildlife experiences all over the continent, from birdwatching in Colombia’s Santa Marta to tracking puma over the mountains of Torres del Paine.

The southern-most region of South America, Patagonia is shared by Argentina and Chile and is the perfect spot to visit for adventuring in the great outdoors. From glaciers, mountains and lakes to whales, penguins and fossilised dinosaurs—there’s something to suit all interests!

Forget being chauffeured around a new city, luxe as it might sound, or spending your holiday underground on the train, never truly finding your bearings. The best way to see a new destination is by bike.

If you’ve heard of freediving but don’t really know what it entails, you might think it’s crazy, dangerous, reckless or all of the above. And while it’s true that it can be all those things, it’s only that way if you’re doing it wrong. If you’re doing it the right way—with proper training and always, always, always with a trained buddy—it’s completely safe and 100% addictive.

Dirt cheap airfares and new flight paths popping up every other month means travel is more accessible than it ever has been before, which is great for those of us with ambitions to explore the world. But is it great for the people who actually live in the places we are all so desperate to get to? More tourists do equal more money in the local economy, but sometimes the cost is more than it’s worth for the locals.

If Caye Caulker in Belize isn’t on your bucket list yet then I’m guessing you just haven’t heard enough about it. With crystal clear waters, the second biggest barrier reef in the world, more water activities than you can poke a stick at—we’re talking kayaking, SUPing, snorkelling, diving, windsurfing, kiteboarding, spearfishing and more—seafood galore and a seemingly never-ending supply of rum punch, it’s no wonder Caye Caulker is a popular destination on the gringo trail.  

If you’re currently in a state of negative annual leave stop reading now. But, if you have leave to burn or just like to live life on the edge—welcome to Aruba. 

Picture this: you’re sitting in a luxury train compartment, travelling through fields of blue agave and sipping all-you-can-drink tequila.

A city once made famous by Pablo Escobar and considered one of the most dangerous in the world, Medellin is now one of the must-see travel destinations of 2019. Spend a little bit of time here and you’ll quickly realise there’s so much more to this mountain paradise than what your Narcos binge taught you.

Can't decide whether to spend your hard-earned dollars on glamping or yachting your way around the world? Well, soon there'll be no need to thanks to the new rooftop glamping on top of a yacht which will be cruising around the Galapagos Islands as of May 2019.

If you think you know about every crazy, wild, out of the world staycation there is to offer, well, think again. You can now check ‘glamped on the world’s largest salt flat' off your bucket list, or you will be able to as of February next year thanks to Kachi Lodge.

Life changing is an understatement.

Tacos, tick. Warm weather, tick. Stunning beaches, tickety tick. Have I sold you on Mexico yet? Thought so. Now when it comes to Mexico accommodation, there are a few ways you can go. Most Americans head straight for gated super resorts like El Cozumeleño or Riu Palace Riviera, but if you’re looking to skip feeling like a tourist, try these epic designer hotels instead.

Hands up who loves (read: desperately needs) a holiday? Hands up who needs a cheap holiday? That’s what we thought. Well, folks, we’ve got some freakin’ huge news for then: Flight Centre’s infamous travel expo is heading to town this weekend only, and you can grab a seriously impressive discount on your trip.

Packed with flamingos, yellow towns and hidden cenotes

The capital of Chile boasts some of the best food, wine and art you’ll come across. So pack your bags for 48 hours in Santiago.

We know you would (shamelessly) risk arm and limb #fortheInsta. Like seriously, our social followers depend on it. *Hair flip*.

If Mexico is high on your bucket list, then Tulum should be a non-negotiable stop on your Mexican meanderings.

Crack open your diary and make room for one of these epic trips in 2018

Holidays are often seen as a luxury. And we get it, we really do—those things are expensive. But, here at The Urban List we are super thrifty, and we’ve managed to hack our way to two international holidays a year…without sacrificing UberEats and plenty of vino along the way.

Believe it or not, South America is one continent you actually can do on a budget.

It’s quite likely that when you hear the word Medellin the first thing that comes to mind is that season of Entourage and how you need to finish watching season two of Narcos. And while the history might be pretty interesting, it turns out Medellin in Colombia has a lot more to offer than Pablo Escobar.

Mexico City has been high on the ‘must visit’ lists of many travel authorities in recent years. Why? Because it’s fabulous.