Antartica

Argentina

Argentina's pleasures - stunning natural wonders, an elegant capital with a European-flavored sophistication, and a passionate culture - are as tempting as ever. The silver lining to the financial cloud is that it's now one of the best travel bargains around.

Bolivia

Bolivia may be one of the poorest countries in South America, but its cultural wealth, the vastly differing Amazonian and Andean landscapes, and the remnants of mysterious ancient civilizations make it a rich and exciting destination if you're looking for more than postcards.

Brazil

Brazil is South America's giant, a dazzling land of pristine beaches, steamy jungles and manic metropolises. Music and dancing are as integral here as eating and sleeping, and you'll find as many regional styles as there are shades of people, from samba's sensual rhythms to Bahia's axé-charged beats.

Chile

From salty desert top to glacier-crowded bottom, Chile is a gobsmacking reminder of nature's beauty and power. This narrow trickle of a country is jammed with enough geysers, mountains, beaches, forests and volcanoes to keep adventure nuts slavering for a lifetime.

Costa Rica

Mention Costa Rica and people think paradise. The country's Disney-like cast of creatures — ranging from howler monkeys to toucans — are prolific and relatively easy to spot. The waves are prime, the beauty is staggering and the sluggish pace seductive.

Cuba

Epic colonial architecture, libidinous young salsa dancers, Che Guevara murals, white-powder sandy beaches, swaying fields of sugar cane - the images of Cuba are as transfixing as they are timeless. This is an island of unique historical heritage floating amid a sea of encroaching globalisation. Travel in Cuba can involve anything from sipping mojittos at an all-inclusive resort in Varadero to scraping the spit and sawdust off your shoes outside the Casa de las Tradiciones in Santiago. The burgeoning tourist sector rubs up against the Cuba of communist myth.

Ecuador

The smallest country in the rugged Andean highlands, Ecuador has an array of vibrant indigenous cultures, well-preserved colonial architecture, otherworldly volcanic landscapes, dense rainforest and sublime islands - all in a nation no bigger than the US state of Nevada.

Guatemala

Despite its past turmoil and political instability, travelers are returning to Guatemala because it offers Central America in concentrated form: its volcanoes are the highest and most active, its Mayan ruins the most impressive, its earthquakes the most devastating and its history decidedly intense.

Guyana

Guyana's natural attractions are spectacular, unspoiled and on a scale that dwarfs human endeavor. While lingering effects of Dutch and British colonization make for an unpredictable political and demographic climate, the Guyanese are doing what they can to make their country an ecotourism haven.

Mexico

Mexico is a traveler's paradise, crammed with a multitude of opposing identities: desert landscapes, snow-capped volcanoes, ancient ruins, teeming industrialized cities, time-warped colonial towns, glitzy resorts, deserted beaches and a world-beating collection of flora and fauna.

Peru

Peru had a rich cultural life thousands of years before Pizarro turned up in funny clothing. Wander around colonial cities that echo the legacy of Spanish conquistadors, explore the ancient Inca capital of Cuzco, visit the lost city of Machu Picchu and ponder the enigma of the Nazca Lines. Peru also boasts some of the most spectacular scenery in South America. The beautiful Peruvian Andes issue a siren's call to top-class trekkers. These mountains are also home to squillions of indigenous highlanders, who still speak the ancient tongue of Quechua and live a traditional way of life.

Venezuela

Venezuela is epic in proportion: it boasts South America's largest lake and third-longest river, the highest waterfall in the world, the longest of all snakes, and some of the most spectacular landscapes you'll ever see.