South America 101 - A Traveler's Primer:

To prepare and enjoy your trip, read ahead and study the countries you'll be visiting.

Read about the culture and cuisine, travel tips, tipping guidelines, suggestions from the experts, trip reports from other travelers, how-to tips and more

Culture and Historical Facts:

History Pre-Columbian times, through independence and current events to help you understand and appreciate the countries and sights.


Latin American Culture Get a feel for the countries with these photos, music, humor, language helps, short stories, Andean crafts, artesans, archaeological sites, Peace Corps, humanities, cultural info, ecotourism, gender studies, religious beliefs, art, and more cultural resources

Getting Around:

Maps of South American Cities Learn your way about with these large scale, black and white JPGs of city centers.

Compare and select flights from your area. You can also browse for hotels and car rentals.

Practical Help:

Time, Electricity and Business Hours Time from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) electrical currents and business hours for government offices, shops, banks and restaurants.

How-to Tips Quick, useful tips on choosing a destination, packing for the climate, exchanging money, using the telephone, easing jet lag, acclimatising to the altitude and others tips.

Tipping Guide How much and to whom? Some suggestions for awarding a propina or a gorjeta in various South American countries.

Metric Converters Convert area, length, mass, temperature and volume to metric (from US measurements) with these conversion charts.

Glossary Frequently used Spanish and Brazilian words on this site.

Shopping and Souvenirs:

Merchandise Preview shopping for souvenirs, handicrafts, jewelry, wood carvings, art, clothing and more on site - or online.

Top Picks Suggested products, such as cameras, guidebooks, adventure gear, music, cookbooks, history, special interest, sports and other books to help you get the most from your travel planning.

Travel and Travelogues:

Travelogues Commentaries, journals, feature articles, photos and personal opinions of travelers will give you an idea of what to expect.

Travel Tips Traveling alone, senior travel, safeguard cameras and computers, photo tips, safety precautions and suggestions from the experts.

Food and Drink:

Dining Out Where to eat and what you need to know about breakfast, lunch, dinner and other meals.

Cuisine These recipes and information about food and drink, regional speciality and ethnic food will prepare you for your travels.