Colonia de Sacramento is one of my favourite places in all of Uruguay, and it’s images like the one above that really make it for me. The city is filled with old, colonial photos just waiting to be taken. The streets are lined with old cars, the houses ooze in the colonial vibe, and there seems to be something worth a photoraph on nearly every inch of the town.

To get to Colonia, you can hope the boat from Buenos Aires, Argentina and simply make a day trip out of it. You can catch the bus from Montevideo, Uruguay and spend the night in town. Or, you are always more than welcome to stay in Colonia for couple relaxing days and enjoy the vibe.

Off of the coast of Peru there are a series of islands known as the Ballestas Islands. They are quite commonly known as the “poor man’s” Galapagos Islands. However, the truth is that they are completely different. The Ballestas Islands are small bird-filled islands on which people can not walk along. Tours travel to, and around, the islands via boats from the nearby town of Paracas. From the boats the visitors will see a wealth of marine bird life including comorants, turns, and of course penguins like the ones photographed above. Moreover, a visit to the island will bring you within reasonable distance of sea lions and perhaps bottle-nosed dolphins if you’re lucky.

The Chaco region is found in basically the middle of South America. The majority of the region sits within the sometimes obsolete country of Paraguay. However obsolete in the minds of the majority of travellers, the truth is that the Chaco region, and perhaps all of Paraguay, has a lot of potential to develop as a tourism haven. The Chaco is one of the best places on the planet to see jaguars in the wild. Moreover, the great ecosystem is home to one of the most prosperous bird and plant life in South America. The cactus above was photographed just seconds after a beautifully coloured hummingbird danced right in front of it as it sucked at its flower. The town of Filadelfia is the base for most traveller’s exploration of the Chaco, and is the exact location of the above photo.

When thinking about South America it is easy to forget about the three tiny little countries in the North-East known as the Guinanas. However, these may be some of the most diverse countries in the region. Not only do they have a rich cultural heritage, which draws from Dutch, English, Portuguese, Spanish, East-Indian and African decent, but the eco-system is pristine as well. Unknown to many, the Guianas are actually home a large share of Amazon rain forest. Within the forest there are a number of rare species of wildlife as well as vegetation. The above vegetable was gathered from a plant in the interior of English-speaking Guyana, a prime example of the regions vegetation diversity.

Rio Napo View

If you’ve travelled as long as I have it’s almost impossible to try and pin down your favourite place in the world. In fact, I would argue that my personal favourite place in the world changes almost daily. However, the above photo was taken at a place called the Shangri-La Lodge in Tena, Ecuador, and it was always my favourite. Unfortunately, the Shangri-La suffered a fire this past year and was destroyed. According to my sources, who are guides at the lodge, the creation of a new, better Shangri-La is underway. And personally, I can’t wait to visit it. And who knows, it might just become my new favourite place in the world!

Bogota Plaza

Bogota gets a bit of a bad reputation. Well, I think the truth is that all of Colombia gets a bad reputation. The truth is, however, that despite the negativity there is a whole lot to love about the country’s capital. Bogota, perhaps, has one of the most powerful set of museums in all of South America. Places like the Gold and Botero Museums ring with history and a whole lot of culture. The plaza though, is where the city comes to life. If you get the chance to visit Bogota on a weekend head directly to the plaza, and just take it all in. The plaza is rich with life, beauty, and energy. It is said that plazas are the meeting point of all great things in Latin America, and after visiting Bogota’s I’m sure that has to be true.

Clams for Sale

There is nothing quite like visiting a market in a foreign country. They ooze with “foreign” feelings, sights, sounds, and smells. The photo above was taken at a market in Valparaiso, Chile, one of my favourites yet. If you’re hoping to get great photos of a market my recommendation is to go nice and early so that you capture people and the stalls before the chaos rings in. Also, you are more likely at that time of morning to find that people are more approachable. Also, if you have inhibitions about photographing people simply chat with them for a bit and then ask them if you can take some pictures. Then, let them go back about their business and capture them doing regular daily work. You’ll find that those shots are much more candid.

Brazilian Bird

Brazil is home to some of the most diverse wildlife anywhere on the planet. Not only that, but the amount of wildlife is packed in, and seems to jump from every crevice of the natural playground. In fact, one area of the country known as the Pantanal, which borders both Paraguay and Argentina, is known as the most bio-diverse place on earth. Within the walls of that ecological zone live some of the most spectacular animals in the world. Of course the big animals are the big draw, but it really is the little guys like the bird photographed above that make the area so special. Seeing an animal that many don’t even know exists is a special moment.

La Paz, Bolivia might be one of my favourite places on the planet to people watch. I would sometimes spend hours straight sitting in Plaza Murillo just watching the daily lives of the local people. Children would laugh as they attempt to feed a flock of pigeons who attack the little people nearly twice their size. Brightly dressed indigenous woman walk the plaza selling food, clothing and, well, just about anything else one could ever imagine buying out in public. The truth is that La Paz is one of a kind, there has never been, nor will there ever be another place on earth like it. That uniqueness comes alive in everyday life and in the plazas like the one photographed above.

Ushuaia Seagull

People always give seagulls and pigeons a bad rap. They are “stupid” birds, the scavengers of the bird world. However, I’m not sure that there’s a bird that entertains me more than these two species. I think part of it is due to the fact that they are not scared of us, they come close and there is no need to go on a crazy birding expedition to spot them. In Usuaia, Argentina, the world’s southernmost city, sea gulls are as common as tourists heading to Antarctica. But there is something special about the seagulls in Ushuaia that I can’t quite put my finger on. They seem wiser, calmer, smarter, and even a little bit cleaner. Perhaps it’s all that fresh Patagonian air.