If you are thinking about going to Central or South America within the next year, now is the time to start thinking about it and we bring you five insider travel tips as well as some inspiring holiday ideas on how to be smart with your money when planning a Latin America holiday
- Book your flights as early as possible – 11 months in advance if you can. This will secure the cheapest seats on any flight allowing you spend your hard earned cash on the best hotels and rooms. Also, Central America is cheaper to fly to than South America.
- Try to avoid too much moving around as transfers to and from airports or towns can push your price up quickly. We recommend staying in two or three places within each country and exploring the surrounding areas from there.
- Sometimes it is worth doing a few shared activities. A prime example of this is around the Glaciers in El Calafate where a private tour of the glacier can sometimes be twice as much as a shared one.
- Manage where you stay. If you are on a budget stay in ‘good value’ hotels in good locations, then you can spoil yourself with a nice hotel for a few days at the end.
- Taking internal flights in places like Brazil, Argentina or Chile can be expensive as distances are vast, so try to keep to one or two. In Central America internal flights are cheaper and it’s a great way to see different parts of the country without losing time.
Need some inspiration on where to go and an idea of cost? Here are our ideas for the best places to go and stay if you want cocktails and canapés on a budget.
We have also given a guideline price for a 2 week holiday, though this price does not include any international flights, but does include internal flights, all hotels on a b&b basis, some activities and private transfers throughout.
Call us on 44 (0) 208 704 1389 to talk through the best way to arrange your holiday of a lifetime.
Best value hotels: The Jungle lodge in Tikal as it is right next to the ruins & Mata Rocks in Belize, which is close to town allowing you to eat out every night
Where to spoil yourself: Posada del Angel in Antigua. A beautiful place to start your holiday
Approximate cost: 3 nights Antigua, 1 in Tikal, 4 in the Cayo district and 5 on The Cayes is from £1,280 per person
Best value hotels: At your hotel in Machu Picchu you will arrive late and leave early, so stay at the El Mapi, which is excellent value for money
Where to spoil yourself: The Casa Andina Private Collection in Arequipa is superb and relatively cheap as is the new El Mercado Tunqui hotel in Cuzco
Approximate cost: 1 night in Lima, 3 in Arequipa, 1 in the Colca Canyon, 3 in Cuzco, 1 in Machu Picchu and 4 in the Sacred Valley is from £1,477 per person
Best value hotel: The Villa Paraiso on Ometepe Island in Lake Nicaragua is a great location; on the beach and next to the islands twin volcanoes.
Where to spoil yourself: Morgan’s Rock on the Pacific coast. A world class hotel without the price tag to match
Approximate cost: 3 nights in Leon, 3 in Granada, 4 on Ometepe & 3 at Morgans Rock is from £1,296 per person
Best value hotels: Hard to find in Brazil but the Oka da Mata in Pipa and the Anima hotel on Morro de Sao Paulo are superb for the cost.
Where to spoil yourself: The Villa Bahia in Salvador is a beautiful Portuguese mansion in the heart of Pelourinho.
Approximate cost: 6 nights in Pipa, 2 in Salvador and 5 on Morro de Sao Paulo is from £1,582 per person
Best value hotels: At Chiriqui in the north-west is Cala Mia which has lots of things to see and do in the area, whilst Al Natural in Bocas del Toro is beautifully remote.
Where to spoil yourself: The Canal house in Panama City only has 3 rooms
Approximate cost: 3 nights Panama City, 3 nights Chiriqui, 3 nights Boquete & 4 nights Bocas del Toro is from £1,325 per person
