Houston - Trinidad - South America

I haven't been to South America for almost six years. It's time to visit this continent again—starting with Guyana in the north, fishing in the southernmost part of South America, Patagonia, and including a transit stop in Houston and a side trip to Trinidad.

Dec 14, 2024
Houston

I had a layover of over 10 hours in Houston, so I decided to leave the airport and do some sightseeing. The $3 transit day pass is perfect for visitors, but it's impossible to buy it from the airport. So, I paid $1.25 in cash to the driver of bus 102, but I was told there was no transfer and I would need to pay again for another bus (it seems that a free transfer within 3 hours is impossible with cash payment).

In downtown Houston, when I tried to pay another $1.25 while boarding bus 137, the driver said, "It's OK." Bus 137 took me to Uvalde Rd @ East Freeway, the closest bus stop to my first sight, the San Jacinto Monument. After grabbing a donut at the Shipley Do-Nuts across the street, I ordered a Lyft to the monument.

The San Jacinto Monument is the world's tallest masonry column. It's even higher than the Washington Monument but much narrower. For $14, I took the elevator to the observation deck to get an overview of the surrounding area, before ordering an Uber to the Menil Collection.

The Menil Collection actually has three sites. Although entry is "free," they do suggest a $20 donation (cash or online). Due to limited time, I just visited the main site, then walked 10 minutes to take bus 82 downtown. Interestingly, the bus driver didn’t want me to pay the $1.25 cash either, citing "it's not working." In downtown Houston, I boarded my last 102 bus to the airport and did pay the $1.25 in cash (it seems they only cared about collecting fares on the 102 bus, at least for cash payments).

A 6-hour flight took me to Georgetown, Guyana, where I was met by the taxi driver prearranged through my accommodation, Rainforest B&B.

San Jacinto Monument

Dec 15, 2024
Guyana

After having breakfast at the B&B, I started my one-hour walking tour of Georgetown. There were only three "sights" I wanted to see: the National Park, the "I love Guyana" sign, and St George's Cathedral. Luckily, I was able to see a manatee eating reeds at the National Park. The all-wooden St George's Cathedral looks impressive, but it seemed closed, and I was unable to see the inside.

Next, I tried to find a taxi to Ogle Airport for the Kaieteur Falls tour, but I couldn’t find one easily (I thought there would be many downtown, but there were few). With the help of some friendly locals, I finally got a "taxi" in front of Shopping City Mall. In fact, the vehicle wasn't a standard yellow taxi, and the license plate didn't start with "H," but the driver was wearing a kind of company red shirt. He asked for a ridiculous 6,000 GYD to Ogle Airport. I insisted on paying the standard 2,000 GYD, and he finally agreed.

Kaieteur Falls is the tallest single-drop waterfall in the world, at 226 meters high, and it is indeed very impressive, even in mid-December. The flight to Kaieteur Falls takes about one hour, and you have the opportunity to get a full view of the falls from the air. We spent about 90 minutes in Kaieteur National Park and visited two viewpoints of the falls. Just watching the water pour down was incredibly exciting.

Kaieteur Falls from the airplane

Dec 16, 2024
Guyana - Trinidad

My flight to Port of Spain was in the early afternoon, so I got up early and took a walk to the 1763 Monument (a memorial to Cuffy, who led an unsuccessful African slave rebellion in 1763) and the Botanical Gardens. It was a nice walk, though nothing special (be careful of vehicles when crossing the streets, even at official pedestrian crossings).

A one-hour flight took me to Trinidad. Compared to Guyana, where no questions were asked at immigration, the immigration officer at Port of Spain Airport asked a couple of questions and only gave me a 3-day entry permit (based on my onward ticket, I assume). The customs officer also asked some questions but didn’t scan or open my bag (while in Guyana, they scanned my bag but asked no questions).

After checking into the Regent Star Hotel near the airport, I ordered a ride through the local rideshare app TTRS to take me to Nanan's Caroni Bird Sanctuary for the sunset boat tour. The car arrived at the hotel in one minute. Traffic was very bad, and I arrived at the sanctuary just a few minutes before the 4 pm departure time.

The tour actually started a few minutes after 4 pm. We saw many birds in the swamp, both big and small, including scarlet ibises, the national bird of Trinidad. We also saw some snakes in the trees. The boat finally arrived at an open area where about a hundred flamingos were in the water. It was around sunset, and scarlet ibises began to fly over to a small island to roost. Tour boats must stay about 100 meters from the island to avoid disturbing the birds. For US$20, this was quite an experience!

Dec 17, 2024
Trinidad

After an early breakfast, I walked to the airport to catch the bus to Port of Spain. A major reason for taking the bus is that it uses a priority bus route, making it much faster than taking a taxi (due to the terrible traffic during rush hour). Taking the bus isn’t easy as you need to buy a ticket in advance from a pharmacy at the airport. When I arrived, I saw the bus approaching and didn’t have time to go to the pharmacy (the bus runs only once an hour). Luckily, I managed to buy a ticket from another passenger after speaking to several people and didn’t miss the bus.

It only took 45 minutes to reach the City Gate bus terminal in Port of Spain. I only visited one site, the Red House (parliament building), before ordering a ride from TTRS to Pointe-à-Pierre Wildfowl Trust for a 9:30 am tour I had booked. I was worried about potential traffic jams, but the traffic heading south in the morning wasn’t too bad, and I arrived at the trust around 9 am, even before the staff arrived. They later informed me that the other three people joining the tour would be late and allowed me to walk around on my own. The wildfowl trust features some interesting species of ducks and a few caged scarlet ibises. I completed my walk in about half an hour.

I then left the wildfowl trust and started walking toward the main road to catch a maxi taxi. A passing car stopped, and the kind driver gave me a ride to the gate. A few minutes later, I caught a passing maxi taxi to San Fernando for 6 TTD.

In San Fernando, Trinidad’s second-largest city, I took another maxi taxi to La Brea for 15 TTD to see the Pitch Lake. An elderly guide charged me 75 TTD (he mentioned that the 50 TTD per person rate applies only to groups). Pitch Lake, the largest natural asphalt lake in the world, doesn’t look much different from other lakes, though you can smell and see the asphalt around it.

After saying goodbye to the guide, I jumped into another passing maxi taxi back to San Fernando, where I had my first (and possibly last) doubles—the No. 1 street food in Trinidad—for 6 TTD. There was a line, and I waited 10 minutes to get mine. It was delicious but spicy.

From San Fernando, I took another maxi taxi to Princes Town for 9 TTD. At Princes Town’s main maxi taxi stand, I asked about getting to Devil’s Woodyard, my last sight in Trinidad, but was told maxi taxis only go there in the morning. The driver of a maxi taxi heading to New Grant offered to drop me at the intersection, where I could try to find a private taxi. He later offered to take me there and back for 100 TTD after dropping off the remaining passengers in New Grant, and I happily accepted.

Devil’s Woodyard (entry 5 TTD) is a mud volcano site with active mud volcanoes. It was my first time seeing mud volcanoes, and I was glad I chose this site over the beaches during my time in Trinidad.

The maxi taxi driver kindly helped me find a route taxi back to Princes Town, where I caught another maxi taxi to San Fernando. In San Fernando, I took a route taxi (license plates starting with "H"; just ask around for the location of the taxi stand) to Curepe for 20 TTD. Although there is a public bus from Curepe to the airport, it runs only once an hour. Since I was hungry, I ordered a ride from TTRS, marking the end of my Trinidad trip.

A 1.5-hour flight took me to Paramaribo, Suriname, where I was met by a taxi driver prearranged through my accommodation, Twenty4 Hostel.

Devil’s Woodyard

Dec 18, 2024
Suriname

After a late and simple breakfast, I walked to the all-wooden Saint Peter and Paul Basilica in Paramaribo and admired it inside and out. I then rented a bike at Fietsen in Suriname and used it for the next couple of hours. In Paramaribo, I mainly explored the Fort Zeelandia area (though I didn’t pay to go inside) and took the famous photo of a mosque and synagogue standing harmoniously side by side. I also crossed the river to Meerzorg (300 SRD, including the bike, for a private hire). In Meerzorg, I rode the bike all the way to Peperpot Nature Park (250 SRD). There’s a main biking trail in the park, but I also completed a short loop trail, which is for hiking only. The only wildlife I spotted were birds, which could also be seen outside the park. Overall, it was a pleasant ride, though nothing extraordinary.

Back in Paramaribo, I planned to take the bus to the village of Zanderij, located next to the main airport, at 5 p.m. However, the bus didn’t show up on time due to “traffic,” according to the bus station staff. Not wanting to take any risks, I decided to take a taxi instead. The taxi driver charged 70 USD—20 USD more than the price prearranged by my accommodation—but I had no other choice. The traffic leaving Paramaribo was terrible. Despite trying alternate routes, we were repeatedly stuck. After two hours, we finally reached the airport.

A two-hour flight brought me to Belém, Brazil. Both immigration and customs were extremely quick and smooth—no forms to fill, no questions asked, and no bag checks or scans. It felt like I was back in the “normal” world. The airport is just 8 km from the city, and an Uber ride was efficient, costing only the equivalent of a few U.S. dollars.

Saint Peter and Paul Basilica is open to visitors in the morning (free)

Dec 19, 2024
Belém

I stayed at Hotel Marajoara, just off Avenida Nazaré. The staff were very friendly. After having a late breakfast, I walked to Avenida Nazaré and immediately noticed mangos scattered along the sidewalks (Avenida Nazaré is famous for its mango trees). I picked one, and it was quite sweet. I then walked to Basílica Santuário de Nossa Senhora de Nazaré, Belém's most famous church. Not far away is the Zoobotanical Park (also called Emílio Goeldi Museum). I paid the 4 BRL entrance fee intending to see the manatees. Although I didn’t see any, I came across the Vitória-Régia, the giant water lily native to the Amazon Basin. One nice thing about Belém is that entrance fees are very affordable.

After spending some time at the park, I ordered an Uber to Praça da República, where Theatro da Paz is located. This theater is said to rival Teatro Amazonas in Manaus, as both were built during the rubber boom. I then visited several typical sights in Belém: Estação das Docas (riverfront restaurants and shops), Our Lady of Mercês Church (the oldest church in Belém), Mercado Ver-o-Peso (market), Presépio Fort (4 BRL), Cultural Center Casa das Onze Janelas, and the Museum of Art of Belém. At Mercado Ver-o-Peso, someone gave me half a cup of açaí. This famous Amazonian fruit isn’t naturally sweet and is typically eaten with added sugar.

After finishing my walk, I ordered an Uber to Praça Princesa Isabel, intending to catch a boat to a restaurant on the other side of the river. However, it didn’t look very straightforward, and it started to rain. I decided instead to eat at a local fish restaurant, which turned out to be a great choice. For 30 BRL, I got a combo dish with two pieces of fish, rice, bean soup, and more—a very generous portion.

Back at Belém Airport, I took a domestic flight and arrived in Manaus in two hours.

Fish combo dish for 30 BRL

Dec 20, 2024
Manaus

I stayed at Seringal Hotel, very close to Teatro Amazonas. The room was very spacious, and the bed was comfortable, but it lacked some facilities—there was no hairdryer, and the fridge wasn’t working. After having a very filling breakfast (good selection), I walked south to Terminal Anato to find a boat for a half-day tour. A man told me I could join a group for a tour starting at 9:00 and finishing at 15:30, but that didn’t work for me as I had a 5 p.m. flight to catch. They then offered a private half-day tour for 600 BRL, which I accepted.

The boatman didn’t speak English, but that wasn’t a big deal. We first went to see pink dolphins near the bridge on the other side of the river (I didn’t swim with the dolphins as many tourists do) and then headed for the Meeting of the Waters. The black Negro River and the yellow Solimões River merge to form the Amazon River, but the colors of the two rivers remain unmixed for a couple of kilometers. The Negro River is also warmer than the Solimões River—I verified this by touching the water as the boatman crossed from one river to the other.

After the Meeting of the Waters, we went to see pirarucus, the world’s second-largest freshwater fish, and then had a walk in the nearby jungle. The boatman tried to find some animals (like sloths) but had no luck. The last place we visited was an indigenous "village" (which seemed tailor-made for tourists) to watch some traditional dancing. I noticed the men and women wearing regular clothes and using their mobile phones when I arrived. Shortly after, they all changed into traditional attire, becoming topless to perform the dances (which were more like walking to music). When the show ended, I was approached by several men, apparently wanting my business—some with sloths, some with monkeys, and some with alligators. They asked if I wanted to take photos with the animals, but that wasn’t my cup of tea.

We finished the tour in four hours. Yes, it felt old-fashioned, but that was fine. After all, I wanted to see the Amazon River, and I did. I definitely didn’t have the time or interest for a multi-day trip to a jungle lodge.

Since I still had some time in Manaus, I tried tacacá (a soup with dried shrimp and local herbs) at the famous Tambaqui de Banda restaurant and joined an English-speaking tour of Teatro Amazonas. After the tour, I used the local rideshare app 99 to order a ride to the airport. 99 is sometimes (not always) cheaper than Uber, but it requires adding a credit card and prepaying via the app (at least for the first ride).

A four-hour flight took me to São Paulo, where I connected to another flight to Buenos Aires (three hours).

Locals also enjoy having their photos taken at Teatro Amazonas

Dec 21, 2024
Buenos Aires

My flight arrived at Aeroparque Internacional Jorge Newbery (AEP). Immigration was fast (I was the first in line), but getting cash from the only ATM in the arrivals hall turned out to be impossible—not to mention the 12,000+ ARS ATM fee, regardless of the withdrawal amount. I bought a SUBE transit card from the OPEN 25 HS! convenience store in the arrivals hall, but it can only be topped up with cash or a local card. I then walked 50 meters to the departures building and successfully exchanged some ARS at the bank. While they used the official rate, it was only 5% less favorable than the rate used by VISA/MasterCard. With ARS cash in hand, I returned to the arrivals building and topped up 5,000 ARS on my SUBE card.

Buses are a cheap and convenient way to get around Buenos Aires (the metro doesn’t seem to cover most tourist attractions, including the airports). The only challenge is that you need to tell the bus driver your destination so they can set the correct fare for you to tap your SUBE card. I showed the driver my destination on a map, and it worked perfectly.

My first stop was Teatro Colón. This gray building is grand, though less colorful than Theatro da Paz and Teatro Amazonas, which I had just seen in Brazil. I then walked to Luggage Storage BA, located at the intersection of Maipú and Córdoba, to store my backpack for a couple of hours. They charge 7,000 ARS per piece, with a 15% discount for cash payments.

Argentina is famous for beef and parrillas (grills). While I’m not a big fan of grilled food, I thought it would be a regret not to try one while in Buenos Aires.I found a fast-food-style restaurant, Distrito Bs As, in the basement of Galerías Pacífico and ordered the 350-gram bife de chorizo set (with fries and a soft drink) for 18,500 ARS. It took quite a while to get my food.

Feeling full, I continued walking and visited several sights, including Plaza de Mayo, Casa Rosada, Woman’s Bridge, Monumento al Tango, Fuente de las Nereidas, and Plaza Dorrego. Woman’s Bridge represents a couple dancing tango, and I even saw a man and a woman dancing tango on the bridge, apparently hoping to earn tips from tourists. Plaza Dorrego was filled with restaurant tables when I arrived, and there was no music or dancing at that time.

Initially, I had planned to visit Calle Caminito, but since lunch took longer than expected (no regrets), I ran out of time and headed directly to Cementerio de la Recoleta. The entry fee for foreign tourists is 16,100 ARS—about four times the price for locals. Each tomb here resembles a small room. The most famous one is the Panteón de Eva Perón, and it’s hard to miss, as there are almost always people gathered in front of it.

A 1-hour 15-minute ferry ride took me to Colonia, Uruguay. Interestingly, both Argentine and Uruguayan immigration processes take place at the departing port, while Uruguayan customs (a quick luggage scan) is conducted at the arriving port.

Cementerio de la Recoleta

Dec 22, 2024
Uruguay

Colonia is small enough to explore on foot, and it's pleasant to stroll through its cobbled streets (Calle de los Suspiros is the most famous, but there are many others) and laid-back squares, such as Plaza Mayor and Plaza de Armas. The Field Gate is impressive, while the Colonia del Sacramento Lighthouse is less remarkable (I found the Ruinas del Convento de San Francisco next to it more interesting). The oldest church in Uruguay, the Basilica of the Blessed Sacrament (initially built in 1680), is just a few blocks away. Lastly, the old port area is worth checking out to enjoy some ocean breeze.

My bus to Montevideo (capital of Uruguay) departed exactly on time at 10:30 am, taking just 2 hours and 30 minutes to reach Terminal Tres Cruces in Montevideo. The terminal has luggage storage, which was very convenient. I also bought an STM card for discounted bus fares before heading downtown.

Most of Montevideo's sights are centered around Plaza Independencia, including Solis Theater, Edificio Pablo Ferrando (Art Nouveau architecture), the Gateway of the Citadel, Artigas Mausoleum, Torre Ejecutiva, Estévez Palace, Palacio Salvo, and Palacio Rinaldi (an Art Deco apartment block). Since it was Sunday, most shops were closed, and I saw very few tourists. Many locals were relaxing in the squares, enjoying the calm atmosphere.

The last sight I visited in Montevideo was the Mirador Panorámico de la Intendencia de Montevideo, a viewing platform on the 22nd floor of the municipality building. The best part? It's free! You simply enter from the rear of the building and take the elevator—no ticket required. Uruguay is often considered one of the most expensive countries in South America, but it offers many free attractions, including museums and this viewing platform.

I took the COT bus to the airport (277 UYU). Once again, it departed exactly on schedule at 5:00 pm—amazing! A short flight (less than an hour) brought me back to Buenos Aires, this time to Ezeiza International Airport (EZE). An Uber ride to central Buenos Aires was quick and cost 18,000 ARS (for some reason, the app didn't accept my card, so I paid in cash).

View from the observation deck on the 22nd floor of the municipality building

Dec 23, 2024
El Calafate

A 3-hour 20-minute domestic flight took me to El Calafate in the mid-afternoon. El Calafate is an important stop for travelers visiting Patagonia and the world-famous Perito Moreno Glacier. In December, sunset in this region is around 10 pm, providing plenty of time to explore. I decided to book a tour to Estancia 25 de Mayo (5:30–10:30 pm, 100,000 ARS). This tour offers visitors insights into sheep farming and includes dinner and a folk show. The lamb parrilla was quite delicious.

Folk show at Estancia 25 de Mayo

Dec 24, 2024
Perito Moreno Glacier

Most people visit Perito Moreno Glacier by joining a tour from El Calafate. However, it's very easy to go by bus. Two companies offer both morning and afternoon buses to the glacier, with the afternoon bus being a good choice since most tours start in the morning.

Some people say it's not necessary to take the expensive boat ride (60,000 ARS) to get a little closer to the glacier, and I agree. From the bus stop at the glacier (which is not the same parking lot used by tours and private cars), there is a perfect loop trail that offers views of different parts of the glacier. The loop can be completed in 2-3 hours, leaving plenty of time to catch the return bus. The loop does involve a lot of steps and some climbing, but overall it's no big deal.

Walkways are perhaps the best way to enjoy Perito Moreno Glacier

Dec 25, 2024
Puerto Natales

Mostly a transit day. The bus from El Calafate to Puerto Natales took about 5 hours. Immigration on both the Argentine and Chilean sides was smooth, though there were strict baggage scans/checks (for fresh food) on the Chilean side. In Puerto Natales, apart from Mural Historia Magallanica, the waterfront is worth visiting.

Mural Historia Magallanica in Puerto Natales

Dec 26, 2024
Torres del Painel

Torres del Paine is one of Chile's most visited national parks. While some people go for multi-day hikes that require time and a certain level of fitness, many others do the day trip from Puerto Natales, which is what I did. It's quite challenging to visit without a car, so I booked a full-day tour to Torres del Paine. We visited Mylodon Cave, and there was a one-hour return walk to Grey Beach (very windy) with views of Grey Glacier. The tour stopped at the Rio Pingo restaurant in the park for lunch. Highlights of the tour were all in the afternoon, including Lake Pehoé, Nordenskjöld Lake, and the main national park entrance at Amarga, where the famous three towers the park is named for can be seen (if it's not too cloudy). We also saw some guanacos in the Amarga area.

A three-hour bus ride took me to Punta Arenas in the evening.

Nordenskjöld Lake is named after Swedish explorer Otto Nordenskjöld

Dec 27, 2024
Parque Pingüino Rey

Parque Pingüino Rey is the world’s easiest place to see king penguins, the second largest species of penguin (after emperor penguins) in the world. While it’s technically possible to rent a car to get there, it’s a long journey from Punta Arenas (involving two ferries as well), so it’s much easier to book a tour.

The actual viewing of king penguins is limited to one hour (for tour groups, 4 pm seems to be a “typical” slot). You view the penguins from a distance across the river. There are telescopes available at the largest viewing platform. The area is extremely windy, which makes it cold even in the December afternoon. However, the unique experience makes the trip worthwhile.

King penguins at Parque Pingüino Rey

Dec 28, 2024
Punta Arenas - Magdalena Island

Punta Arenas is much bigger than Puerto Natales, but the main sights can still be visited on foot. I checked out Mirador Cerro la Cruz (a viewpoint of the city), Cementerio Municipal (5 CLP, though nobody was collecting money when I was there, perhaps due to the holiday season), Plaza Muñoz Gamero (the main city square with a statue of Magellan), Letras Punta Arenas 500 años (the famous photo spot with the city’s name), and Reloj (clocktower) in two hours.

I booked a tour to Magdalena Island to see Magellanic penguins in the afternoon. It departs from Muelle Prat (the dock in the city center near Reloj). The ferry takes 1 hour 30 minutes to reach Magdalena Island (one-way), and there is about one hour on the island. The experience is quite different from the king penguin tour. First, the Magdalena Island tour is much larger – around 100 people perhaps (while the king penguin tour I took had only 13 people). Second, you are much closer to the Magellan penguins. Visitors actually walk along a loop trail and are advised to keep 2 meters from the penguins. There are also a large number of seagulls (including many chicks) on the island. Since we’re so close to the penguins, this tour is also worthwhile despite the large group size.

A Magellan penguin family on Magdalena Island

Overview

This two-week trip to South America (with a side trip to Trinidad) was very fulfilling. I saw many animals in their natural habitats for the first time, including scarlet ibises, guanacos, king penguins, Magellan penguins, and more. Kaieteur Falls and Perito Moreno Glacier are without a doubt world-class natural wonders. I was also happy to see a pitch lake and live mud volcanoes for the first time. Torres del Paine is kind of like the Rockies in Canada, with snow-capped mountain peaks and stunning lakes. Tourism in the Amazon region of Brazil is still "old-fashioned" but quite affordable. While lacking major sights, Suriname and Uruguay are very safe and laid-back—the latter probably has the friendliest people in South America.