South America

Hi everyone! Could someone send me photos of Saint-Georges, please? How much does housing cost for a year-long rental? Do you have any photos of Caz Cale? Thanks for your replies. I’m looking for a place to stay.

Hi everyone, We’re heading to Patagonia for three weeks in November, starting from Coyhaique in Chile. We won’t have a car, and I’m struggling to find information about transportation options for a few parts of the itinerary we’d like to do:

1) From Perito Moreno (the town, near Los Antiguos), we’d like to travel down Ruta 40 to visit Perito Moreno National Park and then cross into Chile via the Paso Roballos (at the latitude of Bajo Caracoles) to reach the road to Cochrane. Without a car, it seems we’ll need to use private agencies to get to the national park—do you have any recommendations or suggestions? Also, does anyone know if it’s possible to cross into Chile via Paso Roballos (from Bajo Caracoles) without a rental car? That is, without having to go all the way down to El Chaltén or back up toward Perito Moreno/Los Antiguos, etc.?

2) The second stretch that seems a bit tricky (though still easier, in theory) is from Caleta Tortel to Villa O’Higgins on the Chilean side. Do we have to go back through Cochrane, or are there ways to get directly from Tortel to Villa O’Higgins?

3) Finally, we’d like to hike into Argentina (El Chaltén) from O’Higgins. Any recommendations for this? Do we need to go through an agency? What’s the estimated duration of the trek?

As you’ve probably gathered, we want to visit some off-the-beaten-path spots but don’t have a car, so we’re looking for the best possible compromises.

Thanks so much in advance for all your suggestions! Thomas

Hi everyone, On August 15th, we’ll be flying from São Paulo to Salvador de Bahia (which airline should we choose?) to spend about ten days there. Since we haven’t had a vacation in two years, we’d like to avoid spending too much time on the road and instead discover some picturesque spots that aren’t too crowded with tourists... Any tips? We’re already planning to spend 2-3 days in Salvador, and then what? I think two other nearby destinations where we could wander around would be ideal: Praia do Forte, Itaparica, Loreto de São Paulo, Cachoeira, or any other must-see places? Thanks for your help

Hi everyone,

I’m coming back to ask for your valuable advice once again (which has already helped me out multiple times for other trips, thanks! 🙂) for a 3.5-week itinerary in Colombia this January. We’re traveling as a couple, backpacking, and our trip will be by bus only (unless we crack and take a plane once, but we’d prefer to avoid it).

To avoid rushing around and because we want to steer clear of the tourist crowds on the Caribbean coast, we’ve planned a route that might seem a bit off the beaten path. Could you let me know what you think, please?

We land in Bogotá -> Armenia (Cocora Valley) -> Coffee Region -> Medellín -> Guatapé and Jardín -> Capurganá and Sapzurro -> back to Bogotá (or Páramo de Ocetá if we have time).

We’re more drawn to relaxed spots without too many tourists, and we’d really love to swim in a beautiful place (we live in Quebec, and it’s pretty tough to swim in the sea, especially in January!).

Thanks to all of you!

Hi there, Next week, we're heading to the Bahia region for 10 days. Besides visiting Salvador, I'm torn between heading north to Praia do Forte or south to Itacaré. We'll be traveling by bus. I'd love to do both, but I'm worried I won't be able to enjoy it if I try to do too much. If you've been to these places, I'd love to hear about your experiences. Thanks in advance.

When I set off for Bolivia, like many Europeans, I was full of illusions (fed by the propaganda of President Evo Morales, a would-be dictator with limited intelligence). I quickly became disillusioned—everything there seems to be built on lies: political disaster, ecological disaster, economic disaster despite drug trafficking and smuggling with China, dietary disaster, intellectual disaster... Its only saving grace is being a vast, sparsely populated country, so nature lovers can still find rich, relatively untouched landscapes far from human settlements (but for how long?)

Where humans dominate, the disaster worsens year by year: water, soil, and air are contaminated, meat is pumped full of hormones, GMOs are everywhere, fish are loaded with lead and mercury (thousands of tons of waste are dumped into Lake Titicaca on both the Bolivian and Peruvian sides), and the food is ultra-artificial (all the additives banned in Europe are abundant there). For example, out of 50 fruit yogurts, only two actually contain fruit... In short, don’t expect to go there for a health retreat.

As for its capital, even though you’ll see "wonderful" written everywhere, the city is ugly, extremely polluted, and not particularly interesting. But since few Bolivians leave Bolivia and the public education system is one of the dumbest in the world, they don’t care. A stupid law decreeing that taxes are only paid once construction is finished means thousands of buildings will never be completed... Anyway, you’ve probably gathered by now that it’s not worth wasting too much time there. If you decide to go to Bolivia, it’s best to know what you’re getting into...

So what should you do? A stop in Copacabana is pleasant, as is one in Tiwanaku. A stay in Samaipata is nice, and the cities of Sucre and Potosí still have charm. The Uyuni salt flats are also worth seeing. Venture off the beaten path, even if transportation is complicated and sometimes dangerous.

Don’t be surprised by the omnipresent police (many of whom are corrupt) and military, or by the almost daily protests... These are just some of Bolivia’s characteristics. But when you pass through quickly, you tend to see what you want to see.

On the gastronomy front, aside from the fact that in many places the food is a cocktail of pesticides, GMOs, heavy metals, and dangerous additives—all washed down with plenty of Coca-Cola—don’t expect refined cuisine... That said, like everywhere, you’ll find kind people (though relationships are often superficial) and stunning landscapes. There you go—just offering a different perspective from the dazzled accounts of tourists who only scratch the surface without understanding the harsh realities. And I haven’t even touched on the administrations, social disparities, the TIPNIS conflict, disappearances (girls for prostitution and boys for organ trafficking), etc...

Hello everyone!

A group of friends and I are heading to Brazil in March 2019 and we’d love to attend the Carnival parade. I could really use your help because I’m struggling to find reviews for online ticket sellers for Carnival. I came across rio-carnival—is this a reliable agency? Do you have other agencies to recommend or experiences to share? Any advice is welcome.

Thanks! 🙂 Marine

Hi, I’m heading to French Guiana for 15 days in March and I’m wondering if I should prioritize Saül given the distance. We’ve rented a place near Cayenne for two weeks; factoring in one day to get there and another to return, that’s 3 days... For a first-time visit, wouldn’t it be better to explore other sites instead? Is it really that different, especially if we’re only staying one day and aren’t big on hiking? Thanks for your help.

Good evening,

I’m leaving for five weeks in Colombia on July 9th. Over the past few years, I’ve traveled solo with great pleasure in Argentina, then Chile, and last year in Ecuador...

It’s the realization of a childhood dream... I was 14 and promised myself I’d go one day.

My daughters are grown and "independent," as we say in Brittany. Forty years to prepare for a trip... that’s no small feat...

In short.

I’m heading to Colombia. Last year, I was lucky enough to spend a week in Ecuador with Wilhem and Soria, a Guarani couple.

If I’m renting a room, I’d rather it benefits locals. It was an unparalleled adventure, and we’ve stayed in touch.

So, I’m looking for a way to do a kind of "community-based" tourism where we both benefit—I need your recommendations...

I haven’t found any useful info on the forum.

Maybe Colombia is less suited for this than Ecuador...

Anyway... I’m making this request so I don’t end up like last year in Quito, in a totally improbable hostel where the vibe was all about mimicking American trends and avoiding Spanish at all costs.

My next trip was wonderful.

If I’m paying for a night, I’d like it to go to locals, and if you have a place to stay that could lead to a meaningful human connection, I’m all ears.

I’m open to suggestions.

On the other hand, I can also give you info about the two communities where I spent two weeks in Ecuador: they need funds to carry out their projects, and working with them brought me a lot.

I’m from Central Brittany—this wasn’t some neo-rural discovery for me... for good reason...

Their values are my values.

I’ve got time... Still, your contributions would be very welcome.

Happy to help if you’re thinking of heading to Ecuador.

Happy travels,

Françoise

Hi there,

For our trip to Chile in November, we rented a car from Europcar for our stop in San Pedro de Atacama. We’ll pick up the car at Calama Airport and return it to the agency in San Pedro. We made the reservation through Rentalcars.

The problem is, I just noticed on the booking that it says in the "what you’ll need when picking up the vehicle" section: "Credit card: The card must have sufficient available funds to cover the excess/deposit (which will be blocked on the card for the duration of the rental)." And then it’s written in red: "Cash payments and debit cards are not accepted."

The thing is, we don’t have a credit card—just debit cards (which, by the way, is the case for most people; we just mistakenly call them "credit cards" when they’re actually "debit cards").

I’ve seen cases where the rental company forced people to purchase additional insurance if they didn’t provide a credit card for the deposit, but that was in European countries, and I haven’t found much info about Chile.

Has anyone else run into this issue with Europcar in Calama?

Do you know if they can refuse to give us the car if we don’t have a credit card for the deposit? Just to note, the rental payment has already been debited, and we’ve opted for the "Full Protection" insurance offered by Rentalcars. If they force us to take extra insurance, will it be something beyond this full protection?

Thanks for any insights...

hi everyone, where can we buy a GPS for driving in Argentina and which one: Garmin, TomTom?

Chapada Diamantina National Park (also known as Brazil’s Grand Canyon) will begin reopening gradually, in phases and by village. Mucugê, for example, will be fully accessible starting August 31st. The only restrictions still to be clarified are events with more than 10 people and schools. I’ll post updates on the other villages in the park as soon as they’re available. Warm tropical greetings from Salvador da Bahia, Ivan Bahia Guide

Hi there,

The National Tourism Service SERNATUR published a small graphic summary of the current situation in the tourism sector for each region of the country on August 14th.

It shows the percentage of operational tourist attractions, accommodations, airports, and bus stations across Chile’s sixteen regions.

You can check out the map by following this link: https://www.sernatur.cl/operatividad-y-recomendaciones-de-las-regiones-del-pais/

As you can see, in several regions, no tourist attractions are currently available. In two regions, only half are open.

(A quick but important note: the small village of San Pedro de Atacama is in the Antofagasta administrative region, not the Atacama region.)

The situation for accommodations, regional airports, and bus stations is relatively better.

Some good news, though—Torres del Paine National Park is expected to gradually reopen starting September 1st.

Here’s a link to an article on the topic: https://laprensaaustral.cl/cronica/destacan-reapertura-gradual-del-paine/

(If all goes well, other national parks should follow suit.)

For the general situation in the country, there’s another discussion on this forum: https://voyageforum.com/discussion/situation-actuelle-chili-d10335492/

Any input is welcome!

Good luck.

Hello,

I’ve planned a 3.5-week trip to Chile in February/March 2025, with the goal of driving the Carretera Austral from Puerto Montt to Caleta Tortel in a rented 4x4. The itinerary is set, accommodations are booked, and the 4x4 is reserved. We could still tweak things a bit, but it’s getting harder to find available lodging in some spots.

Here’s the planned route: - 1 night in Puerto Montt on arrival day - 2 nights in Castro (Chiloé Island) - 2 nights near Ensenada - 1 night in Horniporén - 1 night in Chaitén - 3 nights in Puyuhuapi - 2 nights in Coyhaique - 3 nights between Puerto Bertrand and Cochrane - 2 nights in Caleta Tortel - 3 nights in Puerto Guadal - 1 night in Chile Chico (to take the ferry across the lake) - 1 night in Villa Cerro Castillo before flying out from Balmaceda

I have a few questions about the activities we’d like to do:

The **Marble Caves**: I’d love an option that lets us "go inside" them. From what I’ve read, this depends on the water level, wind, and type of boat. Any tips or advice? We’d like to do an **excursion to see condors**. We were thinking of doing this while in Coyhaique (we’re staying 2 nights). Has anyone done this? With which agency? We’re spending 3 nights between Puerto Bertrand and Cochrane. The idea is to **explore the vast Patagonia Park and its wildlife**. But I’m not sure where to start. Any recommendations for day hikes or itineraries? I read somewhere that you can do a day trip with a guide that includes a boat ride on Lake Cochrane, but I can’t find the booking info. An agency for **glacier exploration** (we were thinking of **Lake Leones Glacier**). I contacted Ruta León but haven’t heard back. Any agencies to recommend?

Thanks so much! Pascale

Good evening, We're leaving from January 26 to February 7 with our two kids, aged 23 and 27. I'm hoping to visit Iguazu, Rio, Ilha Grande, or Cabo Frio. I have a few questions. - Should we visit Rio with a guide, considering we want to explore favelas and hike to reach the main sites? And how many days should we plan for it? - How many days for Ilha Grande, and is the weather favorable during this period? Is it a must-see? - What do you think of Cabo Frio? In terms of organization, is it better to visit Iguazu at the beginning, middle, or end of our stay, departing from São Paulo or Rio? We haven’t bought our flight tickets yet, so I can arrange to arrive or depart from Rio/São Paulo. Thanks so much for sharing your experiences and opinions!

Hi everyone, I’m restarting my travel reports with my 2023 trip that took me from Costa Rica to Suriname over a month and a half.

First stop: Costa Rica. I arrived in late September in San José, a city I know well and never linger in. As soon as I got off the early-morning flight, I headed to the domestic airport—just a 5-minute walk away—to catch a 45-minute flight to Puerto Limón on the Caribbean coast. The 40-minute flight in a small Cessna was fun, especially since we landed on a tiny airstrip right by the sea—it felt like landing on the beach, which immediately set the mood. Plus, I wasn’t keen on enduring the 4–5-hour bus ride to Cahuita, especially since large sections of the road were under renovation. In Cahuita (where I’ve been going every year since 2015), I stayed at Kenaki Lodge on Playa Grande. It’s a great lodge, about a 45-minute walk from Cahuita’s center, but you’re just 50 meters from the beach and usually have it all to yourself. The lodge is run by Béa, a Frenchwoman, and depending on the season, you can help release baby turtles on the beach. The room was 55 €, very spacious, and you can use the outdoor kitchen. I’d recommend it for anyone looking for peace and quiet and a private beach.

After 5 days there, I flew to Cartagena but didn’t stay overnight. Instead, I headed straight to Rincón del Mar, a 3-hour bus ride from CTG. I’d mostly heard about it from a friend who lives there and runs El Ché, a beachfront restaurant. Rincón del Mar is a tiny seaside village, very peaceful, with a pretty nice beach. There are lots of small hotels and restaurants, and it’s a spot that’s likely to grow quickly in the coming years. Note: there’s no ATM there, so you’ll need to withdraw cash in San Onofre, about 30 minutes away by moto-taxi. The round trip costs around 25,000 COP. That’s also where you catch the bus to Cartagena. For accommodations, rooms were roughly 70,000–90,000 COP, with a so-so value for the price. As for things to do, I’d recommend the tour that takes you to watch the sunset in front of Bird Island, followed by a swim in a lagoon with bioluminescent plankton. The excursion (if I remember correctly) cost around 90,000 COP.

After a week in Rincón del Mar, I headed back to Cartagena and decided to fly to Yopal to visit the Río Meta. In Yopal, you’ll need to go to the bus terminal (10 minutes by taxi from the airport). From there, I took a bus to Orocué (50,000 COP) for about a 4-hour trip—it felt endless because the road was in terrible condition. Orocué is a tiny town on the banks of the Río Meta, but it has all the essentials (hotels, restaurants, ATMs). It’s lovely to stroll along the river at sunset. There are a few small bars, the area is very natural, the sunsets are stunning, and when there are distant storms, it’s just breathtaking. For lodging, I stayed at Hotel Brisas de San Miguel. It wasn’t bad—fan-cooled room for 70,000 COP. There were quite a few mosquitoes. I spent 3 days in Orocué. If you want to swim, head to the bridge (the only one), Cano San Miguel, and on the right, there’s a swimming spot. With the heat, it’s a great way to cool off.

From Orocué, I took a fast *lancha* (boat) up the Río Meta to Puerto Carreño, in the Vichada department at the far end of Colombia. This brings you to the majestic Orinoco River, right across from Venezuela. The boat ride is long—10 hours—and costs about 60 €. We left around 6 AM, with a few stops for bathroom breaks and meals along the way. But you *must* book your spot 1–2 days in advance. To do that, go to the small square above the dock—there’s a "navigation office" there. The trip was long but enjoyable. I never get tired of river journeys.

I was happy to finally arrive in Puerto Carreño, a small border town with Venezuela. No surprise that half the population was Venezuelan. In Puerto Carreño, I stayed at Hotel Delfines del Orinoco. The room was 80,000 COP, decent, with A/C, and the best part was the pool. I spent 2 nights there. One thing you *must* do—morning and evening—is hike to the top of Cerro de la Bandera (the *cerros* are huge rock formations typical of the Orinoco region, and there are many in the area). From the summit, you get amazing 360° views of the savanna and jungle. Sunrise is especially incredible. The trail is well-marked—from downtown Puerto Carreño, it takes about 20 minutes.

Next, I spent 3 nights at Rancho Barú. About an hour by boat from Puerto Carreño, you get off at Casuarito, and someone from the lodge picks you up by motorcycle for a 30-minute ride. The ranch is in the middle of the savanna, with a river/rapids beach just a 5-minute walk away. You can also fish—bites come quickly. For the lodge, one night (room or hammock) with shared bathrooms, three meals included, one excursion, plus the round-trip motorcycle ride costs 245,000 COP. An extra night without an excursion is around 100,000 COP, but you need to let the lodge know in advance so they can prepare enough food—there’s absolutely nothing for miles around.

After those 3 great days at the ranch, I took a canoe to cross into Venezuela, since Casuarito is right across from Puerto Ayacucho. The crossing costs 10,000 COP, but I got shaken down by Venezuelan immigration, who invented a violation and made me pay $40 USD. Puerto Ayacucho didn’t inspire me much. The city felt sketchy, with many hotels closed. Dealing with currency exchange was the hardest part—you *must* bring cash (USD or Colombian pesos), know the exchange rate, and find someone with enough money to exchange with you. It took me at least 2 hours. I stayed in a decent hotel downtown for $20 USD a night, but I’ll admit that going out at night—even in Puerto Ayacucho—felt pretty dodgy. All the buildings have bars on the windows, and there weren’t many people outside. I didn’t linger and found my plans to continue south too complicated. The next day, I took a bus across the country to the Brazilian border at Santa Elena de Uairén. The trip took a day and a night, with countless military checkpoints where they made everyone get off, unload all the luggage, etc. Not exactly a fun ride.

Photos: - 2 sunrises near the Orocué dock - Storm over the savanna at Rancho Barú - View of the savanna and Orinoco near Casuarito - Photo taken during the Río Meta boat trip

Hi, we’ll be arriving at the airport and need to get to the Recoleta neighborhood. What’s the best way to get there? Are there Ubers? Our host recommends renting a car, but we don’t really see the point. Thanks

Hi there, we’re spending 2 full days in El Calafate and we’d like to visit Perito Moreno. The prices through agencies are sky-high, so I’m trying to figure out why by looking at the cost of the bus separately, park entry separately, and the boat separately. I’m still way off the total amount. From reading several blogs, it seems like we could do it ourselves by renting a car. What do you think?

After that, we saw that we could also visit other glaciers, but the agency prices for those are even more expensive. However, in this case, I don’t know if we can do it on our own...

Thanks for your help!

Hello,

After putting off my trip to Chile (and Argentina) for several years (protests plus Covid 19/20/21...), I’d love to know what the average cost is now for a journey from north to south? (Public transport and "ordinary" hotels) If you have any recent info, thanks for taking the time to reply...

😉 Best regards,

Cruzo.

Hi everyone, My husband and I are planning to explore Ecuador in the coming year, and to make the most of the trip, we’d like to do it with a rental car. We already have a rough idea of the route we’d take, and I’m reaching out to the community to help us refine this journey. Here’s the plan: Day 1: Flight to Quito Days 2 and 3: Exploring Quito Days 4 and 5: Picking up the rental car and driving to Otavalo and Laguna Cuicocha Day 6: Drive to Papallacta via Cayambe to enjoy the hot springs in the evening Days 7 and 8: Drive to Lasso via Malachi – Excursions in Cotopaxi National Park. Laguna Limpiopungo Days 9 and 10: Laguna Quilotoa Day 11: Drive to Baños via Latacunga/Ambato to enjoy the hot springs in Baños Days 12 and 13: Hiking in the Chimborazo Reserve Day 14: Hiking in Sangay National Park Day 15: Drive to Guamote to arrive by late afternoon Day 16: Guamote market in the morning. Drive to Cañar in the afternoon Day 17: Guided tour of Ingapirca, then drive to Cuenca Day 18: Visit Cajas National Park early in the morning Day 19: Exploring Cuenca Day 20: Returning the rental car and flight to Quito or driving back to Quito (depending on cost) Day 21: Relaxing in Quito Day 22: Flight back to France

We won’t be doing any ascents—just hikes in the parks (we’re walkers, but we’re feeling our age and prefer to take it easy now!).

We’d love to hear your thoughts, critiques, or advice... Thanks in advance. Looking forward to reading your replies! martine

Hi there, we’re heading to Colombia from mid-January to mid-February 2025 and we’d love to visit the Tierradentro and San Agustín sites in February. We’ve heard these sites are closed on Tuesdays during the low season—but when exactly *is* the low season? We need to plan our bus routes. Thanks in advance! Anne

Hi there,

I’m sharing a link to the online site for all gas stations in Chile.

It can be really useful because it shows not only their locations but also the current prices per liter. The site is run by Chile’s National Energy Commission.

https://www.bencinaenlinea.cl/

This info is especially important for those traveling through remote and isolated areas like the high plateaus of the far north, the Austral Highway, Patagonia, and Tierra del Fuego.

Have a great trip and stay safe out there!

Thierry

Hi everyone, We’re heading to Easter Island in January for 8 days. We’d love any tips— -bike or scooter rental? -hikes on foot -activities like kayaking or snorkeling -must-visit spots Thanks so much in advance!

Hi, We’re considering a discovery trip to Brazil in summer 2025 for a maximum of 3 weeks, transport included. Since the must-see sites are very far apart, we’ve selected the ones that seemed the most spectacular and have little or no equivalent elsewhere in the world. Here’s what we’re thinking: Outbound: 1 day Paris → São Paulo Iguaçu: 2 days Transfer: 1 day via São Paulo or Rio and São Luís Lençóis National Park: 3 days Transfer: 1 day via São Luís Salvador de Bahia: 2 days Transfer: 1 day via Rio Rio: 4 days Return: 1 day What do you think? I was thinking of adding a stop that’s easily accessible without flying from one of the places above. Ilha Grande? Tinharé Island? Any other suggestions? Thanks in advance for your tips! Virginie

Hi, I’m really surprised by the wide range of prices charged by car rental companies in Chile, so I’d like to know which type of vehicle is best suited for the roads in the Lake District: Puerto Montt and Ensenada, between Ensenada and Pucón, and between Pucón and Currarrehue, for example. I have the choice between 4x4s (expensive!), 4x2s (I don’t know what that is), SUVs (also expensive), and more classic vehicles. Thanks in advance! JJC

Hi everyone, I’m planning to spend about a week in the Amazon in April or May—the dates aren’t set yet—flying in and out of Manaus. I’d love to hear about the must-see spots in Manaus besides the theater and the Amazon Museum. After that, I’d like to take a boat trip on the Amazon or the Rio Negro to escape the city and find some peace for a 3- or 4-day trek in the forest. I also saw that the town of Presidente Figueiredo is worth visiting for all the waterfalls nearby. If you’ve been to Manaus and have any recommendations, I’d love to hear them. Have a great day, everyone.

Hi there, Not wanting to go through a traditional travel agency—often based in France and only offering "items pulled from an internet catalog"—I’ve decided to plan this trip to Chile on my own this year, in March-April. However, I’m overwhelmed by the number of options online. I’ll be staying in San Pedro de Atacama for 4 nights. I’d love to explore San Pedro de Atacama and its surroundings. Since I won’t have a vehicle, I’ll likely need to rely on group transfers. What do you recommend as must-see places and activities? And most importantly, which trustworthy providers should I turn to? Thanks in advance! Jamet JC

Hi, I’d like to meet a Mapuche community in the Lake District during my upcoming trip to Chile. I’ve been given several offers, but the prices are way too high (nearly 1100 € for 2 days/3 nights). Even though the advertised program sounds interesting, I’m hoping there are other ways to connect with a Mapuche community. I’m open to any ideas on the topic! Best, Jamet JC

Hi, I’d love to spend a night in the park to enjoy it without rushing, but I’m shocked by the prices and the poor quality of the accommodations I’ve found on Booking. Are there any other more reasonable options on-site (aside from tents and hammocks, which aren’t for us...)? Also, is it risky not to book ahead for a trip in March? Thanks for your feedback!

Hi there, I just wanted to warn those who want to reach the beaches of Tayrona Park by lancha. If you're not a fan of thrills or prone to seasickness, opt for the car instead. We did this 40-minute lancha trip to Playa Cristal, with rough seas and huge waves that nearly capsized the boat several times. And we arrived at Playa Cristal completely soaked—though that wasn’t too bad, really...

Anyway, the beaches and the park are amazing.