South American Handbook

Ben has been the editor of the South American Handbook since 1989 and associate editor for many more years. In this role he has travelled to almost every corner of Latin America. He has a doctorate in Spanish and Portuguese Studies and has been writing about contemporary Iberian and Latin American affairs since 1980.

Introduction - a foot in the door. Part 1 Essentials: planning your trip; before you travel; getting there; touching down; where to stay; getting around; keeping in touch; food and drink; shopping; responsible tourism; health. Part 2 Argentina: essentials; Buenos Aires; south of Buenos Aires; Cordoba and the Central Sierras; the northwest; the west; the northeast; the lake district; Patagonia; Tierra del Fuego; background. Part 3 Bolivia: essentials; La Paz; Lake Titicaca; the Yungas; southwest Bolivia; Potosi, Sucre and the southern higlands; the Cochabamba and around; the northern lowlands; eastern Bolivia; background. Part 4 Brazil: essentials; Rio de Janeiro; Sao Paolo; Minas Gerais and Espirito Santo; Parana; Santa Catarina; Rio Grande do Stil; Bahia; the northeast; northern Brazil; southern Amazonia; centre west; Mato Grosso; background. Part 5 Chile: essentials; Santiago and the heartland; north of Santiago; north of La Serena; the far north; south of Santiago; the lake district; south of Puerto Montt; Chilean Patagonia; Tierra del Fuego; the Chilean Pacific Islands; background. Part 6 Colombia: essentials; Bogota; Bogota to Cucuta; the north coast and islands; San Andres and Providencia; up the Rio Magdalena; Antioquia and Choco; La Zona Cafetera and Cauca Valley; Popayan, Tierradentro and San Agustin; southern Colombia; the Llanos and Leticia; background. Part 7 Ecuador: essentials; Quito; north of Quito; the central Sierra; the southern Sierra; Guayaquil and south to Peru; Pacific lowlands; the Oriente; Galapagos Islands; background. Part 8 Paraguay: essentials; Asuncion; east from Asuncion; south from Asuncion; north from Asuncion; the Chaco; background. Part 9 Peru: essentials; Lima; Huaraz and the Cordillera Blanca; northern Peru; the south coast; Arequipa and Lake Titicaca; Cusco and the Sacred Valley; the central highlands; Amazon Basin; background. Part 10 Uruguay: essentials; Montevideo; east from Montevideo; Montevideo north to Brazil; west from Montevideo; background. Part 11 Venezuela: essentials; Caracas; west from Caracs; the Andes; the east coast; the Llanos; Guayana, the Orinocodelta and Amazonas; background. Part 12 The Guianas: Guyana; Suriname; Guyane. Part 13 The Falkland Islands: Falkland Islands/Islas Malvinas; south Georgia; Antarctica.