I’m so excited to
document and share my recent travel to four Latin American countries: Colombia,
Brazil, Peru and Mexico, with specific objective to visit 3 of the 7 Wonders of
the Modern World, which are Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Machu Picchu
in Cusco and Chichen Itza in Yucatan.
Planning was a long and
careful process as I had to consider the cost, itineraries and safety as there
have always been stigmas on crime and insect bite diseases in most of those
places.As with other major trips,
planning started six months before I traveled to get the best deals possible.
Flights
I took the help, once
again, of the Skyscanner to get the best flights that will fit the
itineraries I had in mind.Because
direct flights from Manila to any of my selected Latin American countries were
quite expensive, I decided to make San Francisco my first stop and entry point
to the continent.Aside from saving up a
lot on the flight cost, I was able to visit my college friend and his family
living in the area.Korean Air was the
carrier I chose from MNL to SFO as I haven’t flown with them yet and they
offered the best rate (US$695.98 or Php35,494.98).Next was a flight from SFO to GIG (Rio de
Janeiro) with a layover in BGO (Bogota) through Avianca which had some changes
that ended with me having to stay in Los Angeles for a night (US$664.52 or
Php33,890.74).The next destination was
Machu Picchu so I booked flights from GIG to LIM (Lima), then LIM to CUZ
(Cusco) also with Avianca (US$421.41 or Php21,492.01).CUZ to LIM was with LC Peru, then LIM to MEX
(Mexico City) was with Interjet (both at US$322.19 or Php16,431.84).Because the nearest airport to Yucatan (where
Chichen Itza is) is Cancun, I flew from MEX to CUN (Cancun), this time with
Viva Aerobus (US$98.73 or Php5,035.00).CUN to MEX was with Interjet (US$101.58 or Php5,180.41), then MEX to SFO
was with Volaris (US$207.88 or Php10,601.88), and finally, SFO back to MNL (through
ICN) was with Koren Air.Yes, I had a
total of 14 flights in this trip and they were all long and grueling, with a
total cost of US$2,512.29 or Php128,126.86.
BOGOTA, COLOMBIA
Mural of an indigenous Kuna woman
Experience
As this was just,
technically, a layover for me, I didn’t bother getting an accommodation and
just searched for a day tour.I honestly
had not-so-good notions about Colombia particularly around drugs and crime
(thanks to those tv series and movies) so I made sure that I find a tour where
in pick up and drop off at the airport is included.Finding an affordable layover tour was not
easy but after hours online, I came across Hansa Tours which had exactly what
I was looking for.They offered a 3-hour
layover tour for US$99.00 or Php5,049.00 that has airport pick-up and drop-off,
a tour guide and covered the key sights in Bogota (Gold Museum, Botero Museum,
Candelaria neighborhood walk, Bolivar Square, Justice Palace & Cathedral).My Colombian tour guide, Tomas Vargas, did an
excellent job as not only did he explain Bogota’s history well, he even went
above and beyond by adding some sights and took my photos.Overall, the quick tour went well and I spent
a good amount of time at the airport while waiting for my flight to Brazil.
El Dorado Int'l Airport
Streets of Candelaria & its murals
Botero Museum
Gold Museum
Plaza Bolivar w/Tomas, my tour guide
Tips
Prepare some Spanish
words as, per my guide, only 10% of Colombians speak and understand
English.I was even almost denied
service while ordering in a restaurant.
Have an umbrella and a
jacket with you as the weather changes instantly.It can also get really cold.
Since their airport is
really nice, you can stay there for hours.Food is cheap, even Starbucks drinks are Php35-40 lesser than in Manila
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
Christ the Redeemer
Experience This place has been in my
bucket list so was really looking forward to going there.You will really notice how Rio is a tourist-magnet
as soon as you arrive at the airport with the lines in the immigration, so be
patient.I initially booked a roundtrip
airport transfer worth US$50 or Php2,550.00 but cancelled the last minute after
reading some articles around how I can save with taking public transport.True enough, I easily found the bus that
travels straight to the center outside the arrival area that took around 1.5
hours for just BRL12 or Php188.Just ask
the driver to drop you at the stop nearest your destination, in my case,
Copacabana.I just crossed the street to
the left and two blocks away was the beach area where my hotel is located.I checked in at Hotel Astoria Palace for a
night that cost BRL310 or Php4,873.Aside from a spacious room with 3 beds (I’m not sure if they made an
error with the room they issued), the highlight of my stay there was their
rooftop that has a bar, a pool and a 180-degree view of the beach.Just after a quick rest, I headed straight to
the beach and felt the scorching heat, powdery sand and joined the tons of
tourists bathing both in the water and under the sun.Afterwards, I took a cab going to the station
that brings you to Christ the Redeemer for BRL90 or Php1416.The tram costs BRL75 or Php1180 with really
nice view on your way to the top.I
can’t explain how I felt when I came face to face with the statue, it was just
surreal.The crowd can be overwhelming
so you have to be creative in capturing the best shot/selfie with the
Christ.I left Rio feeling accomplished
even with the short time I spent there.
Playa Copacabana view from hotel's roof deck
Christ the Redeemer
View from Christ the Redeemer platform
Tips
That video you probably
saw with folks snatching stuff from tourists during the Rio Olympics isn’t the
norm, at least around Copacabana, as I was able to freely walk around. Although it wouldn’t hurt to still have some
caution.
Foreign exchange fee at
the airport is a rip off at BRL30 or Php471 compared to hotels averaging at
BRL6 or Php94.
Bring a pair of
sunglasses, sunblock and anything that will protect you from the sun.
When taking a cab, it’s
best to arrange it through a hotel to ensure your safety and reasonable pricing. I arranged that the same cab that brought me
to Christ the Redeemer to drop me off at the airport as I needed to be there at
4am the next day, which ended me saving BRL45 or Php708 (regular rate is BRL120
but this cab driver used his meter so I only paid BRL75).
Definitely pick a hotel
with a beach/ocean view to get those ‘instagram-able’ shots at no extra cost.
I would discourage
availing this Viator tour. They did not
show up at the time of the pick-up with no response on calls and messages, so I
ended with taking a cab to and from Christ the Redeemer. I also found out from the frontdesk that
other tourists suffered the same days prior.
CUSCO, PERU
Machu Picchu
Experience My next stop was Machu
Picchu, another one of the “Seven Wonders of the Modern World” and I had to
take 2 flights, one from Rio to Lima then Lima to Cusco. Here, I availed a shared transfer to and from
the airport through Viator for USD8.55 or Php436.05 per way but I ended having
the entire van all by myself. I stayed
at Samana Inn & Spa which costs US$91 or Php4641 for 2 nights. The property had a traditional Peruvian home
feel with spacious and cozy rooms. After
a quick rest, I went out to walk and explore the place and even bought some
souvenirs. The second day started really
early with a 4am pick-up from my hotel and traveled 1.5 hours by van to Ollantaytambo,
the town where the train going to Machu Picchu is located. The tour was with
Viator for US$260.95 all-in. Another 1.5 hours
scenic train ride to Aguas Calientes was next before we took the bus that
brought us straight to the mountains.
The ride was quite scary as the bus traversed in a really steep and
narrow 2-way road barely with barriers.
But it was worth it as the view of Machu Picchu was majestic. I spent a good amount of time in key spots to
capture the best photos I can. The tour
ended late with same bus, train and van ride back to the city. I spent another night in Cusco before my
early flight the next day to Mexico.
Central Square, Fortress and Church in Cusco
A Peruvian family with their llama
Train - Aquas Clients - Bus
The Inca trail
Machu Picchu
Tips
Try to get a hotel near
the central square as it is where most of the tours assign their meeting point.
You will find the
cheapest souvenirs in a flea market hidden beside Basilica Menor Dela Merced,
near the center square, where you can also haggle. I also bought really cheap scarves from
random sellers in the street, most are old ladies who may have made the items
themselves.
The bus that will take
you to Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes is actually public so upon arriving,
you can choose to follow the time given by the tour guide or just ride the next
available bus to be able to spend more time in the main site.There are several restaurants and cafés where
you can rest and wait so either option will work.
Once you arrive at the
entrance of Machu Picchu, they will group you based on the language you’d
prefer, Spanish or English. You have the
option to just explore it on your own and not join any tour guide, which is
what I did as they wasted so much time waiting to form groups.
Fog is the biggest
challenge if you don’t pick the right time to visit Machu Picchu, which is what
I experienced visiting it during winter (summer months are May to
September). I literally had to wait more
than an hour for the fog to subside and take photos.
YUCATAN, MEXICO
Chichen Itza
Experience This is the last stop in
my Latin America trip, of course, to see another wonder which is Chichen
Itza.I had to make a decision if I’ll
take the tour from Mexico City but later ended with flying to Cancun so the bus
ride (still through a tour company) straight to the site is just 2 hours.Same with Colombia, I didn’t have to book an
accommodation as I arrived at Cancun early in the morning just in time for the
tour pick-up and just had to avail a two-way airport transfer to the nearest
hotel for US$10.20 or Php520.20.The
entire jam-packed tour was for US$44.10 or Php 2,249.10 from Viator.We rode a van for a few minutes and were
dropped off at the area where all buses of the same tour will leave from, then grouped
us based on language preference (Spanish or English).It was a 2-hour bus ride with a quick stop at
the center of a town called Villadolid.Immediately after, we went to swim at a cenote (sink hole) then to a
nearby town for a Mexican buffet lunch.It was a rather historical tour so the guide shared quite a lot of
information about the Mayan civilization.And finally, we reached the highlight of our trip 45 mins later –
Chichen Itza.Another tour guide escorted
and toured us around with a lot more historical information about the site,
which were really interesting.After the
guided journey, we had about an hour to roam around and take photos on our
own.The site had an eerie feel, but
overall, I enjoyed the experience.
Cenote (Sink Hole)
Yucatan
Mayan civilization
Chichen Itza Site
Tips
I didn’t find any Chichen
Itza tour that has an airport pick-up and drop-off so what I did is to find the
nearest hotel, which was Comfort Inn.
There are nearby establishments where you can spend time while waiting
for the tour pick-up.
I didn’t find the area at
the airport where you can store your luggage so I had to bring it to the
tour. But don’t worry, you can leave
your stuff inside the bus.
Bring sunscreen and
insect repellant.
I recommend that you buy
souvenirs outside the Chichen Itza site as haggling is possible up to 50% lower
that what they will initially quote.
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