Nicola

I am a 20 year old british girl travelling to Argentina and Brazil this summer with a friend. We are planning to stay in youth hostels and budget hotels but have not made any reservations. Do you think we should? <BR><BR>We have vaguely planned where we want to go:<BR>Buenos Aires - 10 days<BR>Iguazu Falls - 2 days (visiting each side)<BR>Sao Paulo? - 3 days<BR>Pantanal region - 4 day organised tour<BR>Manaus/Amazon? - 3 days<BR>Salvador - 6/7 days<BR>Rio - 10 days<BR><BR>We are not sure about Sao Paulo (especially after reading the postings on this site) and Amazon (simply because it is a long way to travel). If anyone has any opinions on whether we should bother or not please let me know. I would also apprechiate any advice about the other places we are planning to vist. Anything we must see, relaxed and friendly nightclubs and bars and any other general advice?<BR><BR>One last request - how cold is it in Buenos Aires in July? Do I need jumper and jacket or is it t-shirt weather?<BR><BR>I will be so gratefull for any advice. Thank you.<BR>

Simone

Hi Nicola,<BR>I'm Brazilian and live in Rio.<BR>Buenos Aires is a big beautiful city, but I think 10 days is too much. Maybe a week will sufice.<BR>Iguazu Falls 2 days will be enough.<BR>Sao Paulo: it's a very big city, like New York. I think it's worth it to be visited.<BR>Pantanal Region: I've never been there, but I think you'll love it.<BR>Manaus: although it's very far, I think you'll love it. The Amazon River it's really big and I don't know what you mean by Amazon. If you stay 3 days in Manaus you'll be able to make a one jungle tou, but maybe you should consider spending more time there. <BR>Salvador: 6/7 days it's OK.<BR>Rio: 10 days is OK.<BR>I think you should make reservations, since July is a vacation month here in South America.<BR>Buenos Aires is very very cold in July. Sao Paulo is cold also(not as much as Bs AS) and so is Iguazu Falls.<BR>You can check in accuweather.com, wunderweather.com and cnn weather channel.<BR>If you need more infos you can email me directly.

MARCIA

Hi dear!<BR>I am a hostel owner and if would like to make reservations with us please send a email to the specific address or go to www.hostelworld.com and make your reservations online. <BR>Our own site is : www.hospedarbem.hpg.com.br <BR>We have better prices than on the site for budget travellers. Just ask for, ok. The right prices to you is on the hostelworld site.<BR>Feel free to contact us.<BR>M&aacute;rcia Lippi

Marcia

Dear Nicola,<BR>I think you could exchange S&atilde;o Paulo for another place. S&atilde;o Paulo is a huge city , lots of traffic jam and buildings, buildings and more buildings. Nothing special in there. I don't know which part of Pantanal you are going to, but be sure of visiting BONITO (in portuguese this name means BEAUTIFUL, and it is really beautiful). In Bahia, go to Salvador and try to visit Porto Seguro. I think you're going to love it. I've never been to Amazon but everybody seems to like it. Iguazu is wonderful and I agree that 2 days will be enough. Rio, well, you can stay as much as you can, because there are many places in the neighbourhood where you can go (ex: Buzios, Angra dos Reis, Petropolis, etc)<BR>Have a great time!

Marcia

Nicola,<BR>Enter next page and read the replies to the message "first time travel to Brazil".

Roy

Weather in July may be a factor, but If you like beautiful urban places, you will love Buenos Aires. And the falls are definitely worth the trip.

grace

If you're looking for a good hostel in Buenos Aires, some friends of mine stayed recently at the Recoleta Hostel which is quite good. The location is unbeatable, smack in the middle of the Recoleta..which is a beautiful neighbourhood in B.A and very safe.<BR>I think they have a website but I'm not sure of the address. You will find it anyway at www.hostelworld.com<BR><BR><BR>

Alejandro

Buenos Aires is really enormous and beautiful city, but i would go more days to the Iguazu Falls. And be prepared for temperatures between 5/15 C.<BR><BR>URBAN HIKING BUENOS AIRES<BR>www.urabnhiking.cjb.net<BR>alejandro@urba nhiking.cjb.net

maria

Dear Nicola,<BR><BR>My girlfriends and I generally let our flats in Recoleta for visitors on vacations. The location can be beat, it has the best night clubs and bars. E-mail me if you're interested.<BR><BR>I agree that 10 days in Buenos Aires is too much. One week is OK, use those 3 extra days somewhere else, unless you are a shopping fan. Buenos Aires is now incredibly inexpensive (Big Mac: less than 1 euro). Bring your jacket, it's cold here, 10 to 18 deegres centigrade, but less cold than UK in winter (I always freeze when I go there)<BR><BR>I can tell you about lots of Irish pubs, but I assume that you will prefer to hang out with locals. Everybody speaks English here, and people are really friendly and like to party. <BR><BR>Definitely, don't go to San Pablo. Nothing to see there, it's huge, dark and dangerous. <BR><BR>Best,<BR><BR>Maria