South America is a continent of vast variation with a host of natural attractions from volcanoes to glaciers to the awe-inspiring landscape of the Andes mountain ranges which stretch through Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Columbia.
For those looking for an action-packed holiday, good skiing is offered in Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.
For sun-seekers, Brazil offers some of the best beaches in the world and roughly two thirds of Brazil's population live on our close to the coast. In the evenings party animals can enjoy Brazil's lively nightlife and rich regional cuisines. The annual celebrations of the Carnaval are also not to be missed.
Those who are yearning for the fast-paced city life have many bright lights to choose from including Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Lima, Santiago and the party capital Rio de Janeiro.
Argentina is one of the largest of the South American countries and is most notable for its passion for football. Top attractions for tourists include the Tango, gaucho and estancias. The country's capital, Buenos Aires, offers vibrant nightlife, shopping and streets of high-quality restaurants.
For a serene retreat, Bolivia has it all. The country is currently home to ten national parks and eight protected areas of natural beauty, as well as many more areas under consideration. Bolivia is landlocked but offers breathtaking mountains and large lakes.
South America is home to the Amazon Rainforest, which encompasses a mammoth 1.2 billion acres of the continent. Nature lovers can find almost every species of animal in the rainforest, as it is home to over 2.5 million species of insect, 2,000 birds and mammals and tens of thousands of plants. In fact, one square of the Amazon Rainforest is said to contain around 90,000 tonnes of living plants.
Angels Falls is another South American 'must-see'. The falls are located in Venezuela and are the world's highest free-falling waterfall. Ecuador is also home to the world's second highest active volcano – Cotopaxi – which stands at 5,897 metres.
Every South American country offers a range of cultural attractions for all the family including many colonial churches and palaces, of which architecture lovers are sure to appreciate.
Most South American countries are Spanish speaking, with Brazil the notable exception to the rule, where the majority of inhabitants speak Portuguese. French Guiana, British Guyana and Suriname all speak the language of their former colonial masters. The traditional native Indian languages are still spoken in a small number of places in South America but they are slowly dying out.
There is no question that South American is a continent that offers visitors of all ages and on all budgets a vast array of attractions from science, nature and history exhibits to the natural attractions and landscapes.
