Top 5

2. Brazilian beaches

All in the name of work, Journey Latin America's can often be found winding down on (uh... we mean 'researching' of course) Latin America's best beaches. Here are our personal favourites in Brazil.

3. places to see in the New Year

Between us we've spent New Year in all the Latin hot spots: we'll recommend our favourite five places to be when the clock strikes midnight.

4. rooms with a view

Enjoy Latin America's greatest sights, all from the comfort of your own room! Five hotels with unbeatable vistas.

5. Chilean wineries

Rapidly emerging as one of the world's premier producers of fine wines, Chile is the perfect holiday destination for oenophiles. But as you'll discover with our latest top 5, there is far more than fabulous wine to recommend a stay in the sophisticated vineyard hotels of the region.

6. final frontiers

Five of Latin America's most untouched corners, where the attractions may be on a huge scales but the crowds are anything but.

7. places to propose

When we say we're passionate about Latin America, we mean it! In no particular order, five members of staff look back on the stunning backdrops to their proposals.

8. volcano hikes in Central America

Let's catch up with Journey Latin America's reporter in the field, James Tennet, who is travelling around Central America on his way south towards the Andes. James's journey across the isthmus has seen him develop a fiery passion - for volcano trekking!

9. travel photography tips

Travel photographer Eleanor Marriott shares five simple but effective tips to give your travel photos the professional edge.

10. glamorous alternatives to camping

We profile the luxurious interpretations of camping that have given a glamorous makeover to the simple charms of a night under canvas. Read on as we invite you to redefine your idea of camping...

11. Mayan ruins of Mexico

The creme de la creme of Mexico's fascinating Mayan sites, as selected by guest writer James Tennet.

12. culinary experiences

Journey Latin America staff choose the top gastronomic highlights of Central and South America.

13. hip destinations

Journey Latin America's top tips for where's hip to travel this year. From old fashioned glamour to table dancing 'Cartagena Style' we show you Latin America's party hotspots!

14. palaces

With Royal Wedding mania reaching its peak this month, we take a look at Latin America’s most interesting palaces and explore the weird and wonderful history surrounding them.

15. weird wildlife

Latin America is an astonishingly biodiverse region. With so many unique microclimates, pristine forests, primeval lakes and unexplored ocean depths, it is hardly surprising that some of the most curious animals known to man are to be found here.

16. road trips

Experience the freedom of the open road on one of South America's five most exhilarating journeys.

17. alternative carnivals

With Rio Carnival currently brightening up the news with its wild costumes and parades, we put the spotlight on some of South America's less famous carnivals.

18. Latin American films

With the Oscars around the corner we’ve got movies on our mind, and there’s more than enough inspiration to be found in the bumper crop of exceptional cinema to have come out of Latin America in recent years. In fact, whittling down our top 5 Latin American films was easier said than done (and we cheated a bit) – take a look to see if you agree with our selection.

19. surreal architecture

Continuing our surreal theme, a countdown to prove man can compete with Mother Nature when it comes to the absurd.

20. surreal landscapes

A countdown of the weird and wonderful, drawn from Latin America's larger than life geography.

21. romantic destinations

You don't need to be a hopeless romantic to fall in love with the destinations in our latest top five. Laura Rendell-Dunn selects Central and South America's five most seductive locations.

22. ways to upgrade your holiday

By booking with a specialist travel company you're already upgrading your travel experience, but here we share our other tips for getting more for your money - be it on your flight, in your hotel or out and about on your holiday.

23. beach paradises

Journey Latin America's Julia Ross counts down her favourite beaches for the benefit of any fellow beach bums looking to escape the winter blues.

24. underrated destinations

We set the record straight on five areas of Latin America that simply don't get the recognition they deserve.

25. unusual hotels

From a converted meat-packing factory to a lodge where the décor seemingly changes, chameleon-like, according to its mood, we've found five Latin American hotels with a difference.

26. wildlife experiences

Wildlife enthusiast Tamsin Butler tells us how and where to come face to face with Latin America's most astonishing creatures.

27. cocktails

What to drink - and where - in Latin America.

28. sporting events

Brazil is destined to be in the sporting spotlight over the next few years, as Rio de Janeiro plays host to both the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games. Sports fans need not wait four years to discover Latin sporting passion at first hand – here’s a run-down of our favourite Latin American sporting events for spectators.

29. islands

A selection of the Journey Latin America team's favourite islands from across South and Central America.

30. treks in Patagonia

Group Tours Manager and trekking enthusiast Sarah Beard guides you through her favourite part of the world: Patagonia. Running through her favourite hikes in the area, she'll share her tips for experiencing the thrill of the great outdoors.

31. waterfalls

Our favourite waterfalls, trawled from all corners of Latin America.

32. Mexican street food

Product Manager Rafe Stone describes his favourite aspect of travel to Latin America: the simple street food of Mexico.

33. Caroline's adventure sport special

Travel consultant Caroline Maber shares her passion for the Chilean lake district and the exhilarating activities that make it a playground for adventure sports enthusiasts.

34. your favourite restaurants

We receive hundreds of restaurant recommendations from clients who have just returned from Latin America, which we in turn pass on to new clients wanting to know the very best places to eat in their chosen destinations. Now, for the first time, we're sharing that knowledge right here. All the restaurants in our list have been the subject of dozens of recommendations and rave reviews - not from us, but from you!

35. tips for Rio Carnival

Rio Carnival is the biggest, brashest and most colourful party on earth, but without insider knowledge it can also be incredibly expensive. If you're thinking of going next year, now's the time to get booking, so take a look at our tips to ensure the Carnival surpasses your wildest dreams - but not your budget.

36. from prison to paradise

Five modern-day beauty spots with a very different past...

37. film locations

Ever wondered where your favourite films were shot? We'll take you on location in South and Central America to discover the backdrops to some cinematic classics.

38. close encounters with sea life

The coral-flecked seas of South and Central America are swarming with exotic marine life, and joining them could not be easier - just jump in! With each of the close-up encounters in our top 5, you can really get up close and personal with some of the ocean's most magnificent inhabitants.

39. luxury hotels

We've come a long way since 1980, when we began running some of Latin America's first organised tours. Back then we made the most of the simple, rustic accommodation available at the time, but Latin America has moved on too - and that's why we now have a huge range of absolutely top-class hotel options to offer. Here are our five favourites - wow factor included as standard.

40. markets

We've whittled down South and Central America's five best markets, where you can find anything from Amazonian fish to shamanic offerings.

41. great rail journeys

A round-up of Latin America's best rail journeys, taking in the most spectacular scenery and remarkable feats of engineering from Mexico to Patagonia. Expect hairpin bends, narrow gauge railways and more than a little steam.

42. amazing natural phenomena

It's fair to say that Latin America has more than its share of natural marvels. Many have heard of the salt flats of Bolivia or the Atacama Desert in Chile, where rainfall has never been recorded, but here we've picked some lesser-known natural phenomena to perplex and astound you.

43. recommended reading

Join the Journey Latin America book club with our top 5 recommended reads. Whether you try them in English or Spanish, all five give a unique insight into the Latin American countries that inspired them.

44. quirky festivals

Thanks to a diverse array of cultural influences, from precolumbian indigenous beliefs to African religions, Latin America is home to a huge number of interesting - some might say bizarre - festivals and celebrations. We've picked five of the most unusual, including fireball fights and potato beauty pageants!

45. Alternative Inca Trails

It can surprise some visitors to realise that the classic Inca Trail is far from the only way to trek to Machu Picchu. These alternatives to the well-trodden route are not only great for last minute bookers who find themselves unable to secure an Inca Trail pass, but are also well worth the muscle-ache in their own right.

46. cities

Latin America has some of the most populous cities in the world, as well as amongst the most unique, picturesque and surprising. With cities as intiguing as the five in our list, you may find it hard to leave.