The Viva List Latin America: 333 Places and Experiences People Love (Paperback)

~ Paula Newton (Editor), Michelle Hopey (Editor), Crit Minster PhD (Editor)
Key Phrases: Crít Mínster, gallo pinto, Piñar del Río, South America, New York, Latin America (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This compilation of travel narratives provides an alternative to the glossy, tourist brochure-type analysis of Latin America. Packed with tales of travels from Tijuana to Tierra del Fuego, this guide provides firsthand feedback on places to visit, things to do, and where to stay as well as insight into local cultures and customs. While the essays acquaint readers with well-known hot spots such as Igazu Falls and the Galapagos Islands, their primary focus is on sites well off the trodden gringo trail. Complementing the text are the results from the

VivaTravelGuides.com best-of survey drawn from the collective wisdom of thousands of visitors to the website—the best places to skinny dip, the most spectacular hikes, and awe-inspiring sunsets, among others. Each chapter is dedicated to a specific country and features maps designating recommended routes, tips, and practical information on departure points for alternate adventures.

About the Author

Paula Newton worked in the interactive television industry before joining the VivaTravelGuides.com team. Michelle Hopey is a journalist who has contributed to The Boston Globe, The Denver Post, Martha Stewart's Body and Soul magazine, and the online edition of the National Geographic magazine. Crit Minster, PhD, has served in the U.S. Peace Corps in Guatemala and has traveled extensively throughout Latin America.

 

Product Details

• Paperback: 372 pages
• Publisher: Viva Publishing Network; illustrated edition edition (April 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979126401
• ISBN-13: 978-0979126406
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,220,784 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A backpacker's - or armchair traveler's - dream, April 22, 2008

By	John Walzer - See all my reviews

Whether you love to travel, or just love to read about it, this book will fill you with awe and wonder at the world's most amazing region. The beauty of it is that it isn't a guidebook full of hotel and restaurant listings; it's a compilation of travel stories from dozens of authors who seem to have covered every square inch of Latin America and share their favorite places. As it's written by so many travelers, the writing quality varies from pedestrian to brilliant--and typos abound--but the passion Latin America evokes shines through. I've traveled extensively in South America, but learned of new places I can't wait to experience. Bravo, Viva!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars like going back in time, November 21, 2007

By	L. Fernandez (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In September 2005, I filled a backpack with what I would soon learn were mostly useless items (anything white, hand sanitizer to last me a lifetime, an arm sling) and headed via red-eye from Los Angeles to Lima for a seven month solo backpacking stint all over the South American continent. With no idea what lay beyond, I spent the majority of the overnight flight with eyes wide open, examining the Peruvian businessmen sleeping all around me.

When I crack open V!VA List Latin America: 333 Places and Experiences That People Love, my trip comes flooding back to me. A sense of wonder and awe pervades the pages. These passionate articles, written by Latin-American loving travelers, writers and photographers from around the world, transport me back to the countries I have explored and loved, back to the infectious rhythms danced to during Brazilian Carnaval, the flavor of a gorgeous Argentine steak, the feeling of being dwarfed by the rolling Andes of Peru and Ecuador. There is truth in these articles, history and honesty, attempts at making sense of cultures different from one's own.

V!VA List Latin America is a compilation of articles submitted to Vivatravelguides.com by the website's global community. Anyone with a story to tell and a passion for travel can potentially be published, and this sense of openness and authenticity makes for a truly exhilarating read.