A few beach photos to brighten up your day!


A few beach photos to brighten up your day!
One of the things I like the most about traveling is discovering new places. Nowadays with so many tourists traveling everywhere, it’s not so easy to find a new destination, a place no one has told you about. So, whenever I get the chance to go to a place I have not heard about, I like to take my chances. I keep my expectations down in order not to get frustrated so easily and I search for the bare minimum information not to spoil the experience. And then I go..
Sometimes we are unlucky, but sometimes we are lucky! San Gregorio de Polanco was one of these lucky strikes. A hidden gem.
Maquiné is certainly a great place place to explore. Lots of waterfalls and stunning landscapes around.
View from the top of Borrússia Hill near Osório.
Last October my older son and I went to Cambará do Sul (south of Brazil) to do some hiking. Cambará is located in a region which has a few national parks with canyons and lots of stunning landscapes.
An interesting place to visit near Curitiba (about 90 km) is Parque Estadual de Vila Velha. This is a State Park which offers some infrastructure to the visitor. There are two main guided tours in the park. One to see the rock formations and the other to see two caves more than 50 mts deep (called Furnas) and a beautiful lagoon (Lagoa Dourada). If you are in Curitiba, it’s definitely worth a visit!
Certainly one of the most incredible roads I’ve driven on. With remarkable landscapes and deep crags, this mountain range is located in the southeast of Santa Catarina (second southern most state in Brazil) between Lauro Müller and Bom Jardim da Serra. Its highest point is at 1460 meters above sea level.
On a clear-sky day it is possible to see the Atlantic ocean, which is about 100 kms away. Though, it doesn’t seem to be visible in the picture.
There are many viewpoints on the way where you can stop to take photos and enjoy the view.
I took this photo back in 2005 in the southern most state of Brazil near the coast. I love the color combination in this photo and the way the dense thick clouds stand above the hills. Also, the shape of the hill in the center resembles a pregnant woman lying on her back, which gives a touch of peacefulness to it.
Fortaleza Canyon is certainly one of the most stunning landscape views you can find in the south of Brazil. The canyon is located in the Parque Nacional da Serra Geral, 23 km from Cambará do Sul. It stands at 1240 mts above sea level and on a clear sky day, it is possible to see the Atlantic ocean. There are a few trails and viewpoints for the visitors. A must-see for those who love nature!
This is an incredible place to visit not only because of the chilled out atmosphere, but also because of its location. San Pedro de Atacama is a small town in the north of Chile, right in the heart of the Atacama desert. There are some nice little restaurants and hostels in town. So it’s an excellent place to base yourself if you want to explore the region.
Some nearby outlying sites include the Salar de Atacama (a huge salt flat), the Moon Valley (Valle de la Luna), the Death Valley (Valle de la Muerte), the Puritama Hot Springs, Pukará de Quitor (Fort Quitor), the majestic Licancabur, El Tatio (a geysers field) and the Miscanti and Miñique Lagoons – two altiplanic lagoons that are surrounded by volcanoes. I went there back in 2005 and met lots of nice people and saw some stunning landscape views.
I definitely recommend this place as a destination for those who want to see a combination of natural beauty and nice atmosphere.
Sunset in the Moon Valley
The Moon Valley is certainly the main tourist attraction in the region! It is an amazing place with lots of things to see located only 13 km west of San Pedro. Every afternoon lots of people gather there to watch the sunset.
The stone and sand formations and the salt covering parts of the valley give it a unique look that resembles the surface of the moon, hence its name.
The Death Valley is located right outside San Pedro. From there you can see Licancabur, which stands on the border with Bolivia.
The Miscanti lagoon is at 4200 mts above sea level and is surrounded by snowcapped volcanoes. It’s about 120 km from San Pedro.
The Puritama Hot Springs are about 30 km northeast from San Pedro at 3500 mts above sea level. This is a cool place to relax and enjoy the 33 C hot waters.