whfan_whfan

Hi,

what are some great destinations in South America for a town/city with access to the beach for the month of February? The last two years I went for 3-4 weeks to Playa del Carmen (Mexico) and in the past I also went to Puerto Vallarta (Mexico).

I loved the fact that I could rent an apartment that is walking distance to everything that I needed (groceries, restaurants, shopping, gym, beach, wi-fi, etc.) as well as easy day trips by public transport. These towns were big enough to keep me occupied for a long stay.

I'm trying to find a destination for the upcoming month of February and I'm hoping to try a new country. Of course the obvious choice would be Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) but I always come across safety warnings for this destination (also it's a little expensive). There's also Cartagena (Colombia) but I'm not sure if the beach is good enough. Any other choices in South America? Thanks

Governator

whfan,

I'm very interested to see the responses to this, as I have the very same question.

Maybe the answer is Lima, I just spent some time there in September, the costs are relatively low and the food is great.

There is a lot of beach front there as it sits right on the Pacific Ocean.

The skies were constantly grey when I was there, but I think the weather is good during the months of December to March.

Out of curiosity, how much did you have to spend on an apartment in Playa Del Carmen and Puerto Vallarta?

crellston

I would take a look at Ecuador, maybe Manta or Salinas.Salinas has a big expat community and probably has all you need.

In Peru there are some reasonable beaches near to Truillo which in itself has a lot of archaeological sites close by and plenty to hold your interest. Further north Mancora has some nice beaches but I have not stayed there for any time and I doubt it has much by way of infrastructure

We have rented apartments in both countries and much preferred Peru for all sorts of reasons. Lima is a great city and we rented an apartment there for a month on a couple of occasions and really enjoyed our time and often consider returning, but it really doesn’t have a beach scene, but unless we are diving that is not really our thing.

However, none of the places I have mentioned would be anything like Playa Del Carmen or Puerto Vallarta. I have never been but I gather they are big resort type towns?

kja

I wonder if the beach community near Trujillo to which crellston refers is Huanchaco? If so, I agree that the area has much of interest, but I personally would not consider it a great beach destination. YMMV.

crellston

I was referring to Huanchacho (just couldn’t recall the name). I agree it is not a “great” destination but Trujillo does have the infrastructure the OP is seeking. to be frank, if I were seeking a beach destination, apart from Brazil and maybe Venezuela, I struggle to think of great beaches in South America.

sf7307

I don't know this from personal experience, but I've heard the beaches at Punta del Este, Uruguay are very nice.

mlgb

I've heard the same as sf7307, in fact a friend decided to spend a December there after a quick side trip from Buenos Aires. However I believe January is high season for beach vacations in South America, so it may be kind of pricey there (both airfare and hotels) and just too crowded. I don't get the appeal of beach vacations myself...but maybe that's what the OP is looking for.

If you can afford it, how about the Galapagos?

ticino

You need a car in Punta del Este, there's hardly any public transport as the kind of people that go to Punta don´t take buses. In January you have uber, not so sure about February as it's not peak season.
Also, Punta del Este is more expensive than Rio, although February is cheaper than January.

whfan_whfan

Hi guys thanks for the suggestions. I know I have said that I was a little worried about Brazil In terms of safety but is it really to avoid? My friend is now interested in Rio de Janeiro, I know millions of people still go there, what’s your opinion about it? Or are there other perhaps more safer beach cities/towns in Brazil? Thanks