EXCLUSIVE I've been to every country in South America - this is the best destination and the popular hotspot you should avoid

Daily Mail​

03-05-2025

From the globe's largest rainforest to world-class steak and ancient civilizations, South America has a lot to offer.
But where are its highlights - and where should you leave off your itinerary?
Here to help you plan a trip is intrepid traveller, Alex Brown, who has visited every single country on the continent.
In a chat with MailOnline Travel, the 31-year-old Brit reveals which of the continent's 12 countries is his favourite, where the safest destinations are and which popular spot he'd recommend avoiding.
The best country
Alex, who has visited 73 countries, says that Argentina is his favourite destination in South America, explaining: 'It's just got some of the best landscapes in the world. There's the glaciers in Patagonia, the Beagle Channel where you can see sea lions and then in the north you've got Iguazu Falls (the largest waterfall system in the world).
'And Buenos Aires (the capital) has got the best food in the world in my opinion. The steak is amazing and it's really cheap. The economy is a bit of a mess down there, so prices change pretty much every day but when I was last there a few months ago, it was about £10 for all-you-can-eat steak.'
The safest countries
Alex, who has visited 73 countries, says that Argentina is his favourite destination in South America. Pictured above is Buenos Aires
There's another reason that Alex thinks Argentina should be top of your South America bucket list.
'It's really safe,' reveals Alex. 'You won't really have any problems there. And that's not the case for every country in South America.'
When it comes to safety, the keen traveller also recommends Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay and Peru.
The most dangerous countries
At the other end of the safety scale for Alex are Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela. He explains: 'The Galapagos islands in Ecuador are really safe but the mainland is dodgy these days. They've had a state of emergency there due to clashes between the government and drug cartels.
'I spent about six weeks in Colombia and never had anything go wrong but if you stay in hostels, you'll eventually meet someone who has been mugged there.'
And while Alex explains that Venezuela has 'become a lot safer' in recent years, it's 'definitely not a beginner country' and he doesn't recommend travelling there without a 'fluent Spanish speaker'.
The most underrated country
Alex describes Argentina as his favourite country on the continent. He's pictured above at the country's Perito Moreno Glacier
If you're looking to get off-the-beaten-track, Alex describes Bolivia as the most 'underrated' country on the continent and it's also a bargain for Brits.
He says: 'A lot of American tourists don't go there because they have to pay $160/£120 for a visa, whereas Brits go visa free. La Paz is a really interesting city and you can also go to El Alto, which is the highest city in the world. You can see cholita wrestling (indigenous women) there - it gets a bit repetitive after a while but it's cool to see one.
'Then there are the Uyuni salt flats, which are one of the coolest sights in the world. We also went to the Amazon where you can take a boat ride down the river and see waterfalls and caves.'
But while Alex explains that Bolivia isn't generally unsafe in terms of crime, there are still dangers to watch out for.
'In Bolivia, the real dangers are the roads. The traffic there is horrendous,' says Alex. 'The roads just wind around the mountains and there are also no safety standards on tours there at all. I ended up sinking in quicksand on an Amazon tour. I got off the boat and within seconds, I was knee-deep in mud. Our guide didn't say anything so presumably he's done this several times before!'
Alex adds: 'We also drank some sugar cane juice that had been produced in a tribal village in the Amazon and they put it in a container which probably hadn't been washed hygienically. All three of us who drank it became quite ill.'
Paraguay also earns an honourable mention as an 'underrated destination'. Alex reveals: 'It doesn't have much in terms of tourist attractions but you go there for the culture. There are great quality steakhouses as well.'
The destination to avoid
And the country to leave off your bucket list? Brazil, according to Alex, who says 'it didn't really deliver'.
He explains: 'We didn't like it that much. We went to Florianopolis on the coast, it's famous for amazing beaches, but we didn't really agree with that. A lot of them were quite touristy and there were loads of people there. There's nothing special about them.
'Then there's Sao Paulo. It's a very gloomy city and there's not much of interest there. It's also quite dangerous. There's somewhere called 'Cracolandia' there which is called that because there are loads of drug addicts. They just roam the streets like zombies and it's not safe at all. They won't harm you but it's a bit uncomfortable. It's absolutely not a place where you want to be after dark.'
Meanwhile Brazil's top destination, Rio de Janeiro, didn't impress Alex at all.
He says: 'There's loads of crime there. People have been shot just after accidentally turning down the wrong street. You should never wear jewellery there because you make yourself a target.
'Copacabana Beach is also really overrated, to be honest. Sunrise is nice there at five am but when it gets to daytime, it's just so busy. People set up tents and start selling stuff, it's really crowded and there's nothing enjoyable about it really. If Rio was safe it might be a good destination, but you do have to spend half your time looking over your shoulder.'