Leading Destinations

Buenos Aires is the most European of all Latin American cities. With its wide boulevards, leafy parks, grand buildings and varied culture and nightlife, the city is reminiscent of Paris or Barcelona. The Porteños, as the residents of Buenos Aires are called, seem more European too – but this is hardly surprising considering that most are descended from European, predominately Italian, immigrants who settled here in the 19th century. With them came a culture and a cuisine that still flavor the city and can be enjoyed in countless art galleries, theaters and museums, as well as fine restaurants. But the city has also spawned its own art forms, notably the tango, for which Buenos Aires is famous.

Buenos Aires is the third largest city in South America and comprises 47 barrios (neighborhoods) in which nearly three million people live. Situated in the east of Argentina beside the Rio de la Plata and surrounded by seemingly never ending flat land known as the Pampas, the vast sprawling conurbation is a true 24-hour city – there is always something going on to occupy the senses. The downtown area is as noisy and congested as any other major urban center, but the city is really a pleasant place to walk around.

Nuestra Señora de Santa Maria del Buen Aire was founded by the Spaniard Pedro de Mendoza in 1536. It was named after the patron saint of sailors, who is said to be responsible for the good wind or buen aire. Provisions ran low and five years later settlement attempts were abandoned until Juan de Garay refounded the city in 1580. In 1776, Buenos Aires was pronounced the Capital of the Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata region – a huge region that included what is now Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia and parts of Chile and Brazil. The Criollos (Argentines of Spanish descent) merchants, having successfully expelled British invaders in 1806 and 1807, began to rebel against Spain in 1810. It was only after the Declaration of Independence in 1816 that the city became free of colonial hindrance.

Following the city’s federalization in 1880, mass European immigration occurred as workers were brought in to service agriculture and the railways. Development ceased in the mid-20th century as the country’s economy declined – mostly as the result of lack of investment from war-torn Europe. Buenos Aires only re-emerged from its economic woes in the 1990s when the currency was stabilized. Those with money spent it and new buildings, shopping malls and entertainment centers emerged, creating a new way of life for the inhabitants. 

For the visitor from abroad, there has never been a better time to visit Buenos Aires. With several new museums and a continuous agenda of cultural attractions and events, there is much to see and do. Buenos Aires has a mild climate and is a year-round destination, although the city can get very hot and humid during the summer months (Dec-Feb). The city can also be quiet during summer as many Porteños take their holidays at this time.

Bangkok is a city that really is larger than life. For some, the frenetic pace, heat, traffic and lack of personal space can be overpowering; for many others, the sheer dynamism is intoxicating.

A curious blend of the traditional East with the modern West, Bangkok's every street has a surprise in store for the visitor. Ramshackle buildings crouch next to exotic temples surrounded by delightful gardens, which are in turn overlooked by modern hotels and offices.

Bangkok has emerged as a major world city with the traffic jams to match, as well as the all-pervasive mobile phones and designer clothes that are a prominent feature on the streets.

The chaos on the roads is mirrored by the busy traffic on the Chao Phraya River, which dissects the city and is regularly crisscrossed by long-tailed boats, river taxis and small rowboats, all miraculously missing each other.

But traditional Thai life is never very far away. Weaving among the traffic in the morning rush hour, saffron-robed monks can still be seen collecting alms, while just moments from the city center whole communities live in stilt houses by the river, eking out a living using skills that have not changed in centuries.

In 1782, Bangkok became the capital of what was then Siam, following the destruction of the previous capital, Ayutthaya. Bangkok is not the name used by the Thais - they call it Krung Thep, which is actually a very shortened version of its extremely long full title.

The absolute rule of the monarchy ended in 1932 when it was replaced by a system of constitutional monarchy. To this day, the monarchy is regarded with almost religious reverence and it is an offence, punishable by imprisonment, to insult the royal family. His Majesty King Bhumibol is the longest-reigning monarch in the world, having come to power in 1946.

Thailand is staunchly anti-Communist, as seen during the Vietnam War when it was a strategic ally for the USA. Lately, it has softened its stance and relations have improved with its Communist neighbors who have now become members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Thailand is an influential member.

Thailand's main industries are tourism, textiles and electronics. Despite over half of Thai citizens working in agriculture, it only accounts for 15% of the GDP, although the country is still the world's largest exporter of rice.

Thailand is a tropical country so it is hot throughout the year, but the best time to visit is between November and March, during the dry season. During the rainy season, humidity is very high and the downpours are short but violent and the streets of Bangkok often flood.