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Central and South America are having something of a moment in the travel world. From the elegant sophistication of Buenos Aires in Argentina to the fascinating Indigenous communities hidden away in the mountains of Bolivia and Peru, there are stunning and unusual places to discover from the top to the bottom of Latin America.
There are plenty of spots in Central and South America that are already world-renowned vacation destinations, but there are also some truly stunning places that are getting more attention this year. Not only are these spots incredibly beautiful, but they also offer a rich, cultural experience that is truly hard to beat. With an extraordinary cultural diversity on show, Latin America provides a unique and fascinating array of traditions, history, art, and culture that makes it one of the world’s best regions to explore.
We looked at some of the most authoritative travel guides in the world and cross-referenced several Best Travel Destinations for 2026 lists. From these sources, we’ve chosen five of the most exciting countries in South and Central America: Panama, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, and Brazil. These destinations should definitely be on your radar to visit in 2026 for a rich cultural experience.
Read more: 20 Most Dangerous Islands In The World
Panama
Panama City old building at night – angela Meier/Shutterstock
Panama is sometimes seen as just the country of the Panama Canal and retired expats, but there are a whole lot of other reasons why Panama should be your next travel destination. This small, beautiful, friendly country boasts a fabulous climate, some amazing beaches and rainforests, and stunning colonial relics, and it is a wonderfully affordable place to visit as well.
One of the emerging places in Panama that is set to be a standout destination for 2026 is the Chiriqui Province, on the Pacific Coast, about 300 miles southwest of the capital, Panama City. It is a fantastically diverse region, offering a combination of stunning natural beauty, fascinating history, and castaway-style vibes. It is one of Panama’s biggest coffee-producing regions, and the Feria de las Flores y Del Café in the picture-perfect town of Boquete is a wonderful way to experience the culture surrounding this industry. Even if you miss the festival, a coffee-tasting at one of the many plantations surrounding the town is a great experience.
Chiriqui’s natural environment is one of its biggest draws. La Amistad International Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site covering nearly 1 million acres and Central America’s largest nature reserve. The Gulf of Chiriqui National Marine Park is also worth visiting, particularly from July to October during the humpback whale migration. The region is also famous for its farm-to-table cuisine, with spots like Finca Lerida in Boquete serving up fabulous Panamanian flavors using local organic produce.
Colombia
A wide view of the city of Medellin, Columbia in the valley of the mountains during a colorful sunset – Matt Lavigne/Getty Images
For many years, Colombia has had a reputation as one of the most dangerous South American destinations to visit, but the last few years have seen it shake off this image, and there are some excellent destinations set to be huge in 2026. The vibrant city of Medellin is emblematic of Colombia’s evolution, having gone from the narco capital of the country to one of the most exciting food cities in South America in just two decades. Famed for its buzzy nightlife and ingenious urban sprawl, the cluster of hillside communities that make up this vibey city is filled with incredible places to eat and drink, and the arrival of the $100-million Wake development is set to turbo-charge this foodie atmosphere.
Colombia’s rich cultural offerings continue in the fortified seaside city of Cartagena de Indias. With its wonderfully preserved stone walls, charming historic city center, gorgeous Spanish colonial architecture, and magnificent museums, it is a treasure trove of historical and cultural experiences. Don’t miss the Museo de Oro Zenú and the Museo Histórico de Cartagena for a chance to explore Colombia’s varied and at times dark past.
Brazil
Pampulha Lagoon, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais – Ribeirorocha/Getty Images
Brazil is hardly a hidden gem in South America. From the endless white-sand beaches and vibrant nightlife of Rio de Janeiro to the lush Amazonian rainforests, Brazil has been a bucket list destination for many travelers for years. But there are still plenty of undiscovered gems in this vast country ready to be discovered.
One spot that is being heralded as a breakout star for 2026 is Minas Gerais. One of the largest states in Brazil, it has been overlooked by international tourists for years but is an astonishingly rich and diverse region with a wonderful gastronomic culture, beautiful colonial architecture, and vibrant boteco nightlife. Its capital, Belo Horizonte, is sophisticated and lively in equal measures, with an astonishingly hip and forward-thinking dining scene boasting a series of young, talented chefs like Caio Soter and Bruna Rezende. It is one of the best places in Brazil for contemporary art, with spots like Mercado Novo, Albuquerque Contemporânea, and the recently-opened Galeria Ficus in the city itself, and Inhotim, Latin America’s largest open-air art museum, just over 30 miles out of town.
Another fantastic yet underappreciated gem in Brazil is the lush, stunning wetlands of the Pantanal. The world’s largest tropical wetland, this enormous region has a truly staggering variety and amount of wildlife, from jaguars, capybaras, and giant otters to caimans, tapirs, and the legendary hyacinth macaws. A seasonal floodplain of epic proportions, it is exceptionally remote and quite a challenge to visit, but this makes it all the more worthwhile.
Chile
Guanaco with a mountain in the background in Chilean Patagonia – Espiegle/Getty Images
Chile is an extraordinary country. A long sliver of land sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and Argentina, it runs around half the length of South America, bordering Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru. Often overlooked in favor of its more famous neighbors, it offers an astounding variety of landscapes, ecosystems, and cultures, from incredible wines and gaucho culture to the wide-open skies of the Atacama Desert and the soaring peaks of the Andes.
Right at the southern tip of the continent, Patagonia is a famous destination for adventure travelers, with Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park a favorite. But recently, the lesser-known delights of the north of the region have begun to gain popularity, thanks to its unspoiled natural beauty, incredible wildlife, and magnificent hot springs.
Another relatively underexplored spot in Chile that is primed for a huge 2026 is the Colchagua Valley, Chilean wine country. Chilean wine is often slept on, overlooked in favor of its noisier Argentinian cousin, but the Colchagua Valley boasts some of the world’s most impressive wineries, as well as being the center of Chilean cowboy culture. With 2026 marking the 30th anniversary of the inauguration of Chile’s Wine Route, it is looking like it will be a big year for this area in particular.
Bolivia
Cityscape of Potosi with the red mountain Cerro Rico in the background – Rchphoto/Getty Images
Bolivia is one of South America’s true hidden gems. Known by international tourists and photography fans primarily for the bizarre and beautiful shimmering bone-white landscape of Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flat in the world, the rest of the country is far less explored. But there’s a tremendous amount to discover, and 2026 might be the year it gets the recognition it deserves.
Potosí is the region that surrounds the otherworldly expanse of Salar de Uyuni and has plenty of other attractions to recommend it to adventurous tourists. The capital city, Potosí, has an extraordinary history intertwined with the silver mines of the Cerro Rico, and popular legend has it that at least one street in the city was literally paved with silver! A UNESCO World Heritage site, the city boasts some truly gorgeous Mestizo-Baroque houses, churches, and theaters, as well as the Casa Real de la Moneda, the former mint now converted into a museum.
The rest of the region is splendidly weird, from the looming summit of Cerro Rico (known as the mountain that eats men due to the vast number of people who died working in its mines) to the crimson waters of the Laguna Colorada. One of the main attractions is the bubbling thermal springs that pop up from the volcanic energy below the surface of the Earth, like the Termas de Polques and the mythical Ojo del Inca, usually known as Laguna Tarapaya.
Methodology
Lake Pehoe in Torres del Paine National Park in Chile – Aoldman/Getty Images
To curate this list, we looked at lists of travel destinations for 2026 from authoritative sources, searching for compelling arguments in favor of particular countries or destinations. We prioritized popular countries with regions or cities that have, up to now, been underexplored or overlooked, as well as places that have a particular anniversary or occasion that would suggest increased tourist interest in 2026. Other considerations were areas that offered specific experiences that were similar to those elsewhere in the country but with fewer visitors.
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Read the original article on Explore.
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