I am interested in taking my family of five to an exotic locale over the Christmas holidays. They like warm weather, child-friendly activities, such as zoos, amusement parks, etc. My parameters are I need to fly OW carriers, and I am only interested in healthy and relatively crime-free areas. That being said, I am interested in South America, Asia may be too far. We're going to Hawaii in February, so that's out. Does anyone have an opinion about Rio, Argentina or Chile? I heard the crime wave as sort of subsided in Brazil.
Thanks for your input.

It can get really hot and humid in Rio during the summer (Dec-Mar). Friends who have recently gone to Rio tell me that the crime issue has been mitigated with additional police patrols in the tourist zones. Plus some common sense by tourists also helps.

Brazil has beaches that are beautiful, and relatively undiscovered by Americans. Buzios is a couple of hours north of Rio de Janeiro, and has both great beaches and a good tourist/visitor infrastructure (high quality hotels, restaurants, transportation). It's also safe. Buzios was made famous years ago after it was "discovered" by Brigitte Bardot.

You could stay in Rio for a day or two before/after Buzios. If you stay anywhere on Ipanema/Leblon beaches or at a top hotel on Copacabana, you shouldn't have to worry -- and you'll have an experience that is definitely exotic. Rio is a visually stunning city.

American flies nonstop from JFK, and since you'll be flying counter to the high demand dates/directions of Brazilian tourists, you shouldn't have too much trouble getting seats (Christmas is the unofficial beginning of the summer tourist season in S. America).

We lived in Argentina for 3 1/2 years, and travelled around the region with 2 kids. Chile has interesting national park-like places to explore, but a week isn't much time -- distances can be huge, and it's a tough trip for a family. Argentina is a great place to live, but Argentines themselves would probaby rather go to Brazil or Uruguay on their vacations (stay away from Punta del Este, Uruguay after Christmas -- it's The Hamptons for Argentines).

Brazil is also a good value for the dollar right now. The only risk (anywhere is S America) you run is if you try and get off the beaten path too far -- South America is not geared to tourists compared to the rest of the world, so travel can become expensive in the interior -- you choose between 5-star hotels or shacks.

[This message has been edited by gsilliman (edited 03-09-2001).]

I know you did mention the location but we loved Jamaica. We stayed at the Half Moon resort. The resort is large and had bikes. They also have mansions you can rent. Great kids club. Depends on how old the kids are but I have heard great things about Atlantis.

Thanks Debby, but we could visit Nassau virtually anytime do to its proximity, and we are not big fans of Jamaica. Has anyone visited Florianopolis in Brazil, Mar del Plata (Argentina), Punta del Este (Uruguay), or Marbella (Chile)? I'm considering those locales. I'm even thinking of Hong Kong.
Thanks.

Consider Club Med ( www.clubmed.com , which has lots and lots of sites in the Caribbean where AA flies. Some clubs are geared specifically toward familiaes with kids: they've got activities for the kids all day, and everyone I've known who have brought their kids had a great time.

It's also a great time for the adults. While the kids are being supervised and having a ball, you can do as much or as little as you like.

Meal times are also easy (good, though hardly gourmet), because there's an enormous buffet and you can always find stuff you like.

Florianopolis is a nice area and the Rio Grande do Sul state is interesting with quite a German and Italian influence. I'm not sure about activities for children though. Don't know of any "resorts" there.

If you want beautiful beaches, great food, friendly people, safe and cheap try the NE of Brasil; Maceio, Natal, Ponta Negra. Again, no resorts that I know of but some really nice places to stay and see.

Christmas time is a busy time though as the Brasilians like to celebrate the Holidays with great spirit.

Email if you would like more info on Brasil.


BTW AA/TAM fly to pretty much anywhere you want to go. No Q points but mileage on TAM.

Mar Del Plata is really a city -- 500,000+ people in the off season. It will be mobbed when you want to go. The beaches are crowded and very commercial (like a collegiate Spring Break but for adults -- there's Visa beach, Quilmes (Beer) beach, etc., and the beaches are covered with rows of rented huts). It's not very international, so you might struggle if no one in your family speaks Spanish.

Punta del Este is the upscale Argentine's choice for vacation. A Hamptons-like scene. For an American it doesn't seem like a great value -- their high season lasts only 10 weeks, and local businesses really gouge the visitors from Xmas until March 1. The people who are there (and there are lots of them) really feel like they have to be there and no place else.

Brazil really is the place to go. Not just for scenery, but for a cultural experience.

Florianopolis has about 30 beaches, each a bit different, and most have some level of development (hotels, restaurants). We last went there in March 1999, and we found it to be a tough place to research -- use the internet (check the island, not the city of Florianopolis) and a Brazilian travel agent (lots in NYC). Each beach seems to have a different personality, in terms of the types of hotels/resorts and the types of crowds they attract -- Argentines, Brazilians, Europeans, Young, Old. It's the closest Brazilian beach resort area to Argentina, so it's popular with Argentines. We reserved a place on a north side bay called Canasvieiras, and found it inadequate -- so we stayed that night, checked out, and drove down the road until we found a place we liked better -- suprisingly simple to do. I'm not sure I'd recommend that for Xmas week. There is a huge condominium resort that takes up a whole beach on the south side -- not sure of the name -- but it seemed to be a high quality place, in Naufragados or Pantano do Sul.

Having said all that, I think Buzios is a better place. It's not as crowded after Christmas -- since it's north of Rio (i.e. warmer), people think of it as a place to go befor Christmas -- Just like Americans from the north don't go to Florida in July. Again, you might enjoy a day or 2 in Rio mixed with time in Buzios.

For Florianoplis, you'd probably fly to Sao Paolo -- more flights than Rio, but you would never want to spend time as tourists in Sao Paolo.

Good Hotel with suites and apartments in Buzios -- La Boheme (www.labohmemhotel.com). Cigalon is a good restaurant, right on the beach. Brigitta's is a great restaurant. Kayaking and Diving are easy to do there. You can check www.buziosonline.com.br Have the travel agent arrange vans between Rio and Buzios. Taxis are plentiful, cheap, and safe in both Buzios and Rio.

I guess you can see my biases. Have a great trip -- wherever you go!

Thank you all so much for your insight. A lot to consider. I guess the consensus is Brazil beats Uruguay and Argentina. I'll look into Buzios, Florianopolis and Vina del Mar (Chile).