The Rio Times

Rio de Janeiro, From Ipanema to a Storybook Library Beyond famous spots like Ipanema Beach, Rio de Janeiro hides architectural treasures such as the Real Gabinete Português de Leitura, a neo‑Manueline library founded in 1837 by Portuguese immigrants and open to the public since 1900. Recognized by Time magazine as one of the most beautiful libraries in the world, it holds the largest collection of Portuguese literature outside Portugal, with some 350,000 volumes displayed in a soaring, dark‑wood reading room that feels like a movie set.

Colombia, From Caribbean Coast to Canyon Sanctuary Colombia brings together Caribbean cities like Cartagena, where colorful colonial streets and seaside walls make it one of the country’s most beloved destinations, and highland pilgrimage sites such as the Santuario de Las Lajas, a neo‑Gothic basilica dramatically built over the Guáitara River canyon near Ipiales. This mix of warm coastal energy, mountain landscapes and striking religious architecture is why so many Colombians describe their country as a paradise and say they remain deeply proud and in love with “mi Colombia” no matter where they live.

Salto das Nuvens in Brazil Salto das Nuvens (“Waterfall of the Clouds”) is a wide curtain waterfall on the Sepotuba River about 25 kilometers from Tangará da Serra, in the state of Mato Grosso, where cascades, natural pools and a sandy river beach create a classic Brazilian day‑use spot. The site operates as a full tourist complex with viewpoints, restaurant, bar, small chapel and riverside decks, so visitors can spend the day swimming, taking photos and lingering over meals while looking straight onto the falls

Bacalar’s Natural “Lazy River” in Mexico In Bacalar, Quintana Roo, Mexico, the so‑called Río Lento is a clear, shallow natural channel that gently links mangrove-fringed canals with the famous Laguna de los Siete Colores, letting visitors float along on a soft current while watching the water shift through multiple shades of blue. Beneath the surface lie stromatolites—ancient, rock-like microbial formations considered among the oldest life forms on Earth—so drifting this lazy river is not only relaxing but also a chance to glide past living fossils in one of the country’s most ecologically important lagoons.

Lagoa Misteriosa, Brazil’s Bottomless‑Feeling Blue Abyss Lagoa Misteriosa, in Mato Grosso do Sul near Bonito and Jardim, is a flooded sinkhole whose crystal‑clear turquoise water drops to more than 220 meters in depth, making it one of Brazil’s deepest submerged caves and lending weight to the idea that “no one has ever reached its bottom.” Controlled visits with guides allow snorkelers and divers to float above an apparently endless blue void, tree trunks and rock walls fading into darkness, turning this “mysterious lagoon” into a bucket‑list spot for anyone who dares to peer straight down into the abyss.