Traveling in Paraguay

Paraguay seems to be the quietest and least known about Spanish Speaking country in the world. Indeed when I was in neighboring Argentina, the locals told me there was nothing to do here and even tried to discourage me from visiting! It seems most people see this landlocked nation as a flyover country with not much going on. I had assumptions that Paraguay would be a place in deep poverty and perhaps even a risky destination. I found that the capital Asuncion was a safe city, with more modern infrastructure than I would have thought. While it is a quiet destination, I’d say there are plenty of things to do. To me the vast remote north known as El Chaco always was the real Paraguay to me, and is where I focused most of my time. The vast majority of locals however all tell me the southern parts of Paraguay are their favorites, so I’ll be sure to visit there next time!

Asuncion

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The capital of Paraguay was once said to be the city “famous for nothing”. Although its true Asuncion is likely to be the least touristy capital in all of South America, there is what makes the city unique. River cruises along the Paraguayan river offer beautiful views of Asuncion. The city is full of memorials, city parks, and more neighborhoods than you’d expect. Although Asuncion isn’t known to the outside world, that doesn’t mean it lacks class. Plenty of upcoming and trendy neighborhoods are found throughout the capital, and simply exploring the city on foot is a rewarding experience.

El Chaco

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Located in the north western parts of the country, El Chaco can bee seen as Paraguay’s own wild wild west. The remote swath of land is known for its scorching sun, dry forests, and lack of people. While El Chaco represents 60% of Paraguay, less than 10% of the population actually lives there. Those that do are a mix of rancheros, native Indians, and some 40,000 Mennonites who migrated 75 years ago. In addition, the dry wilderness here is home to animals like the jaguar, giant anteaters, tapirs, capybara, and more.