Discover Mexico & Latin America

Mexico and Latin America reward travelers with an extraordinary range of landscapes, cultures, and histories. Ancient cities rise from the rainforest at Tikal, colonial streets glow beneath volcanoes in Antigua, and the ruins of Machu Picchu sit high above Peru’s Sacred Valley. Farther south, the salt flats of Bolivia stretch toward the horizon, Iguazú Falls thunder along the border of Argentina and Brazil, and Cartagena’s colorful balconies open onto a city shaped by centuries of Caribbean influence. Across the region, food is part of the journey—from tacos in Mexico City’s markets to ceviche in Lima and family-run restaurants serving recipes rooted in local tradition.

The scale and variety of the region can make planning feel daunting, which is where a thoughtful guidebook becomes especially valuable. The best guides help travelers understand the distances, seasons, transportation, and cultural differences that separate one destination from another, while also drawing attention to places that are easily overlooked. Whether the journey leads to the beaches of Costa Rica, the cities of Colombia, the mountains of Peru, or the islands of the Caribbean, Mexico and Latin America offer the chance to travel with curiosity, encounter deeply rooted traditions, and discover places that still feel wonderfully distinct.

The Old Patagonian Express, by Paul Theroux

Paul Theroux’s The Old Patagonian Express stands among his most memorable travel books. Beginning with a rush-hour subway ride in Boston, he boards the Lake Shore Limited to Chicago before continuing south through Mexico and Central America, across the Andes, and eventually onto the slow steam train that gives the book its name. Along the way, he endures altitude sickness in Peru, visits Machu Picchu, crosses remote landscapes by an increasingly unpredictable series of trains, and spends time in Buenos Aires with the great Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges. Theroux’s sharp observations of crowded carriages, railway workers, vendors, and fellow passengers turn the journey into a vivid portrait of the Americas. By the time the Old Patagonian Express reaches a stark landscape of cracked hills and thorn bushes, the destination matters less than the strange, revealing encounters that carried him there.

Road Fever, by Tim Cahill

Buckle up for a wild ride through the Americas in Tim Cahill'sRoad Fever. This adrenaline-pumping travelogue follows Cahill and his professional driving partner as they attempt to shatter the world record for the fastest journey from the southernmost point of South America to the northernmost tip of Alaska. While their breakneck pace leaves little time for cultural immersion, Cahill's razor-sharp wit and vivid prose transform this high-octane adventure into a thoroughly entertaining read. Though the duo's tires barely touch the ground in each country they cross, Cahill's keen observations and self-deprecating humor will keep you glued to the page. Road Fever is just one gem in Cahill's treasure trove of travel writing, and we heartily recommend exploring more of his work. Click here to read our full review of Road Fever.

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