Around The World In 80 Waves

I only had a very short time available to me in the Iguacu National Park to enjoy the falls and the wildlife living nearby, so I treated myself to a stay at the Hotel De Cataratas.

It is the only hotel in the park and as you can see from this aerial view is right next to one section of the massive waterfalls. 

The hotel is operated by the Orient Express group who run the trains fromLondon to Istanbul, and a similar level of opulence to what you would expect there can be found here.

It is however far from cheap and I think I spent more on one night here than I did in the whole of El Salvador and Honduras combined! 

Having spent plenty of time in hotels before and during this trip I have become rather good at making the most of the facilities on offer anywhere I go.

Although it is the winter here in the middle of the rainforest it was still more than 25C so I spent a great afternoon sunbathing on the loungers by the pool. All the while being brought olives, peeled fruit, nuts and caipirinhas by the retinue of staff who really didn’t have much to do. There was even time for a deep tissue massage before I left.

It was an extravagance, but made sure I left Brazil with some wonderful memories despite the surf not being up to much while I was at the coast.