Colombia's unspoilt island idyll (guardian.co.uk): "A strange mix of South America and the Caribbean, the tiny Colombian island of Providencia enjoys a pace of life that makes Antigua or Barbados look frenetic."

The author recounts his adventures in four days spent swimming, diving, cruising around the island and relaxing in a hammock.

"Providencia was all about pace. I really don't remember the last time I switched off to such a degree. Imagine a place with no mobile reception, no internet cafe other than in the main urban area, no shops, no chains of any kind, no chefs, no TVs in the bedrooms. Less is more, nothing is everything. Providencia by name and by nature. Colombia being off the map for so many years has ensured this island's isolation from Latin America's anxious, often half-baked urge for European-style development."

This view of a Providencia island beach is displayed with the kind permission of Glowimages / Getty Images.

On your next trip to Brazil, make sure you check out the scenic views and the hospitable towns and people in The Other Brazil: Minas Gerais (NYTimes): The author explains that he "had taken my two friends to Minas Gerais to show them what I think too many foreign travelers like them miss: the Brazil that lies beyond the Christ on the hill in Rio, the eco-lodges of the Amazon and the model-flecked beaches of Florianópolis. Instead of a cross on a hill, Minas has colonial towns loaded with Baroque-style churches. Instead of vast rain forests, Minas has gorgeous mountains and countless waterfalls. And instead of beaches, it's the home of a country cooking style famed across this nation of more than 190 million."

With descriptions and recommendations for Ouro Prêto and surrounding locales, the author gives us an on-the-spot look at the area. See more with this Visit to Ouro Prêto, Brazil, with the historic Praça de Tiradentes. Also on their itinerary was a visit to the state capital, Belo Horizonte and Tiradentes, named for Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, a dentist or tooth-puller, who was executed in 1792 for his role in encouraging Brazilian independence from Portugal, and is today honored each April 21st as the Civic Patron of the Brazilian nation.

View of the Praça de Tiradentes with a statue of Tiradentes and a baroque-style church in the background,, seen from this location, is displayed with the kind permission of Peter and Jackie Main.

Need a potion to succeed in business, love, or insure good health? Or maybe a more sinister reason? You'll find them all in the witches market stalls of Bolivia's not-so-wicked witches (globalpost.com) also known as the Mercado de la Hechicería.

Photo of a witch's market stall thanks to ArtToday.com.

Explore more about La Paz, the city that touches the sky.

Are you looking for a great holiday with fewer visitors? If you are looking for peace and quiet, a restful communication with sand and sky, take a look at these suggestions for Unspoilt Latin American beach escapes (guardian.co.uk) in Uruguay, Peru, Brazil and Venezuela.

This view of Lover's Beach near Natal, while not listed by name in this article, is displayed with the kind permission of Peter and Jackie Main and gives us a good idea of an unspoiled beach.