Here you'll find Parque National Cerro Corá where you can climb Cerro León (if you're in good shape) and Iguazú Falls on the Brazilian and Argentine portions of the Parana and the huge Itaipu Dam on the Parana River. The dam harnesses twice the power of Grand Coulee Dam and stretches more than five miles across the river. You'll have to arrange a visit in advance but do be sure to take a hydrofoil ride on the lake and watch the film of the construction process at the Visitor's Center.
Make sure you have plenty of mosquito repellant with you!
Here, too, is Caacupé where the Basilica of the Virgin of the Miracles of Caacupé is an important shrine for Roman Catholics. Every year on December 8 the Feast of the Immaculate Conception thousands of pilgrims crowd this very impressive church. In Trinidad, the Jesuit Mission ruins are all that are left of the highly organized efforts by Spanish priests in the 18th century to convert the native tribes and protect Spanish territory from Portuguese encroachment. In addition to religious teachings the Jesuits taught cultivation and rotation of crops and new crafts. The Guarani tribes were cooperative but the Guaycuru fled to the Chaco and were left alone once the Spaniards realized there was no gold or precious metal in the wastelands.
Don't miss the village of Itaguá where women weave the many colored ñanduti into everything from doilies to bedspreads. Yaguarón and Pirebebuy retain much of their colonial architecture and Pirebebuy is a good place to savor Paraguay's historical and rural heritage.
Parque Nacional Ybycui contains rainforest, one of the last stands and still relatively undeveloped. It offers some camping, hiking trails and waterfalls and pools.
You might be like PJ O'Rourke who wrote "Paraguay is nowhere and famous for nothing," and then on a short visit to cover elections promptly fell in love with the country.
Buen viaje!
