Paraguay

The most detailed guide available to this little-explored South American nation

Bradt's Paraguay was the first standalone guidebook to the country published internationally, and this fourth edition remains the definitive resource. Covering the whole of Paraguay, it blends the best-known sights with off-the-beaten-track attractions well beyond the tourist trail, and includes a cross-border excursion to the spectacular Iguazú/Iguaçu Falls, one of the 'New 7 Wonders of Nature'.

Shaped like a lopsided butterfly and divided by the River Paraguay, the country offers remarkable diversity. The western Chaco is a wildlife-rich expanse of wetlands and arid woodland that reaches into the famous Pantanal region, while the east showcases craft, music and campesino life, with savannahs and vestiges of Atlantic Forest. Paraguay rewards the adventurous traveller seeking immersion in local culture and natural landscapes—from nature and ecclesiastical tourism to vibrant music and dance traditions (including Encarnación's month-long carnival), inexpensive travel, and fascinating history centred on Jesuit mission settlements. Discover intriguing details too: football's possible invention in Paraguay's Jesuit missions in 1793, the world-renowned Paraguayan harp, the communal ritual of drinking tereré (iced yerba maté), and Chaco salt lakes that were open sea 60 million years ago.

Written by a long-term resident and thoroughly updated by seasoned travel writers, this new edition reflects recent changes across Paraguay. It features expanded coverage of ecotourism destinations such as Yacyretá, Yabebyrý, Mbaracayú and Atinguý, while Asunción includes new sights like the Centro Cultural de España Juan de Salazar. Packed with practical details—from local phone numbers to museum hours, church visiting information, maps to remote waterfalls, and cultural etiquette—this is your complete companion to discovering this gem of South America.