Experts' top 10 South America destinations for 2008

South America is one of the most beautiful, dramatic and exciting continents in the world, but with so much on offer it can be hard to know where to start.

However, there are many tour operators with lots of experience and expertise when it comes to bringing together some of the best the continent has to offer.

Among them is Journey Latin America, which is launching its new brochure with a top ten of South and Central American holiday destinations for 2008.

Belize's Toledo District
Belize is well known for its diving sites, incredible Caribbean coastline and wildlife.

Journey Latin America recommends veering off Belize's tourist trail, and visiting Toledo, the southernmost, densely rainforested part of the country.

As well as visiting jungle and going on wildlife trips to see the area's birdlife, holidaymakers can also go on cultural excursions. For example, chocolate fans may well enjoy a trip to the region's organic cocoa farms (which supply Green & Blacks' Maya Gold bars).

Guatemala's Petén jungle region
"Stay at Francis Ford Coppola's La Lancha lodge and explore some of the least-visited Mayan ruins; from Tikal (vast pyramids and jungle wildlife), to Ceibal (well preserved stelae); Uaxacatún (large stucco sculptures); Yaxhá (splendid lake-side setting); and Topoxé," suggested Journey Latin America.

Nicaragua's Corn Islands
Located off the east coast of Nicaragua in the Caribbean Sea, the Corn Islands are a former British protectorate and a great destination for diving, thanks to its reefs and wealth of marine life.

"Recently put on the 'top-end' tourism map thanks to the excellent Morgan's Rock lodge on the Pacific. We think [the] idyllic, undeveloped Corn Islands in the Caribbean will catch the eye in 2008," explained Journey Latin America.

Costa Rica's El Silencio Lodge & Spa
If you are looking for all-out luxury with a eco-friendly credentials and a chance to try lots of different holiday activities the South America specialist recommends Costa Rica's El Silencio Lodge & Spa, in the country's central region.

"It's a 'planet-friendly sanctuary for soft adventure and inspired wellness' set within a 500-acre private cloud forest reserve. There are just 16 luxury suites, a full-service Spa, yoga platform and a range of outdoor activities on offer, from hiking and horse riding to bird watching or river rafting," the tour operator said.

Colombia's Zona Cafetera
"With the impending film release of Love in the Time of Cholera, Colombia is set to firmly arrive on the tourist scene next year," Journey Latin America explained.

"With Cartagena as a focus of the film and Bogotá on New York Times' latest hotlist, Colombia is set to sizzle."

Also in the top ten:

Panama's combinations of jungle and beach, accessible from Panama City, set to wow holidaymakers, thanks in part to a new KLM route to the country starting in April 2008.

Brazil's interior is set to be the big holiday discovery in 2008, with Minas Gerais, the Pantanal (the world's largest wetland, which is reputedly "better for wildlife than the Amazon") and Serra Geral mountains in the south among the country's emerging destinations.

Chile's Tierra Atacama Adventure+Spa, a boutique hotel in Chile's Atacama Desert.

Mexico's culinary side, which can be tried first-hand with cooking classes in Puebla & Oaxaca.

Peru's communities, which can be visited and stayed with alongside taking in all the tourist sights.

For more information on Journey Latin America holidays see www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk