Must See
Asunción
The capital lies on an inlet of the Paraguay River, the Bay of Asuncion. Planned on a colonial Spanish grid system, visitors will find a variety of architectural styles along the waterfront. With plenty of parks and plazas, a botanical garden, golf course and zoo, there are a number of ways to relax in the city. Other attractions include the Visual Arts Museum, the National Fine Arts Museum (which holds 19th-century paintings and colonial works), the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Andres Barbero Museum, which contains works of anthropological value. Fantastic views of the city may be seen from the Parque Carlos Antonio Lopez, high above Asunción.
Tours can be taken from Asuncion to the Iguazu Falls, Salto Crystal Falls, the Pilcomayo River, Chaco and Villeta.
The Chaco
Home to just 3% of the population, these empty plains and forests cover 61% of Paraguay's landmass. The area is home to Paraguay's major national parks (including the Defensores del Chaco, Tifunque, Enciso and Cerro Cora), biological reserves (in Itabo, Limoy, Tati Yupi) and protected forests. The Nacunday forest holds 200 different species of mammal, 600 species of bird (including the Chacoan peccary, once thought to be extinct), plus an array of reptiles and amphibians. The Chaco is the world's second largest forest, after the Amazonian rainforest.
Visitors travelling from Asuncion will pass through the Low Chaco, a land of palm forests and marshes, before reaching the Middle Chaco and its capital Filadelfia. In this area, Mennonites of German descent set up farms, agricultural outlets and schools, creating the only organised community in the whole of the Chaco region.
Ciudad Del Este
326 km (204 miles) east of the capital, close to the Brazilian border, Ciudad del Este is the fastest growing town in the country. This cosmopolitan settlement is a good base for trips to Iguazu Falls and the glorious Monday Falls, which are a 15 to 30 minute drive away. A trip can also be taken to the Italpú Dam, the world's largest hydroelectric complex. The water reservoir stretches for over 180 km (112 miles), providing a unique ecosystem for wildlife, and a host of activities for tourists, such as watersports, fishing, camping, sailing and hiking.
Piribebuy
This town was the scene of bloody fighting during the war of the triple alliance, and is now famous for its handmade goods, such as the 'sixty-stripe' Parani poncho and Encaje-yu spindle lace. Piribebuy is also famous as a place of worship of the 'Virgin of Miracles'.
San Bernardino
Located on Lake Ypacarai, 47 km (29 miles) from Asuncion, San Bernardino is a popular holiday resort, with beaches, lake shores and a camping ground.
Activities
The country has eleven national parks and protected areas for the traveller to visit, abundant in bird and wildlife. River trips are a good way to spot flora and fauna, and the journey from Asuncion to Concepcion on the River Paraguay passes through dramatic landscapes.