Ciudad del Este

Ciudad del Este needs 2 days: touring the Itaipú Dam, the world's second-largest hydroelectric plant by energy generation, shared with Brazil, on one, and crossing over to Iguazu Falls on the Argentine or Brazilian side, less than an hour away, on the other. April-June and September-November avoid the extreme summer humidity. It's inexpensive, with a strong electronics and import trade that draws day-trip shoppers from Brazil and Argentina. It's Paraguay's second-most populous city and, together with Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil) and Puerto Iguazú (Argentina), forms the Triple Frontier, one of South America's busiest international border crossings.