The island is located in Mexico and as the name suggests, is expecting to see a beautiful world that will leave a lasting impression. But the reality is otherwise and very hard when one find thousands of badly mutilated doll hanging from every tree on the island.

Don Julian Santana, is the person behind this artistic art, which is also an ascetic who renounced the world and his family to inhabit this island five decades dedicated his life to make “La Isla de la Munecas”. It is believed that he did this to please the spirits of a little girl who had drowned in the canal. Whatever may be the reason, he managed to turn this island into a place, where the weird scary eyes scary dolls mutilated haunt your every move, on this strange island.

Don Julian is said to have led an isolated life, except when she dared to collect old dolls that she was either used from landfills or purchased in exchange for fruits and vegetables home. Personal one to believe that he obviously did not like the intrusion and try to scare the audience with the hanging dolls curious faces daunting.

In 2001, Don Julian was found drowned in the same channel in the vicinity of his house. Don Julian was dead to the world but still frightening vision impaired in, the doll’s face was mutilated and hung lifeless in the worst forms of human torture and punishment. Its an island that shock the world, a shocking traveling experience.

The idea of visiting a foreign land in the cheapest way is obsolete these days. Tourism is much thought nowadays as a measure to regain some lost energy or to revive ones soul with enough power so that the concerned individual can fire all cylinders when back to normal life after completion of the holidays. With comfort factor becoming the most essential point, United Kingdom which happens to be one of the most popular tourist sites now offer cheap holiday rentals which are extremely crucial in making the visitors feel at home.

Nowadays the holiday rentals UKhave become a major talking point in the positive sense in the context of touring United Kingdom. The concept has been so very successful, that the concept is being implemented in various other countries which are also marked as important tourist destinations of the world, as no land would want to stay behind in competition.

This leads to an important point in the discussion. It is very easy to get paranoid about visiting certain countries and cities but this is totally unwarranted. Remember, it’s only certain parts of these countries and cities that are best avoided, just as certain parts of cities in Europe or North America are best avoided. In fact, travelling around most of Latin America is far safer, and more pleasant, than travelling around many parts of Europe or North America. Additionally, as Susan Griffith rightly points out in ‘Travelling Solo as a Woman in Asia’ “there is a pernicious mythology surrounding the lone female traveller, whether it be as a hitchhiker around Britain or a traveller in Southeast Asia. Many people instantly exaggerate the perils and dwell on a single woman’s vulnerability. Often this doom-ridden response is just an excuse for their own timidity of spirit.” Don’t get paranoid: the countries of Latin America are no more dangerous than many other countries in this world, and in reality you are more likely to encounter problems in some European countries or North American states.

Referring back to the classic question seen on travel forums (i.e. how safe is it to travel to X as a solo female traveller) it is worth mentioning the responsibilities and abilities of the individual. Safety is inherently linked to knowledge and experience. Whenever planning a trip to Latin America or anywhere else in the world, it is absolutely essential you do your research. Try and find out as much information as you can about the country or countries you wish to visit. Travel guides such as those produced by Lonely Planet and Footprint will help you decide which places you want to visit and those you might want or should avoid. The internet is also an invaluable source of information and there are many websites dedicated to the concerns of solo female travellers. We often hear people described as being ’streetwise;’ if the definition was applied to travel rather than the urban environment, some travellers could be easily be labelled as ‘travelwise’ (i.e. having the shrewd awareness, experience, and resourcefulness needed for survival in a difficult, often dangerous overseas environment). Travel experience (particularly in the third world) goes a long way in ensuring safety. This is because people with extensive travel experience evaluate risk more effectively and size up situations more successfully. Thus, it’s fair to say that overall safety is partly dependent on the qualifications (age, knowledge and experience) of the person posing the question.

To a large degree safety is simply a case of being sensible and staying alert. For example, flaunting items such as expensive cameras, jewellery, or mobile phones is likely to attract opportunist thieves. Similarly, putting your day pack on the luggage rack of a public bus rather than keeping it on your lap or by your feet is asking for trouble. The key message here is don’t take any unnecessary risks. You might fancy a late paddle on Copacabana beach (Rio de Janeiro) but any guidebook will tell you not to visit this area after dark. You might want to hit the bars and clubs in Quito but leave your valuables in your hotel. You might want to get drunk in the nearest disco but don’t try walking back to your hotel late at night. It’s all a matter of common sense really.

The main issue for solo female travellers is the threat of sexual harassment from local men and even male travellers. While male travellers might be a problem on occasions, you need to be aware of the culture differences between Latin American men and those from your own country. Machismo attitudes are fairly widespread among Latin American men and it is advisable to follow local practice and take your cues (i.e. how do local women deal with prolonged eye contact, etc) from local woman if you don’t want to be the object of curiosity. Appropriate dress and conduct will attract less unwanted attention from the local men. It is a sad fact that many local men view Western women as promiscuous. This impression is largely due to how some women dress. Acting drunk and a bit wild is also bound to create the sort of interest you are trying to avoid. You need to balance your sense of adventure with an awareness of cultural differences. It is also important that you listen to and trust your instincts. If you are in a situation that makes you feel uncomfortable as a woman, you need to follow your instincts and leave.

Most countries in Latin America are well established on the ‘gringo trail,’ hence, there will always be opportunities to hook up with other travellers. This will greatly reduce any hassle you might get. This should not deter any woman from travelling alone as this can be a rewarding and empowering experience. There is probably nothing more satisfying to a solo female traveller than knowing she forged her own path.

While it’s true that there are specific concerns for female travellers, the risks that are out there shouldn’t stop you from hitting the road. There are thousands of solo female travellers currently exploring Latin America and you could be one of them.

Top five attractions
The Mayan site of Copán, full of impressive carvings, stelae and altars; the Bay Islands of Utila, Roatán and Guanaja with their white-sand beaches and balmy waters; the fishing villages around Tela to experience indigenous Garífuna food and culture; Parque Nacional Pico Bonito, a habitat for jaguars, armadillos, wild pigs, tepezcuintles (pacas – a type of burrowing rodent), monkeys and toucans (hire a guide); and Honduras’ largest lake, Lago de Yojoa, a favourite with birdwatchers, who have identified more than 375 species.

Best city
Comayagua, the former capital (until 1880), which has been faithfully restored. Its pleasant parks, whitewashed churches and human scale make for a far more relaxing experience than smog-laden, chaotic Tegucigalpa.

Tour: Treasures of Central America
A multi-country tour, new for 2010, through Honduras, Guatemala and Belize. Starting from Guatemala City, the tour heads to Antigua, takes in a cruise across Lago Atitlán, the Mayan ruins of Copán and finally the flora, fauna, caves and Mayan temples of Cayo District, Belize.
Price:from £2,119 per person, including international and domestic flights, accommodation, some meals and an English-speaking guide.
Souvenir to buy
If you object to paying for a stamp for your passport to say you have visited the ruins of Copán, buy a Yaba Ding Ding – a reproduction of a pre-Columbian artefact.

Quirky Honduras
The term “banana republic” first appeared in the American author O Henry’s 1904 book, Cabbages and Kings, based on his stay in 1896-97.

To start with, the Gutemaltekas speak slowly and clearly. Secondly, Guatemala is on the way: for anyone (and especially North Americans) going down the continent this is a good time to learn a few phrases – at the beginning of the trip. Third, the Guatemalan culture is heavily indigenous, so it makes it an interesting place to stop for a week and get to know it. And last, but not least, Guatemala is much cheaper than most of Latin America, making it a competitive proposition.

Once in Guatemala, you will usually be directed to one of the two places.

Lake Atitlan is a very scenic mountanous landscape with volcanoes and postcard indigigenous people. A string of villages along the bank of the lake lets you adjust the level of spirituality according to your habitual marijuana dosage. This place is the Guatemalan equivalent of a stereotypical backpacker beach village. Antigua, on the other hand, is somewhat of Guatemalan Cuzco, an area with Irish bars and cosmopolitan restaurants cordoned off from the rest of Guatemala for the safety of the tourists and sporting all possible amenities.

Most people are happy with those two in terms of Spanish classes. Some, however, would prefer a deeper cultural immersion, a bit more off the trail.

Quetzaltenango, aka Xela, is the second largest city of Guatemala. It’s a big city but it has this warm sunny vibe on the streets by day, mellow and totally authentic. Xela is the underdog for Spanish classes in Guatemala. Staying here is being deep inside the Guatemalan culture, yet within the comfort of a city. Schools are numerous and the number of foreigners is just about perfect – not too many to invade and enough to have a drink with if you fancy. The prices are lower than in Antigua – 100 bucks for a week (6-7 hours a day, one-to-one) with a very good school and about half of that with private teachers or less established schools.

The beauty of having such a private on-to-one is that you can call the shots if you know what your language needs. If you are more willing to let the teacher lead you, all teachers tend to have a very planned out program of how to give you the basics within a week. Judging your own level, this program is very easily adjusted. You can make it more grammatical or more conversational.

There is a number of established hotels and hostels which are aware of Xela’s popularity as a Spanish learning destination, so finding accommodation won’t be hard. Those places are also where a private teacher would post his ad, so you can find a much better deal from someone not officially registered or simply not as busy as the established school.

Xela tends to be more popular with backpackers and North American high school students. There are a few nice mellow bars to go to for a drink at night, and salsa nights for foreigners. While you are learning to speak you may as well learn to walk, again not very expensive and salsa teachers are abundant. You can’t take your guns to the bars though, unfortunately, as the signs in the venues tell you.

One specific recommendation I could make is this. Walking around the centre of Xela one afternoon I met Sary on the central Plaza. She is a sweetest little thing and I wish I had met her before signing-up. She has her own school, at lower price, complete with accommodation, breakfast and an art gallery. Us and her friend went for some salsa and had a fantastic night. Her site appears to be down right now, but if you do go to Xela to learn Spanish do try to sign up with her, she’s such a sweetie. I hope the webmaster won’t mind: www.learn2speakspanish.com

All in all I was happy with this turn of events. Go to Atitlan if you want peace of mind, “peace” in the pipe, tranquility, lake, mountains and an international village. Go to Antigua if you want an international hangout with all amenities. But if you’d rather not stop cultural immersion and / or don’t want to get sucked into an over-developed location just because you can’t say “Cuanto cuesta…?”, Xela is the answer.