Central America is a land of smoldering volcanoes, dense leafy jungles, ancient Mayan temples and Spanish colonial cities. It’s a region of smoldering political upheaval where the contradictions of late capitalism are laid bare for all to see. It’s also a land of people that have persevered through countless hardships, yet remain friendly and welcoming. In short, the experience of Central America travel is an experience like no other.
If you can’t tell by the above paragraph, I absolutely love Central America. I’ve traveled to the region numerous times over the years, and have always had an amazing experience. Most recently, my wife and I spent about six months backpacking from Guatemala to Panama, mostly using local buses. It was fantastic.
Before you travel to Central America, start with our comprehensive guide here: Backpacking Central America — The Complete Guatemala to Panama Route Guide from the Back of a Bus
For tips on budgeting, check out this Central America budget guide, based on my own personal spending records:Central America Travel Budget: How to Travel Cheap Without Selling Yourself Short
Quick Central America Highlights
Colonial cities: Antigua (Guatemala), Granada (Nicaragua), Panama City (Panama)
Nature and rainforests: Costa Rica, Isla Ometepe (Nicaragua), Rio Dulce (Guatemala), Boquete (Panama)
Beaches and surf: El Tunco (El Salvador), Santa Catalina (Panama), Bocas del Toro (Panama)
Ancient ruins: Copán (Honduras), Tikal (Guatemala)
Off the beaten path: Livingston (Guatemala), Drake Bay (Costa Rica), Bijagua (Costa Rica)
For budget travelers: Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador
Learning Spanish: Antigua (Guatemala)
Meeting friendly locals: El Salvador
Where is Central America, Exactly?
Central America is the narrow isthmus, or land bridge, that connects North and South America. The region is made up of seven countries: Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama.
It’s important to note that Central America is not its own continent. It is also not part of South America. The region is considered part of North America, geographically, and is separated from South America by the rough and inhospitable Darien Gap in Panama.
Some people include Mexico in Central America. I’ve decided not to include Mexico, because Mexicans tend to prefer to be considered separately, and I think that makes sense.
Top Tips for Travel in Central America
- Learn some Spanish. Knowing a few phrases goes a long way in endearing you to the local people. It can also lead to some fascinating conversations and teach you a lot. You can find Spanish classes throughout the region, but some of the best are in Guatemala.
- Don’t be afraid. Yes, some parts of some Central American cities are very high crime. But tourists are almost never the target. Most local people want you to have fun in their country. Be aware of your surroundings, but not paranoid.
- Take your time. Central America lends itself to slow travel. There’s so much to see, do and explore, and some of the best experiences come from taking the time to wander.
Traveling Country by Country
Central America isn’t a huge region, but there’s a lot of diversity packed in those seven countries. Even though (with the exception of Belize) the countries of Central America share a common language and Latino culture, you’ll find a world of difference between Guatemala and Panama.
Belize: Belize is the outlier; they speak English and have more of a Caribbean vibe. We didn’t visit it on our six-month trip, so it’s not included here, but feel free to include it on your Central America trip.
Guatemala: Guatemala is the land of the Maya. You’ll find not only magnificent ruins, such as Tikal, but also living, breathing, Mayan culture along the shores of Lake Atitlán. The colonial city of Antigua is a great place to start your trip and to learn Spanish.
Read more about Guatemala here: Go to Guatemala: A Travel Guide Without the Tourist Traps
Honduras: We only visited the town of Copán Ruinas, and the nearby Mayan ruins. It was just enough of a taste of Honduras to make me want to go back. I’ll be sure to add more when I do. The Copán ruins themselves are amazing, and the town is charming and chill.
Read more about Honduras here: Copán Ruinas: Visiting Mayan Ruins and More in Honduras
El Salvador: El Salvador ended up being the biggest surprise during our Central America trip. The country once famous for crime is now safe and full of friendly, hospitable people. Santa Ana makes a great base to meet the locals and take day trips to volcanoes, ruins and more.
Read more about El Salvador here: Exploring El Salvador: Central America’s Hidden Travel Gem is Ready to Shine
Nicaragua: Nicaragua is where I took my first ever solo backpacking trip, and the place that made me fall in love with both travel and Central America. The charming colonial town of Granada will captivate you. The volcanic island of Ometepe is worth the visit just for the sunsets alone.
Read more about Nicaragua here: Navigating Nicaragua: A Travel Guide to the Land of Lakes and Volcanoes and Revolution
Costa Rica: Costa Rica is Central America’s travel star and a place almost synonymous with eco-tourism. Yet, there are still plenty of opportunities to leave the tourist trail, such as Bijagua. You’ll find other mind-blowing, deep nature experiences in places like Tortuguero and Drake Bay.
Read more about Costa Rica here: Come to Costa Rica: A Travel Guide to the Tourist Hotspot I Still Love
Panama: Panama has a lot going for it, but to be honest might be my least favorite country in Central America. Panama City is too big and too shiny, and Bocas del Toro is overrun with drunken teenagers. Yet, Panama has a few tricks up its sleeve, like the cloud forests of Boquete and the chilled beach vibes of Santa Catalina.
Read more about Panama here: Panama Travel Guide: Passing Through the Country that Connects the Americas
Some More Things to Know Before You Go
Safety: Your friends and family might freakout when you tell them you’re planning to travel to Central America. Tell them there’s no reason to worry. Yes, Central America suffers from a lot of crime. But that crime is usually concentrated in specific areas and rarely targets tourists.
Ethical Travel: The people of Central America have suffered under colonialism, crime, poverty and more. You don’t want to add “inconsiderate tourists” to their list of woes. We can’t be perfect, but do your best to travel ethically and respectfully.
Budget: Central America is definitely an inexpensive destination. During our six-month trip, I averaged spending between about $35 to $60 a day, depending on the country and what we did. You could easily spend more (or less), but get an idea of costs here: Central America Travel Budget: How to Travel Cheap Without Selling Yourself Short
Ready to pack your bags and head to Central America? Read our thorough travel guide here: Backpacking Central America — The Complete Guatemala to Panama Route Guide from the Back of a Bus
Useful Websites for Traveling Central America
As much as we might long for the days when you could show up to a town with nothing more than a beat-up guidebook and a sense of adventure, today much of traveling involves being glued to our phones making bookings. I’ve compiled some helpful apps and websites below that at least help make those bookings more convenient so you can spend less time staring at your phone and more time exploring at your surroundings. Some of these sites are affiliate links that give me a small commission at no cost to you if you chose to book through them. All of them are sites I’ve used personally and have no problem recommending.
Just be sure to do your due diligence as much as possible. Only hire local guides and try as much as possible to stay in locally owned hotels and hostels so that your hard earned travel dollars actually go to support the local economies of the places you visit.
Booking.com is basically the world’s only hotel booking website. They have hotels, guesthouses and vacation rentals all over Central America.
Hostelworld is the go-to site for booking hostels. If dorm rooms and shared bathrooms are your thing, you’ll find hostels all over Central America.
Get Your Guide offers tours and activities all around the world. Unlike some other sites and apps that do the same thing, you can actually find some reasonably priced deals here.
Centro Coasting is a great website to look up bus routes and times throughout Central America. Schedules change regularly, and the site is sometimes not as up to date as you’d like. However, it’s a good resource to help give you an idea when the buses leave, or at least get you to the right terminal.
Travel insurance can turn a potential trip-ruining disaster into a mere inconvenience. We used World Nomads for travel insurance during our Central America trip. I found them easy to use and set up. We’ve also used SafetyWing and had a good experience. If you do decide to get travel insurance, I suggest comparing both options and seeing what works for you.
We receive a fee when you get a quote from World Nomads using this link. We do not represent World Nomads. This is not a recommendation to buy travel insurance. The same applies to SafetyWing.