Right astride the Caribbean's largest barrier reef – also the world’s second largest after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef – this small island (just 32 square miles (83 sq. kilometres) off the coast of Honduras has become not only this country’s top
Panama is in general not distinguished by cuisine with any particular local personality - it's overall pretty similar to that found all over Central America. But one exception is the tasty meat pie known as the carimañola (shared, as it happens,
Among other things, Central America is famous for its volcanoes, especially Costa Rica and Nicaragua. But less well known is that the highest density of volcanoes - both dormant and active - is in their much smaller neighbour to the south, El
Whether you are an adventure freak, a beach-worshiper, an avid culture seeker, or a voyager just seeking for a place for relaxation, Guatemala is one of those rarely found place which satisfies the travelers of all taste buds, regardless of your bi
The best means of transport in a small to medium-size nation is to drive it. There is nothing is nothing like quenching your thirst for wanderlust than by taking a road trip. With 1,000 miles of coastline, 1,500 islands, close to 1,000 different spec
Costa Rica has cannily and famously leveraged itsecotourismriches into bank-account riches over the past several decades, but it wouldn’t have becomeCentral America’s most successful destination without its plentiful playas – most of which line
After settling in at the lush 'n' lovely hillside resort whimsically called Pelican Eyes (aka Piedras y Olas), I strolled down into town, and I've gotta say, as much as I love Nicaragua, I found this ramshackle beach town (pop. 18,000) on the country
When visiting a fascinating new destination, there’s nothing cooler than staying in equally intriguing accommodations. And so here are 11 of the most fascinating in key Iberia Destinations in Latin America.
For the last three decades, a heartbreaking civil war and its aftermath putCentral America’s smallest country out of the minds of most holidaymakers as a destination – but with stability and security returned, these daystravel to El Salvador is reg
Unlike as is increasingly the case with Christmas, in Ibero-AmericaSemana Santa(Holy Week, aka Easter week and the last week ofLent), going on right now, is still an almost exclusively religious observance, largely sans the Anglo-Saxon-style East
Summertime is a special season in Belize, not because the weather heats up (Belize enjoys great weather all year long) but because a special group of visitors arrives in the offshore waters as part of their annual circumnavigation of the globe.
When it comes to Central America, most people think of ecotourism as the bailiwick of, say, Costa Rica, while Guatemala is thought of more in terms of archaeology, history and Mayan culture. But one of the remarkable things about this country is tha
One of Central America’s most atmospheric cities, named upon founding in 1524 after the original Granada in southern Spain’s Andalusia region, this city on the shores of Lake Nicaragua (aka Lake Concibolca) in the west of the long peaceful country of
When it comes to shopping on holiday, the 20 countries of Ibero-America are a stupendous trove that reflect the diversity of both their modern culture and their Hispanic and pre-Columbian heritages. Some of the most striking items that decorate my ho
In Costa Rica there are as many wildlife tours as kinds of animals, all of them very worthwhile. But nearly nothing beats the thrill of whale watching. There must be something about being in close proximity to a giant intelligent being that is fascin
The relaxed Caribbean town of Puerto Viejo not only boasts some of the country's prettiest beaches, and a selection of fine smaller lodgings, but also a great dining scene reflecting its varied international population. In addition to Costa Rican, yo
Picturesquely set amid volcanoes, Antigua may be antigua (old), but these days there’s always something new percolating along these cobblestone streets, alive with Guatemalans hawking their wares; local commerce; tourists from all over the world; Nor