The sun had set and the stars above seemed brighter than I’ve ever seen them before. Floating in the warm waters of the Golfo Dulce, in Costa Rica‘s remote Osa Peninsula. tiny, bright green balls of light swirled around me – bioluminescent algae. Grinning uncontrollably and feeling like a twelve-year-old, I finally ran from the water and through the warm sprinklers of a nearby beach resort just off shore. It was my third time in two weeks visiting this hidden strip of beach in Puer
central america (36)
Ceri Breeze
Can you imagine crossing from one ocean to the other in just an hour, aboard a train surrounded by tropical jungle? The Panama Canal Railway, one of the oldest in the Americas, offers a short but unforgettable journey: it connects the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean through landscapes that look straight out of a documentary.
If you’re planning a trip to Panama, set aside a morning to hop on this historic train. You’ll experience a unique combination of nature, engineering, and the
Nestled in the southern part of Belize, the 1,500-resident village of Placencia stands out as the romantic getaway of choice. With its 16 miles of golden, sandy beaches bordered by swaying palm trees, it’s a paradise that combines the tranquillity of the Caribbean with the passionate spirit of Central America. Here are a few reasons why Placencia reigns supreme as the top romantic destination in Belize:
Secluded Beaches
Unlike the crowded beaches of more tourist-centric regions, Placencia offers
Central America´s only English-speaking country has a population of around 397,000 and is about the size of New Jersey and a little larger than Wales. It´s something of a diamond in the rough whose small package can deliver gifts of wonderful islands, beaches, eco-experiences, and even Mayan archaeological sites — and all with fewer crowds and often lower prices than its neighbors. And here are seven of its highlights:
Belize’s largest and most famous island (top, 25 mil
Honduras, located in the heart of Central America, is a country of contrasts—ancient Mayan ruins, pristine Caribbean islands, lush rainforests, and bustling modern cities. Despite being one of the lesser-known travel destinations in Latin America, Honduras offers experiences that rival some of the most popular tourist countries in the region. Whether you’re an adventure seeker, a beach lover, or a culture enthusiast, you’ll find something extraordinary here.
If you’re planning your first trip to
Honduras is one of Central America’s most underrated destinations. While many travelers rush to its neighbors, Honduras quietly offers a rich mix of Caribbean beauty, Mayan history, tropical rainforests, and authentic local culture. Whether you’re planning an adventurous backpacking trip or a family vacation, Honduras has plenty to offer for every kind of traveler.
Why Travel to Honduras?
Honduras is blessed with diverse landscapes—from turquoise beaches and coral reefs along the Caribbean Sea t
We were up at silly o' clock in our hotel in San José for our 2½-hour drive to Tortuguero, a 312-square-kilometre (194-sw.-mile) national park on the country´s Caribbean coast, with a variety of ecosystems, including rainforest, mangrove forest, swamps, beaches, and lagoons. We just had time for a coffee and some pastries for breakfast, but were promised a much more substantial second breakfast en route. In the town of Guápiles, we stopped for our first substantial meal in Costa Rica; scrambl
David Escribano
by David Escribano
This country´s northernmost department (like a state or province), Petén, is also not only its largest, but home to most of its ancient Mayan archaeological sites. Tikal is by far the most famous, but others deserve to be better known, and none more so than Yaxhá, the region's third largest city - which some like just as much, and which you'll likely have practically to yourself, with only howler monkeys and perhaps a small smattering of other visitors for compa
grandriver; all other photos Keith Kellett
We were up at silly o'clock for this trip, but we caught the 62-year-old Bridge of the Americas (top) at sunrise, and that's quite a sight.
It is said that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. That might be true for dates, job interviews and the like, but it doesn’t necessarily apply to places. We’ve visited a number of cities we weren’t too impressed with at first sight, but grew to like.
Panama City struck us as a warren of hig
Pairing Convenience with Luxury, Adventure, Jungle, Marine, Ancient History in Belize
Apart from appealing colonial towns and excellent ecotourism (most notably volcanoes) (LINK) Central America´s smallest country is bathed by the Pacific Ocean along 300 kilometres (186 miles) of coastline, and is blessed with around 50 fetching beaches. The best time to visit is November through April, when the rainy season has ended, and here are five of the most appealing. Ready to dive in?

El Zonte
One of this country´s most popular playas is located in La Libertad, just under an hour´s drive
Harry D.
You've of course heard of Tikal, Antigua, and Guatemala City. But 2,330 metres (7,644 feet) up in the western highlands just two or so hours from the capital, this country’s second largest city (pop. around 225,000) is a dynamic, untouristy trove that not only has a lot to offer on its own terms but is also a great jumping off point for other attractions, including Lake Atitlán and several of Guatemala's awesome ecotourism wonders.
Elijah-Lovkoff
Originally the pre-Columbian Mayan city
HermésLeonelVega
Though Costa Rica is Central America´s (and perhaps all of Latin America´s) premier star when it comes to ecotourism, there´s also an undersung but incredibly rich trove of eco treasures to be explored next door in Honduras, with lush rainforests and stunning coastlines, among other things. On the marine side – exploring the richness of the world´s second largest coral reef, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef – the islands of Roatán and Utila are better known. But here are a few mo
Reluctantly, we left Tortuguero, and, once more, cruised down the river to meet the coach that was to take us up into the hills to La Fortuna. On the way, at one place, we came across a level crossing sign. I thought Costa Rica had no railways? But here was a narrow gauge track, which didn't seem to have been used for some considerable time. Indeed, at one point, a bridge had disappeared completely, but the track remained. I found later that the railway had been used in former times to transp
Beginning in the 1990s, this small Central American country essentially pioneered the ecotourism boom that has spread across the globe. Besides its vaunted Pacific and Caribbean beaches, packed into just 19,730 square miles - a good bit smaller than West Virginia and a bit over twice the size of Wales - Costa Rica boasts 29 national parks, 19 wildlife refuges, eight biological reserves, and an additional slew of protected areas. And here are a dozen of its most prized eco oppo
The quiet village of Monkey River in southern Belize is habitat to a plethora of flora and fauna, and as a result the nature tour conducted around herehas been rated one of the top in the country. Exotic tropical birds, butterflies, crocodiles, iguanas, and especially howler monkeys are just some of the wildlife that visitors will spot on this tour.
The tour will stop at various locations to give visitors an opportunity to explore the jungle on foot, keeping an eye out for snakes and spiders
I'm writing this from an office in Puerto Jiménez, in Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula, where they've been kind enough to let me crib some wi-fi waves. I'm stranded in this tiny, tumble-down Pacific Coast village. Just outsid
Located in Herradura on Costa Rica's Pacific Coast, near various beautiful beaches and national parks, Los Sueños Marriott Resort and Marina is an exquisite 1,100-acre oceanfront spread including a luxurious 201-room hotel as well as 600 apartments and private villas with an amazing raft of high-quality amenities and friendly, world-class service. It's just an hour's drive from the international airport outside capital San José, and right near the buzzing beach town Jacó as well as the magical
Central America's smallest country (tinier than the US state of West Virginia and just a bit bigger than Wales) gets a bad, exagerrated rap because of gang violence that's limited to a handful of the capital's rougher neighborhoods. But in fact El Salvador does offer visitors a safe a varied menu of beaches (including some surprising surfing), ecotourism, adventure, charming colonial towns, and even several interesting Mayan archaeological sites such as San Andrés, the "Pompeii of the