Central America

[scoobiewhite]

How did you travel from place to place, were you on a tour or did you use the Tica, King or chicken buses at all?

Mexico - cheap flights available, if you can afford it, do it as Mexico is really really big. Actually it's bigger than that.

You can pick up an ADO bus over to Belize. ADO are pretty good and if you find my wife's kindle between 2 seats, it's all yours!

Belize is pure chicken bus territory, choose one with good wheels (means the brakes are likely to be better maintained!).

From Belize to Guatemala we used a backpacker type shuttle over to Tikal, land borders in Central America are not nice places so using a tour company makes it much easier.

Guatemala is well serviced by private shuttles. These are basically minivans. They stuff em full but it's generally ok and very good value,

We the. Used a mixture of busses, minivans, collectivos and hire cars where we could afford them.

They are much more expensive than the uk.

 

[Bakero]

Remember to make sure you're carrying some cash when you are crossing the borders. Some countries charge an entry fee which has to be paid in local currency or US dollars. I once found myself stuck at the Guatemala / Honduras border with no cash to pay the fee due to cash point problems. Eventually they let me through after I agreed to return the next morning to pay the fee. I had to leave my passport with them and hitchhike in to the first town as I'd missed the last bus.

I think the fee was about $5 but they were not at all interested in the £20 I offered them.

 

[Wilko]

I wouldn't travel alone & I'd be extra vigilant at all times. If you like a whiff of danger then you'll get it in Central America!

Oh, this is the bit that worries me. I want to travel alone

 

[StonehamPark]

I wouldn't travel alone & I'd be extra vigilant at all times. If you like a whiff of danger then you'll get it in Central America!

Oh, this is the bit that worries me. I want to travel alone

Not meant to scare you at all, but that's golden advice.
Try and go along with someone. How's your Spanish?

The Americas are fuc*ed, regarding murder rates.
I'm at #28 and I'm not worried (touch wood). I just have to take extra precautions and try and blend in as much as I can.

No wandering streets at night, unless they are real touristy areas, don't carry much cash on you, don't carry phone/camera/anything on you.
Don't look like a tourist, don't draw attention to yourself etc, etc.

It probably seems daunting to people who haven't traveled outside the main Euro/Asian/North American destinations.
It's a different game, south of the U.S.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_by_murder_rate

 

[Wilko]

Not meant to scare you at all, but that's golden advice.
Try and go along with someone. How's your Spanish?

The Americas are fuc*ed, regarding murder rates.
I'm at #28 and I'm not worried (touch wood). I just have to take extra precautions and try and blend in as much as I can.

No wandering streets at night, unless they are real touristy areas, don't carry much cash on you, don't carry phone/camera/anything on you.
Don't look like a tourist, don't draw attention to yourself etc, etc.

It probably seems daunting to people who haven't traveled outside the main Euro/Asian/North American destinations.
It's a different game, south of the U.S.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_by_murder_rate

I can get by with my Spanish. I have also lived and traveled through a lot of Africa so am pretty savvy. May have to have a rethink on what I wanted to do though to be honest.

 

[brightn'ove]

I live in Costa Rica and spend a lot of time in Nicaragua. There are so many things to see and possibilities for transport but a lot depends on your interests and budget. Tell us what you're looking for and I can give you some more pointers.

As others have said already in Nicaragua Grenada, Laguna de Apoyo, Masaya Volcano and Ometepe are three must visit locations!
In Costa Rica my personal highlights would be Cahuita National park on the Caribbean side and Peninsula de Osa on the south Pacific side. I live on the north Pacific side in Tamarindo and there are many beautiful beaches around this part of the country - some empty and wild, others less so. Great surfing around this part of the country if that's what you're in to.
In Panama I can definitely agree with the others that visiting Bocas del Torro is a great experience!

Ahh this thread is bringing it all back. I wrote off costa rica in my above post but cahuita national park and puerto viejo were bloody great.

 

[brightn'ove]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_by_murder_rate

Thankfully these are all places easily avoided if you don't want to worry about those sort of things.

As for travelling alone [MENTION=1022]Wilko[/MENTION] there is a very well trodden backpacker trail through all of these countries. Someone will always be going in the same direction as you.

The high murder rates are largely related to gang violence, which doesn't usually affect tourists what-so-ever.

 

[StonehamPark]

The high murder rates are largely related to gang violence, which doesn't usually affect tourists what-so-ever.

Yeah my bad, I should have added that.
Drugs & Money = Guns & Fatalities.

I'd still stick by my older post with regards to carrying little due to muggings in some areas.
I only go out with the cash I need for the day and nothing else. Might be a bit too cautious but better safe imo.

 

[Wilko]

Thankfully these are all places easily avoided if you don't want to worry about those sort of things.

As for travelling alone [MENTION=1022]Wilko[/MENTION] there is a very well trodden backpacker trail through all of these countries. Someone will always be going in the same direction as you.

The high murder rates are largely related to gang violence, which doesn't usually affect tourists what-so-ever.

This was my understanding too, cheers for clarification. I would indeed be following the standard backpackers route in and out of each country.

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

Off the top of my head I've done Colon, Panama, rough asyou like. Punta Arenas, Costa Rica. Ok, need to travel a bit to see anything of note. Santo Thomas, Guatamala, interesting, some big falls nearby. Roatan, Honduras. Great beaches, main town very dangerous, especially at night, but daylight robberies & shootings have happened regularly. (We had a young crew member shot dead for his phone). Belize, great beaches, friendly people. Puerto Limon, Nicaragua. Had a great time as some colleagues live there, so great hospitality.
I only visit on a ship though, so only get a brief snapshot.

Edit: Forgot Mexico! Cozumel, great. Cancun, well, it's Cancun. Nearby worth a visit are Xel-Ha for unbelievable clear water snorkeling, Xcaret, Tulum. Costa Maya, not much there really. Acapulco, anti climax from what I was expecting, but worth a visit. Vera Cruz, had a ball there, great night out. Progreso, wild dogs hunting in packs, (at least that's what it felt like, went running & had to defend myself with rocks, avoid. Cabo San Lucas, great resort, Manzanillo, nice old town when you find it. Puerto Vallarta, nice beach right in town. That's all I can think of for now.

I wouldn't travel alone & I'd be extra vigilant at all times. If you like a whiff of danger then you'll get it in Central America!

We're you working the cruise ships? I went to all these places with Ocean Village 10 years ago. Very much enjoyed Belize, Progresso, Routan and Cartagena (Colombia) and the Panama Canal.

I can't give the OP any tips though as I was only there for a day a piece (better to have loved and lost though!)

 

[smudge]

We're you working the cruise ships? I went to all these places with Ocean Village 10 years ago. Very much enjoyed Belize, Progresso, Routan and Cartagena (Colombia) and the Panama Canal.

I can't give the OP any tips though as I was only there for a day a piece (better to have loved and lost though!)

Yes mate, so to be fair I should say that any port town doesn't necessarily give the best impression of any country as a whole. I mean, look at Pompey!

 

[smudge]

Oh, this is the bit that worries me. I want to travel alone

You might start alone mate; I know a guy who did. Lives in Majorca with his Costa Rican wife now!

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

Yes mate, so to be fair I should say that any port town doesn't necessarily give the best impression of any country as a whole. I mean, look at Pompey!

Cartagena is a "proper" town, and Panama is so narrow, wevgot a taxi to take us the 50 miles or so over to Panama City via The Montefiori Locks, we took in about 8 countries that we wouldn't have normally get a chance to visit.

Recently I looked into tourism in El Salvador just for curiosity, I appears it's not the no no it once was, and first hand reports seem to make it sound relatively safe.

 

[Stat Brother]

I'm (not) fed up of seeing this thread title and thinking of:-




So you can all now 'suffer' the same fate.

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

Cartagena is a "proper" town, and Panama is so narrow, wevgot a taxi to take us the 50 miles or so over to Panama City via The Montefiori Locks, we took in about 8 countries that we wouldn't have normally get a chance to visit.

Recently I looked into tourism in El Salvador just for curiosity, I appears it's not the no no it once was, and first hand reports seem to make it sound relatively safe.

I know a bunch of people who go surfing up there and they say that on the beaches it seems totally safe, San Salvador is best avoided though.

 

[BrightonCottager]

I've been to Mexico a few times and love Mexico City, Oaxaca & the Pacific coast. Last time, we stayed in Troncones which is a great little laidback place with a lovely lefthand pointbreak. Puerto Escondido is a fun place, especially if you like heavy barrelling beachbreak. Costa Rica has stunning coastline and wildlife but, as others say, pricey.

 

[Juan Albion]

Bargains can still be had in Costa Rica. I'm off there in two weeks' time and for the first week I'm staying up in the hills in a non-touristy area (I prefer to be in 'real' areas for at least part of any trip). I'll be staying in this place, which is only $30 a night for the whole house with three acres of wilderness around it. Nothing too fancy but that doesn't bother me if I've got wildlife.

https://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p4485269

 

[brightn'ove]

I know a bunch of people who go surfing up there and they say that on the beaches it seems totally safe, San Salvador is best avoided though.

I went to el tunco and was actually surprised by how crazily touristy and expensive it was. In fairness it did have 24h armed security at the town gate.

 

[Surf's Up]

Really sorry to read the bad reports about Costa Rica on this thread. I went there about 10 years ago and it was stunning. Not particularly americanised then either.

 

[seagully]

My brother travelled throughout Central/South America for a few years and I visited him while he was living and working on Isla Holbox in Mexico. Absolutely fantastic place a couple of hour's drive from Cancun and well worth a visit before it inevitably becomes more developed and 'touristy'. Depending on when you visit you can dive with whale sharks if that's your type of thing, or go kayaking in the mangroves like we did to see the flamingoes and crocs.