Central America

Central America is the thin section of land that links the North American continent with the South American continent. Geographically part of North America, it is made up of seven small, mostly tropical countries that have more in common with South America than the more affluent north. Mexico is occasionally considered part of Central America due to the language and Mayan/Spanish cultural heritage it shares with several of the countries in the region.

Countries

• Belize
• Costa Rica
• El Salvador
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Nicaragua
• Panama

Understand

Until the 1990s the area was subject to brutal repression (Guatemala), civil wars (El Salvador and Nicaragua), and proxy fights between opposite parties supported either by the US or the Soviet Union.

This dark political and social situation changed with the end of the Cold War and after the peace agreements at the beginning of the 1990s. Now the region is living a process of changes and reforms that will hopefully allow travelers to discover an interesting and relatively cheap travel destination. Generally, the people of Central America are kind and warm, and welcoming to foreigners. There is a diversity of culture from one end of Central America to the other, and indigenous culture plays an important role in the region, specially in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.

Talk

Due to the extensive Spanish colonial presence in the region, American dialects of Spanish are the primary language, especially of the government and in the cities. (Belize, a former UK colony, is the officially-English-speaking exception.) Native languages are still spoken in many rural areas.

Get in

• Regular cheap flights are available from the United Kingdom and United States to Cancun in South East Mexico, one can easily drive, hitchhike or take an inexpensive bus for 200 miles to Chetumal on the Belizean border, and from there walk or take a bus or taxi across. Very regular buses run from Chetumal to the town of Corozal in Belize, a journey lasting one hour and costing around $4 US. You may have to pay an exit tax, or a fee to validate your Mexican visa for multiple entries when you leave Mexico, and there is also an exit tax when you leave Belize.

Get around

See

• Colonial Towns, such as Antigua (Guatemala), Quetzaltenango, (Guatemala); Juayua, Suchitoto in El Salvador, Gracias and Comayagua (Honduras), Leon and Granada (Nicaragua) or Panama City -Casco Viejo- (Panama, where the Panama Canal can be visited as well).
• Ancient Mayan ruins in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.
• Amazing beaches.
• Surf, especially in El Salvador and Costa Rica.
• National Natural Parks, especially in Costa Rica.

All these make this region a great yet undiscovered and affordable treasure which is worth visiting.

Do

Eat

Gallo pinto is a mixture of rice and beans with a little cilantro or onion thrown in (Called Casamiento in El Salvador). Pupusas are a very popular dish originated in El Salvador. Oven tamales, wraped with platano leaves, are very good in Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Grilled octopus is a very tasty dish in Panama.

Drink

Piña Colada (pineapple juice, coconut cream, crushed ice and rhum) all around the atlantic islands.

Stay safe

Panama, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica are usually safe. Some areas of Honduras and El Salvador suffer from the maras (street gangs), but usually tourist destinations are safe . Tourist areas in Guatemala are usually safe.

Stay healthy

See Tips for travel in developing countries

Get out