7 Central America Travel Destinations To Visit
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Central America is an unofficial continent that encompasses the countries that lay between Mexico and Colombia. Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama are the 7 countries you will find here.
With some countries more well-known in the travel scene and others a little less travelled. Central America deserves to be on your travel radar. I recently spent around 4 months working my way from Belize to Panama stopping in all countries apart from Honduras.
I had some truly unique experiences in Central America. I got the privilege to learn about different cultures, spend time on beautiful beaches, see endless volcanoes and other cool geographical formations, roam the streets of colonial cities, begin to learn a new language and meet a whole bunch of people and animals.
People always say it’s hard to pick your favourite destination from a big trip, but not for me. Guatemala stole my heart. But that’s not to say there weren’t some just as fabulous stops along the way. So now my rambles are over, you can discover the 7 travel destinations I believe to be bucket list worthy in Central America.
San Blas Islands, Panama
The San Blas Islands are kind of the place you sit dreaming about whilst working. You know the place you would run away to if you won the lottery. Smooth and soft white sand, perfectly blue waters that are glimmering in the sun and coconut trees everywhere. And you know what makes them even more special, they haven’t been touched by overpriced resorts, meaning you don’t need to win the lottery to visit.
You’ll find these magical islands off the coast of Panama, where they lie within the Kuna Yala Indigenous territory. It’s thought the Kuna people first began to inhabit these islands in the 16th century after fleeing conflict on the mainland. Nowadays around 50 of the 378 islands are inhabited and a lot of the Kuna people are involved with tourism on the islands.
You can stay overnight in huts, visit for the day or take a multi-day sailing trip around these beautiful islands. It’s a tropical paradise that rivals the likes of the Maldives without the frills and crazy bills, so be sure to add it to your Central America travel itinerary.
Find out more about the San Blas Islands in this post —>
Semuc Champey, Guatemala
Visiting Semuc Champey National Park in Guatemala is one of my favourite days on this planet. These famous cascading turquoise pools are surrounded by lush jungle, making for some seriously magical views. Its remote location however calls for a rather long and bumpy bus journey, but don’t let that stop you.
You will likely stop the night in Lanquin, a small town close to Semuc Champey or you can choose an eco lodge-style accommodation nearer the national park. If you do find yourself staying in Lanquin be sure to stop by Zen Bistro, you’ll get fed amazing food and Mike the owner had such incredible stories.
Anyway, back to the real gem Semuc Champey and all the wonderful moments you can have there. To see that classic viewpoint of the pools running between the jungle valley, follow the signposted trail from the entrance. Oh and be sure to listen out for rustling branches because it’s common to spot some monkeys on your hike up. You can also go exploring the Kan’Ba caves but you will need a guide for this. Last but not least go for a dip in those unbelievably inviting waters, they have magical powers.
Discover my complete guide to visiting Semuc Champey here ->
Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
Located in the south of Costa Rica on the Caribbean coast, this town is a special one. With classic Costa Rican wildlife and pristine beaches mixed with a strong Caribbean influence, I found Puerto Viejo to be a pretty incredible destination in Central America.
Spend your days riding bikes between different beach spots, spotting wildlife in Cahuita National Park or learning more about the Bri Bri tribe in a nearby village. Then after a busy day exploring, you can unwind in the evening, go try some local Caribbean-inspired dishes and stop by a bar or two in town.
Puerto Viejo was so charming and although it had a slightly different feel to other places in Costa Rica I did tick some classics off my Costa Rican bucket list here. I saw a sloth cross the road, made some howler monkey friends who regularly woke me up and got the classic photo of a coconut tree hanging over the sea.
Check out my ultimate guide to Puerto Viejo here ->
Ometepe Island, Nicaragua
Ometepe Island stands out for two reasons and these two reasons happen to be the massive volcanoes that formed the island, Volcano Concepción and Volcano Maderas. The island is on Lake Nicaragua, the largest lake in Central America. With some compelling geographical reasons to visit, it’s the ideal spot for those chasing a little adventure.
You may be deceived by the fact Ometepe is an island, but you need to hire a scooter or quad bike to explore the most. It’s certainly not a small island. Having your own wheels is also the best way to see everything and with small towns dotted around you can get a glimpse into everyday island life in Ometepe.
Aside from climbing Volcano Concepción or Maderas with an authorised guide, there are a few other hotspots to check out. Ojo de Agua is a relaxing spot with thermal pools, you can hike to the waterfall San Ramon, take a kayak tour of Rio Istian and catch a sunset at Punta Jesus Maria.
My travel guide to Ometepe Island covers all you need to know ->
Antigua, Guatemala
Not only is Antigua my favourite city in Central America it’s also a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its incredibly well-preserved architecture. The city follows a grid format of streets lined with bright buildings, churches and monasteries. It’s also impossible to miss the 3 volcanoes, Aqua, Acatenango and Fuego that tower over the city. Be here on a clear day or night and you may even catch a glimpse of Volcano Fuego erupting, don’t be panicked it’s perfectly normal.
A highlight of Antigua is going on a 1-night and 2-day hiking tour to reach the summit of Volcano Acatenango. You can see Fuego’s regular eruptions from right up close, it’s a true once-in-a-lifetime experience and I highly recommend it.
The vibrancy of this city is best seen at one of the city’s squares, Parque Central is the main one. With different vendors, food stalls, locals catching up and the occasional live music performance it’s where you want to be to feel the charms of Antigua.
Read my travel guide to Antigua, Guatemala here ->
El Tunco, El Salvador
As the smallest and not always the safest country in Central America, El Salvador doesn’t always get the love it deserves. Although the coastal town of El Tunco has been a long-time favourite with backpackers and surfers alike.
El Tunco’s small but charming main street is home to shops, restaurants, cafes and a few accommodation options. With plenty of surf shops to rent boards and take lessons, surfing is a popular activity in this town. But the sunsets are what made El Tunco special to me. Everyone seems to congregate on the beach at sundown. Also, you will find loads of surfers out in the water at this time, so it becomes a joint sunset and surfing show.
Discover the 5 reasons I loved El Tunco here ->
Bocas del Toro, Panama
We started this list with Panama and here we are ending this list in Panama, seems fitting. Bocas del Toro is not to be missed when in Central America. This collection of islands, located off the Caribbean coast of Panama, is a slightly more built-up island paradise than the San Blas but still has many charms.
You’ll find more resorts here, but just as beautiful beaches and waters. My favourite spot was Playa Estrella, a beach in which for some unknown reason you will find many starfish, we even spotted dolphins from here too. You can find a great mix of adventure and relaxation here. Whether you want to go zip lining through the jungle or drinking margaritas on the beach the world is your oyster in Bocas del Toro.
Want to know more about Bocas? Read my mini travel guide here ->
And that rounds up 7 bucket list places to visit in Central America. I could have given a reason to go everywhere I visited on my trip to CA, but then this post would have never ended. Sorry to Honduras that we scooted on past, I’ll save a spot for my next wanders.
Where is your favourite travel destination in Central America?
