BootsnAll Travel Community

I want to get away for just 4 days. Definitely want to get out of cities and into nature, hiking and backpacking, maybe camping, so I'm trying to decide where to go with minimal travel time. Ferries or puddlehoppers are an option as long as they're fast.

We want to save Corcovado, in Costa Rica, for when we have more time, so what can we do in 4 days? We're talking about Panama, but know very little about the islands so any insight would be appreciated. Costa Rica is an option, just not the Osa Peninsula, not yet.

Any advice?

A weekend?

-Antigua, Guatemala. It's an hour from the GUA airport, with volcano hikes, and general cuteness.

-Roatan, Honduras. Continental flies there direct from the States, and it's all beach and scuba diving.

-Panama City. Nice colonial city, nearby diving.

-Belize. Fly to Caye Caulker or Ambergris from Belize City, chill on the beach, and dive.

I'd like to add to the above that there's some good hiking on Roatán, too, and the La Ceiba area, just a quick flight or ferry ride away, has wonderful hiking, rafting, kayaking, horses, etc. Check out the link below if you're interested. Happy trails!

I think we are leaning toward Panama or Honduras. As far as Panama goes, how accessible are the islands? Not the developed ones, the more rustic ones.

The San Blas islands are accessible - by 4x4 truck ($25 one way or $50 round trip from Panama City) -- but I don't know about that in the rainy season because the roads are bad. Or you can get there by plane - Aeroperlas or Air Panama.

Not much hiking there. Small islands. If you want to get away from everything (literally, everything), it's a great getaway. Inhabited by the Kuna people. Picturesque islands. Bring a book or something to do and laze on the beach - type place.

Bocas del Toro is easily accessible as well. You can fly/bus to Changuinola or Almirante, hop on a ferry to Bocas Town, then hop on a boat to the island of your choice. A lot more travellers around there, though, but you can find spots of isolation.

I didn't make it here, but I've heard Isla Boca Brava is nice as well. I believe you can get there from Boca Chica.

I also didn't make it to Isla Coiba, either, but looks very beautiful. Prison colony on the island, so it is a lesser travelled place (that means more nature, a little bit of hiking). A bit trickier to get to -- access from Santa Catalina through dive/snorkel companies, or boat hire.