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This is a new thread full of Central America information. It is to be used for Central America-specific tips, advice and recommendations ONLY. As a content-rich thread, we do not want any back-and-forth or questions. Please direct all questions via Private Messages (Click on "Go" in the left hand corner, select "My Space" and then "Private Messages") to the poster. You can also issue a PM by clicker on the poster's name and selecting "Private Message". Any post that does not contribute relevant information will be deleted. Examples include: responses to previous posts in the thread and questions. The information can be on any city, region or country in Central America. Enjoy!

Guanaja, Bay Islands, Honduras is a fantastic island. The Bay Islands are off the coast of Honduras. The island has no roads, a small coral air strip (the last time I went we flew from the mainland in an old DC3) the only town is built on stilts over the water. Great diving, hiking, beautiful beaches (there are sand fleas so use bug repellent. Great place for those who like the road less travelled. I haven't been there since the area was hit by a hurricane, so can't speak for conditions post hurricane.

Todos Santos, Guatemala.

It's a little blip in the tour guides, but one of the most genuine places I've ever been in, and most certainly one of the most beautiful.

To get there, you need to go, I think, to Huehuetenango and take a bus to Todos Santos from the main station. Theres only one or two, the first starting at 6:30 AM. You find out exactly why when you take the four hour bus trip from hell on curving mountain passes and incredibly bad roads, travelled by old reliable American school buses, of course.

Nobody travels the roads at night, so there are only one to two buses per day back. I forget which.

Don't take my word on this, because its been years since I went there.

The people there are very nice, they still wear their traditinal clothing for the most part, and the mountain views are spectacular. So is the hiking to nearby towns, of course. Don't expect more than this, since its economy is primarily farming. I have no idea how they survive, yet they do. Fascinating.

i´ll throw in a plug for the pension sinai in santa elena (monteverde) costa rica. the new managers are super-nice, and the woman of the pair, rosaura, will talk to you for hours in nice, slow, clear spanish.

a warning too: if you´re driving from el salvador to honduras, watch out for the tramitadores that will assault your car as you drive by. they are not really necessary if you speak good spanish, and if you don´t, good luck. just remember to arrive early in the morning, have a lot of patience, and don´t pay more than $100 for the whole process! we paid almost $200 in a lapse of vigilance and i will always regret it.

If in Antigua, take a side trip to Volcan Pacaya. Better to go with a travel company who set up day trips via bus from Antigua easily for <$20, as solo tourists have been mugged/threatened at gunpoint. I've hiked in other volcanos in Central America and it was by far the best. Be sure to bring enough water, wear real shoes (the pumice will scrape your feet pretty badly if in sandals), a camera, and an extra layer to cover your face so you don't breathe in too much sulfur at the top.

If anyone has more questions about Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, or Mexico, please feel free to get in touch.

Enjoy!

Any time I am in the Flores/Tikal area, I make a point of seeing the sun set over Lake Petén Itzá. There is something wonderfully eery about watching the lake get dark and seeing lights slowly come on from across it while slowly sipping a beer. It is particularly poignant after a hard day seeing ruins.

It is best to not be in the company of anyone who is talkative when doing this or to be around any loud music. This is a delightful solo experience.

The best place seems to be the Sunset Cafe, but the Casona isn't bad. I got out of the habit of seeing it from the Hotel Peten after a nearby restaurant started loud music. But maybe that has stopped.

Speaking of sunsets....I'd recommend the Greek Amphitheatre at the Villa Caletas on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, not terribly far from Quepos. Basically, it's a way-outta'-my-budget hotel on a small peninsula that sticks out into the Pacific. The hotel has built an authentic "Greek amphitheatre" (columns and all) into the top side of a cliff, with the whole ampitheatre "pointing"/facing the spot where the sun sinks into the Pacific horizon. And, since you're on a bit of a penisula, you've got beautiful coves on both sides of you. There is no charge to park at the hotel and walk there...BUT, the appropriate thing to do would be to buy a beverage, maybe an appetizer from one of the wait staff that mills about the top of the ampitheatre. (great app's, btw). Very cool photo opp. to sit between the columns with the sun sinking into the big blue right behind you. Or, just sit there....sip your glass of ___, enjoy the nice background music, and the incredible views before you, and all around you.

Ditto on the above. Though we couldn't afford the hotel, we did drive up several times to have breakfast. The view is fantastic. We would eat right on the rail of the veranda overlooking the view described above. Afterwards we would just walk around and enjoy the sights!

Recommend a little coastal town, La Ceiba, HOnduras
Right by the Caribbean Sea, it's small and less touristy if you hope to just relax and experience more of the local culture. I went to do Humanitarian work there after Hurricane Mitch hit in 1998 and was shocked by the destruction, but I"m sure a lot of it is rebuilt by now and you can get their by car or bus. The people were welcoming and you are able to see so much green everywhere!!!!!!

I agree on La Ceiba. Haven't been there for several years, but I really enjoyed it. When I arrived, I was the only gringo at the airport. There is a nice place to eat that a lot of Norte Americanos and Europeans go to. Can't remember the name, but it is by the big church off the central square in downtown. I felt perfectly safe on the streets day and night.

Caracol in Belize! It's a huge Mayan ruin in the jungles south of San Ignacio. When my brother and I went last fall, we were the only people there (except for the guy taking money for the tickets (its a archeological reserve) who promptly went back to sleep after we were paid). We spent hours there and never saw another person and the ruins were massive. The drive through the Mountain Pine Ridge was nice as well.

If you ever go to Panama, you absolutely must dive, especially the Bocas del Toro.

I guess I should give a Shout out to Nebaj, which can be reached from Santa Cruz del Quiche on a 3 hour bus ride. There is a company there called trekking Ixil that will give you all the info you need to do 2 to 3 day treks on your own and stay at the town halls and eat with families who speak very little Spanish. Also, this area was hit hard by the war and can give one an oppurtunity to see first hand how people have coped with such catastophes. Very beautiful, and the town of Nebaj is also very friendly.

i looooved isla ometepe in nicargua - beautiful volcanic island in the middle of a lake.

iguana perdida on lago atitlan in guatemala. cool hostel with a beautiful deck overlooking the lake. in the evening, they have family-style dinners, often followed by guitar sing-alongs and drunken jumping in the lake. lots of fun.

the hot spring waterfall near rio dulce - also in guatemala - is not to be missed. it's especially lovely after several months of weak/lukwarm showers.

Rincon de la Vieja, Costa Rica
The only accomodations at this national park are rustic campgrounds. The place has a well-maintained network of trails that will keep you busy for at least a few days. I especially recommend the Cataraca Congreja trail which will take you through subtropical montane forest and dry forest to a secluded waterfall. The park can be reached by means of a jeep taxi from Liberia. If you spend the night here watch out for the white-nosed coatis which will steal your food.

I spent a few months travelling through Central America this summer and would recommend:

1) Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua: Someone already recommended it, but if you're looking for somewhere not in your guidebook, spend some time at Hospedaje Ortiz in Altagracia. It was a trip-making experience, and the owner and his family are willing to spend hours talking with you about any topic under the sun and showing you local delicacies/plants if you show interest(also you get to play with lots of cool animals, including a monkey!)

2)Pochomil, Nicaragua (in the offseason). Get a room for super cheap (3.50 Canadian), and enjoy your own private beach, During the week it's totally deserted, and you can watch the one or two surfers, hang in a hammock, rent a horse, or play with the local kids. Food's a little expensive so you might want to pack in some of your own, even though it's only an hour and half from Managua.

3) Captain Morgan's Dive Centre, Utila, Honduras: Probably also been recommended- if you like to get off the party island, for a more laid back vibe and cool people, choose this dive shop. Our lessons had 2 people in them and were fun but professional. Also, enjoy the BBQ's sometime each week.

4) Tegucigalpa: Normally I hate big cities, but as far as they go, Teguc is not bad at all. There are lots of hills and parks where you can get some pretty cool views of the city. Once you get away from the bus depots, the city is pretty calm, and you can eat all kinds of good food for cheap, go and see movies, or just hike around.

Herre's a tip for those traveling to the Cancun, Mexico area. If you want more of the relaxing, beach lounging view and experience, without all the over-ridden American commercialism environment, check out Isla Mujeres. It's an island just off Cancun. The island is small, fun, relaxing, and beuatiful. Lots of great restaurants, clubs, and beach area. Get a map of the island, even rent a golf cart for the day just to get a look at the island.
You can swim with the dolphins (about $70-90 per adult), trampoline on the edge of the cliff, or ride the zipline over the sea.
When you get to Cancun, take a taxi to Puerto Juarez. Then hop on the ferry to the island.
It is much better and tropical than Cancun.
Bien viaje!
Christal

Sorry, forgot more info. Isla Mujeres has great hotels in various price ranges. Also there are many safe hostels. A favorite we saw was on the north end of the island, on the beach. Many more in town also.
Christal

Here's a few recommendations for Guatemala:

Coban - Stay at Casa D'Acuna. The restaurant is fabulous and worth the splurge. Try the vegetarian lasagna. They have a shuttle to Semuc Champey and to Flores. Felix is the driver most of the time. A great guy! Was the only passenger from Flores to Coban. Go to Semuc Champey for a few days, not just the day trip.

Semuc Champey - Las Marias. Take the shuttle right to there from Casa D'Acuna. You want not want to leave. I stayed for 5 fantastic days. The hostel environment is one of the best I have experienced in the world. Walk to the falls, go on their own cave tour and get wet (lots of fun), take one of the free tubes down the river before dinner. Enjoy family style dinner with other travelers, play games and dance on the deck. Have a blast!

Antigua - Hostel A Place to Stay - Fernando runs the place. Small and inviting. Late nights on the roof, you can see the stars. Close to everything. The bus drivers yelling Guate! Guate! love to wake you up in the morning.

San Pedro la Laguna - a great community on Lake Atitlan. Lots of expats to meet. The merging of two worlds. Stay for a week or so, if you can manage to drag yourself away. Take a boat to San Marcos to lay out on the rocks and go cliff jumping. Take the boat to Santiago de Atitlan and go see Maximo. It's an experience.

Here's a great website for more info:
http://www.passplanet.com/Guatemala/index.htm

From a BnA author:
<h1>Roatan Boogie</h1>
<h2>Roatan, Honduras</h2>
We ventured to Roatan via TACA from the world's most confusing airport, Miami Int. In my humble estimation, the whole city of Miami would have been greatly improved by a tactical nuclear strike, but maybe that's just me. Roatan proved to be a joyfull destination, although we arrived on election weekend, which meant no alcohol sales! Yikes! Upon arriving at Sea Dancer in Sandy Bay, we were supplied by our new neighbors and all was well. The accomodations were clean and reminded me of Y camp. The snorkeling and diving were world class, as was the local cusine and brew. Cab rides were easily obtained and prices were cheap by Mexico and Key West standards. Our place shared, with our neighbors, a long dock with deck ending maybe 100 yds. from a maze of underwater coral reef complete with attendant tropical fish in abundance. The only drawback proved to be the damned sand fleas and mosquitos. Take your bug dope! All in all, I can't wait to go back to Roatan before the big money resorts and development get there. A real gem to see right now!