"Backpacking through Central America" Caribbean and Central America by Pieter11

Caribbean and Central America Travel Guide: 42,200 reviews and 102,470 photos

The tour I made through Central America - Caribbean and Central America

In September 2007 I visited Central America during a backpacking trip of three weeks. During this trip I visited six countries in the region: some with a very short visit, and some for a longer time. It resulted in one of the best journey I have made in my life so far!

The region is easy accessible: the distances are small and the public transportation is great. And another big advantage is that Central America is very, very diverse: from the Maya Ruins in the north to the coffee- and banana plantations in the south, and from the volcanoes in the west to the Caribbean beaches in the east. Everything can be reached in only a few hours of travelling.

This page will be based on my own experiences only. All the destinations I visited will be mentioned here, and all the good and bad things about them. My opinions about the touristic sights, about the hotels and guesthouses I stayed in, the restaurants and street stalls I ate at, and the public transportation I used.

This Central America page will be the base for further indepth pages about the destinations itself. Via links you will be forwarded to these pages, if you are interested in more info.

My trip

Me at Lago de Nicaragua

My trip through the region started in Guatemala, where I spend a few days. After that I went to El Salvador for a short stay there, and then on to Honduras for another few days there. In Nicaragua I spent about a week before I went on to Costa Rica for another few days. From here I shortly visited Panama, and after that I spend another few days in Costa Rica.

This page will be completely based on the route I followed during my trip. So the tips about Guatemala will be in the beginning of every category and Panama will be last. And of course there will also be a lot of general tips about the region as a whole.

My Caribbean Pages

Me on Dominica

I also visited the Caribbean, but to keep it clear I posted all these tips on seperate pages. I'm slowly building pages about all different islands I visited. Absolutely fantastic ones: a lot needs to be written about them!

So far I finished the following pages:
- Guadeloupe
- Saint-Kitts

And I'm busy building:
- Dominica

Check these out if you want to see more about this completely different area!

Pros and Cons

Pros:Everything is close to eachother and very diverse
Cons:Ummm... maybe that it's not always too safe? No: it's great!
In a nutshell:Latin-America in a nutshell

Last visit to Caribbean and Central America: Sep 2007
Intro Updated Jul 28, 2009
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Reviews (25)

Paul Theroux: The Old Patagonia Express - Caribbean and Central America

Old Patagonia Express What to Pack (1)

The most important inspiration for my trip to Central America was Paul Theroux book "The Old Patagonia Express". This... more travel advice

The Teatro Nacional in San José - Caribbean and Central America

San José Things to Do (24)

After three long weeks of travelling from Guatemala until Panama, ending up in San José felt a little bit like coming... more travel advice

Irazú Volcano: the crater - Caribbean and Central America

Cartago and the Volcán Irazú Things to Do (24)

A perfect destination for a daytrip from San José is the city of Cartago, just east from the capital. The city is the... more travel advice

The coffee plantations of Orosí - Caribbean and Central America

Orosí Things to Do (24)

During a daytrip from San José I visited the area just to the east from the capital. In this area, hidden in the... more travel advice

Comments (7)

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Stine620 Aug 26, 2012 at 12:29 PM

Nice page! Caribbean looks like heaven. And ur pictures are really beautiful, i really want to just pack my suitcase and go!
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hunterV May 8, 2009 at 1:23 AM

What a great trip, Peter! Good for you!
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junecorlett Apr 21, 2009 at 12:49 AM

Thanks for sharing your great tips.
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florry Mar 2, 2009 at 7:27 AM

Great photos:)
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marielexoteria Jan 25, 2009 at 1:21 AM

Thank you for inspiring me to explore Central America - one day :D
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DennyP Jul 3, 2008 at 12:16 AM

hi Pieter..Thanks for sharing your photos with me..looks like a great trip...I am heading that way soon..and is good info..maybe will ask for more later...thanks again...Denny...
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Marpessa Oct 1, 2007 at 3:42 PM

And you've already started building a page?? :D Can't wait to read all about your trip :)