A trip that incorporates every country from Mexico to Colombia, 9 countries in total (long route) or Mexico and Colombia (short route).
Useful references
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/americas/travel-tips-and-articles/76202
http://www.budgetyourtrip.com/central-america
http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-guides/central-america-travel-tips/
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/central-america/259499#sthash.d54C8ERb.dpbs
http://globetrottergirls.com/2011/07/how-much-does-it-cost-to-travel-through-central-america/
http://vivatropical.com/central-america-bucket-list
When to go
Costa Rica – The humpback whales migrate along the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica from between August and October every year.
Mexico – beach resorts tend to be most pleasant between October and May (June to September can be very hot and humid). In Oaxaca the Day of the Dead Festival starts at the end of October when families prepare the tombs for the return of the spirits.
Colombia – Avoid the country during its rainy seasons, from October to November and April to May. Travel to Colombia before or after the summer months to get off-peak pricing. August, December – January also good times.
August, September or December appear to be good months. Colombia to Mexico reverse route, start in September. Mexico to Colombia, start in August.
Travel
By Plane:
Copa (tel. 800/359-2672; www.copaair.com) offers the most comprehensive plane service in Central America. The Panama-based airline travels between all the capital cities and is a strategic partner with Continental Airlines. Grupo Taca (tel. 800/400-8222; www.taca.com), also has several routes between Central American countries.
Buses:
International buses run between major cities; these tend to be newer units and more comfortable, although very few are so new or modern as to have bathroom facilities, and they sometimes operate only on weekends and holidays. One advantage is they have their own private terminals so you avoid the chaos of heading to a local market to catch a bus. There are several express bus companies that provide services between Central American countries. Tica Bus (tel. 529/62-626-2880 in Mexico, or 507/314-6385 in Panama; www.ticabus.com) is one of the most reputable and travels from Mexico to Panama. King Quality (tel. 505/228-1454; www.kingqualityca.com) does not go as far north as Mexico but has a reputation for having more comfortable buses. Trans Nica (tel. 505/277-2104 in Nicaragua) and Central Line (tel. 505/254-5431 in Nicaragua) are two other well-known companies.
For a sense of distance, to travel south between all capital cities starting at Belize and ending in Panama is approximately 1,400km (868 miles) and would take 4 days of nonstop traveling.
Short Route:
MEXICO (14 days) – Fly to Mexico City (27/11 LHR to MEX at 12:40 arr 18:20)
Mexico City (San Miguel de Allende, Puebla or Teotihuaca)
Acapulco (by bus from Mexico City or fly MEX to ACA 1h £50)
Oaxaca (by bus)
Cancun by plane, from Mexico City. (Playa Del Carmen, Tulum, Cozumel)
COLOMBIA (10 days) – Fly Cancun to Bogota (11/12 CUN to BOG at 16:10 arr 19:45)
Bogota to Cartagena (Viva Colombia, 1h, £19)
Cartagena to Medelin (Viva Colombia, 1h, £19)
Medellin to Bogota (Viva Colombia, 1h, £19)
Finish (24 days) – Bogota to London (21/12 BOG to LHR via MAD 18:10 arr 13:35 22/12, 13h)
Long Route:
MEXICO (10 days) – Fly to Mexico City (23/7: 32500 Avios + £ 251 from LHR via MAD 16h).
Mexico City to Acapulco (MEX to ACA 1h £50).
Acapulco to Oaxaca (Bus)
Oaxaca to Palenque (Bus)
Palenque to Cancun (Bus)
BELIZE (3 days) – Cancun to Belize City (Caye Caulker), (Fly with Tropic Air Belize City £192, Caye Caulker £251)
GUATEMALA (4 days) – Belize City to Tikal, Guatemala (Fly to Flores with Tropic Air £128, or bus)
Tikal to Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala (Chichicastenango), Bus (11 h), no direct flights from Belize City to Guatemala (go via San Salvador in El Salvador). Flores to Guatemala City (1h £100)
EL SALVADOR (3 days) – Guatemala to El Salvador (La Libertad & San Andrés). Fly Guatemala City to San Salvador (Avianca £221) or with Iberia (4500 Avios + £ 21, 1h). Bus (4h).
HONDURAS (4 days) – El Salvador to Copan, Honduras. Bus from San Sanvador (5h).
NICARAGUA (4 days) – Honduras to Managua, Nicaragua (Lago de Nicaragua). No direct flights to Managua, Bus (10-12h). Fly from San Salvador to Managua (1h £219)
COSTA RICA (7 days) – Managua to Liberia (Guanacaste National Park), Costa Rica. Bus (4h)
Liberia to Playa Tamarindo (Bus 1h)
Playa Tamarindo to Barra Honda National Park (Bus 1.5h)
Barra Honda National Park to Monteverde Cloud Forest (Bus 2h)
Monteverde to San Jose (Bus 2.5h)
San Jose to Tortugero (difficult to get here directly)
PANAMA (2 days) – Tortugero to Panama City. San Jose to Panama City (Air Panama flight, 1h £130)
COLOMBIA (10 days) – Panama City to Cartagena (Colombia). Fly direct (Copa 1h £250). Fly indirect via Bogota (Avianca £212)
Cartagena to Medelin (Viva Colombia, 1h, £19)
Medellin to Bogota (Viva Colombia, 1h, £19)
Finish (47 days)
Bogota to London (28/8 LHR via MAD, 19h, 32500 Avios + £ 58)
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
Places to go:
Here are just exerts from different sites to help plan an itinerary.
Costa Rica
http://mytanfeet.com/activities/50-activities-things-to-do-in-costa-rica/
Guanacaste – Lots of beaches
Nearly every beach town on the Pacific Coast like Playas del Coco and Playa Tamarindo offers sunset cruises that normally includes snorkeling, drinks and snacks
Best waterfalls in Guanacaste, the Catarata Llanos de Cortes. It’s only an hour or so drive from Playas del Coco and 30 minutes from Liberia.
Ostional Wildlife Refuge is famous for the mass arrival of Olive Ridley sea turtles with hundreds of thousands of them coming to shore every year. Tortugero, on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica is the place where green, leatherback, and the rare hawkbill turtles can be seen nesting and hatching in the cycle of life. Fabulous snorkeling and scuba diving spots in Costa Rica such as Catalina Islands, Tortoguero and the Gulf of Papagayo.
Waterslide through it at Buena Vista Combo Tour in Rincon de la Vieja National Park in Guanacaste! This slide is fast as you zip 400 meters through the jungle.
Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean side (close to the border with Panama), fantastic beaches and you can take a day trip to Cahuita National Park.
If you don’t want to go far south, Manual Antonio on the Pacific side is also really nice (beaches and National Park) but much busier. White face monkeys are always seen at Manuel Antonio National Park along with sloths, iguanas, other monkeys and toucans.
The Rio Tarcoles is famous for one main reason: their crocodiles. As you walk across the bridge and look down, you can see up to 10 or 15 giant crocodiles laying around just a few meters below you.
Some of the main attractions include Barra Honda National Park, Isla Tortuga, scuba diving, and driving along the coast.
Cloud forests near Monteverde and Santa Elena. Perhaps the best know cloud forest in the world, the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Walking the hanging bridges in Monteverde gives you a great view of the cloud forest as each one goes up higher and higher. Best coffee to be from Monteverde!
Take the road from Ciudad Quesada to the Arenal area. Pacaya in Guatemala is still active and frequently erupts ash clouds over nearby Antigua City, while Arenal in Costa Rica is the one of the ten most active volcanoes in the world.
The humpback whales migrate along the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica from between August and October every year.
Have a toucan on your arm – the Peace Garden at La Paz, Costa Rica
The Gold Museum in San José, Costa Rica.
Panama
The most common place to see the canal is at Miraflores Locks.
Panama City – colonial neighborhood of Casco Viejo
Guatemala
Two of the best known locations that embody Mayan culture are the ruins in Tikal, Guatemala. Tikal – fairly deep in the jungle. With nearby airport access to both sites, such in the Mayan Riveria
Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
Pacaya in Guatemala is still active and frequently erupts ash clouds over nearby Antigua City, while Arenal in Costa Rica is the one of the ten most active volcanoes in the world.
Most people who come to Guatemala visit Chichicastenango, the largest native market in Central America.
Belize
Belize’s Hummingbird Highway offers a near constant procession of postcard-perfect vistas
The coral reef along Ambergris Caye, Belize, is second in size only to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
Caye Caulker, Belize – This little island is quite popular with backpackers. It is less expensive than some of the larger islands in the country and has a relaxed atmosphere to it. July is a great time to go because of their lobster festival. For the rest of the year, there is also snorkeling, diving, kayaking, and more. Make sure you also eat at Wish Willy’s for amazing seafood and chicken.
Dive the Blue Hole – This place in Belize is part of the Lighthouse Reef system and near-perfect circular hole 480 feet deep.
Honduras
Honduras’s Bay Islands move to a lyrical reggae beat and offer some of the best diving and snorkeling in Central America.
Backpackers and indie travelers will love the sand streets and cheap accommodations of Utila, while mainstream Roatán – the most visited of the islands – appeals to an older crowd
Mayan – Copán in Honduras – depending on where you want to go here, you could only spend a week here – most people only visit Copan and don’t stay longer than 3 days.
The biggest carnival in the region is La Cieba in Honduras. The streets fill with bright costumes and dancing, while bars and clubs burst with locals and tourists, all vying to soak up the party atmosphere.
Macaw Mountain Bird Reserve & Nature Park – Located in Copan Ruinas, Honduras, this enclosure is in a tropical rainforest brimming with an amazing range of birds. You will see everything from the brilliant Buffon Macaw to the crazy Keel-Billed Toucans. Included in the ticket price is a three-day access pass to the park, a one-hour guided tour, and a 20-minute walk through an adjacent coffee plantation.
Nicaragua
Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua, Isla de Ometepe’s twin volcanic peaks, rising up out of Lago de Nicaragua
Lake Nicaragua – This is the biggest lake in Central America and the 19th largest in the world. Easily reached from Managua. León, Nicaragua
Ometepe Island, Nicaragua – Located inside Nicaragua Lake, this is the largest volcanic island in the world that resides inside a freshwater lake. It is easy to get to and is close to Managua—the capital city – When you are ready to explore, be sure to check out Cascada San Ramon, a waterfall reached via a beautiful four-hour hike.
El Salvador
Mayan – San Andrés in El Salvador
La Libertad, El Salvador – big on surfing
Mexico
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mexico/travel-tips-and-articles/76638
http://gomexico.about.com/od/beachesandresorts/tp/unknown_beaches.htm
http://gomexico.about.com/od/planningandinformation/f/when_to_go_mexico.htm
http://gomexico.about.com/od/planningandinformation/a/springbreak_faq.htm
http://www.touropia.com/tourist-attractions-in-mexico/
Mexico’s beach resorts tend to be most pleasant between October and May (June to September can be very hot and humid). Spring Break – last week in May/June
See map:
http://www.touropia.com/tourist-attractions-in-mexico/
Mexico City –
San Miguel de Allende – north of Mexico City (and two hours from the León airport), San Miguel de Allende is a stunner.
Puebla is a colonial wonder city – It’s two hours by bus from Mexico City.
Teotihuacan – Mesoamerica’s greatest city is just 31 miles (50km) northeast of Mexico City and can be reached by bus or taxi.
Acapulco isnt complete without watching the cliff divers perform their impressive jumps into ocean.
Four hours inland from Cancún, Mérida is ‘real Mexico’, a colonial city of 750,000 lived-in and loved by locals and near several days’ worth of superb daytrips. The city’s best on weekends
Tulum is situated on the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula. It once served as the major port of the Mayan city of Coba. The tropical beach backdrop however makes this a stunning top attraction which should not be missed. Chichen Itza is the largest of the Maya cities in the Yucatan Peninsula and one of Mexico’s most visited tourist destinations.
Cancun and also Playa del Carmen – world’s better snorkeling (even better if you daytrip by boat to nearby Cozumel Island). scuba diving and snorkeling
Los Cabos is a lively 20 mile beach area at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. The white sandy beaches whales can be observed in the Pacific ocean.
Circle ‘Todos Santos’ for the next Baja trip. A couple of hours from the Cabo or La Paz airports
Guanajuato – beautiful colonial city
Palenque is an archaeological site that was located on the western edge of the Maya empire in the present-day state of Chiapas, Mexico.
The city of Oaxaca is well-known for having one of the best Dia de Los Muertos festivals in Mexico
In Oaxaca the Day of the Dead Festival starts at the end of October when families prepare the tombs for the return of the spirits.
If you’re planning to bus it from Mexico City, it will take two days to get to Guatemala. Another option would be to fly into Cancun and take the bus straight down to Chetumal (the border town with Belize, 6 hours by bus).
Colombia
Avoid the country during its rainy seasons, from October to November and April to May.
Travel to Colombia before or after the summer months to get off-peak pricing.
In June or July each year, the Festival Folclorico de Ibague in Tolima, a music festival, takes place. January brings the Feria de Manizales in Caldas, which boasts both a beauty contest and bullfight.
Cartegena – beaches, Bogota and Medellin