Destination Profile
Squiggling like the mystical serpents of the ancient Maya from Colombia to the borderlands of Mexico, this vast region is a feast for any globetrotter. Cheap flights to Central America could whisk you away to the smoke-spluttering calderas of Costa Rica, where rainforests laden with resplendent quetzals and three-toed sloths cascade down to azure ocean waves. Other bargain tickets could bring you to the cobbled colonial-era towns of Nicaragua, where daffodil-tinted churches watch over earthy cantinas. Then there are the brilliant coral gardens and shimmering beaches of Belize. There are the mystical temple complexes of Guatemala. There are Panama's hidden surf swells. The destinations are endless.
High in Costa Rica's Cordillera de Tilaran is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. Welcome to Monteverde, where sightings of sloths and monkeys are all possibilities.
Be stunned by the landscapes of Lake Nicaragua. Volcanoes keep watch here and rustic villages pepper the banks.
The centerpiece of the Tikal National Park is one of the greatest treasures in Guatemala, hosting high temples, vast plazas, and palaces that showcase the zenith of the Mayan civilization.