Central America is the small strip of land that connects the continents of North America and South America. The area is made up of seven small countries, most of which are tropical, that are easy to miss on a map. Still, they are made up of many different cultures, old sites, tropical animals, active volcanoes, and great beaches.
Mexico is sometimes thought of as a part of Central America because it shares a language and culture with some of its southern neighbors. The countries of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama are the only ones on this list of the best places to visit in Central America.
Central America on a map
1. Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica
Arenal was the most active volcano in Costa Rica until the last few years. Its regular, small explosions are used to put on amazing lava shows. But in 2010, Arenal’s cycle went into a resting phase, stopping the earthquakes for an unknown amount of time. Even so, the area around Arenal still has a lot of great places to see and fun things to do.
2. Granada, Nicaragua
One of the biggest towns in Nicaragua, Granada is also one of the oldest and most historically important places in the country. It has a lot of Spanish history and well-preserved colonial architecture. Granada is in the western part of Nicaragua on the shores of Lake Nicaragua. It has a lot to see and do for tourists, from sightseeing to outdoor activities to arts and culture.
When you take a walk in the city center, you can see colorful colonial buildings, landmarks, old churches, a Spanish fort, and a busy market where people sell food and handmade goods. Museums and art galleries show the city’s history, art, culture, and the way it makes chocolate and cigars.
Central Park in Granada is a large, open green area with food stands where people can relax, have picnics, and play outside. Nearby Lake Nicaragua and its many islands offer fishing, swimming, boating, horseback riding, and archaeological sites. A little further away, volcanoes and rainforests offer hiking, canopy trips, and watching wildlife.
3. Panama City
Panama City is the country’s capital and biggest city. It has a lot of modern high-rise buildings that rise up from a tropical rainforest. Panama City is one of the best places to visit in Central America. It is a lively, international city that has grown rich because of the Panama Canal.
Most sightseeing plans start with a trip to the Panama Canal, the city’s most famous draw. But you should also check out the cobblestone streets and colonial buildings of Casco Viejo, the city’s old town.
4. Antigua Guatemala
Antigua, a beautiful old colonial town in the central highlands of Guatemala, is one of the most popular tourist spots in the country. It is set against a picture-perfect setting of three huge volcanoes.
Antigua is a great place to learn Spanish and has a lot of interesting places to see and things to do. As you walk through the city center, you can see beautiful buildings, old churches, and important sites like the Santa Catalina Arch.
5. Ambergris Caye
Ambergris Caye is the biggest of Belize’s several hundred islands. It is a dreamy, tropical place where people wear shorts and flip-flops, get around in golf carts, and spend most of their time relaxing on white sand beaches.
Ambergris Caye is one of the best places to visit in Belize. It is only a short flight or boat ride from Belize City, and it has some of the best beaches, hotels, restaurants, and places to relax in the Caribbean.
6. Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica
The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is in the middle of Costa Rica. It is one of the most popular tourist spots in the country because of how beautiful it is and how many things there are to do there, like ziplining and canopy walks.
The reserve is best known, though, for the wide range of life it contains: Around 400 kinds of birds and more than 100 kinds of mammals, like howler and capuchin monkeys, live here. There are also more than 1,200 kinds of amphibians and snakes. There are also 2,500 kinds of plants, of which 420 are orchids. The wildlife is also very diverse.
7. Tikal, Guatemala
Tikal was one of the largest Mayan towns. It was in the Petén province of northern Guatemala, in the middle of a tropical rainforest. Archaeologists think that at its peak, Tikal had between 50,000 and 100,000 people living there.
Tikal is one of many Mayan sites in Central America. It is probably the most beautiful because it is in the middle of a jungle and has beautiful buildings sticking out of the trees. Some of the pyramids can be climbed to the top, where people can see a wide view from above the trees.
8. Roatan, Honduras
Roatan is the biggest of the Bay Islands, which are off the east coast of Honduras. It is a popular place to go scuba diving and a port of call for cruise ships. Roatan is a great place to dive and swim because it is surrounded by the second-largest barrier reef in the world. Also, the island’s beaches offer many things to do, like swimming, fishing, and watching dolphins.
9. Leon, Nicaragua
Leon is the political and educational center of Nicaragua. It is a thriving university town and one of the oldest and largest cities in the country. Along the Chiquito River, northwest of the main city, Managua, is the city of Leon. It is full of students and backpackers and has a lot of Spanish colonial architecture, arts, and culture.
Leon is easy to get around on foot or by bike, and there are many places to see. The city has more colonial churches than any other city in Nicaragua. Visitors can tour several of these churches to look at art and see the tombs of important historical people, such as Rubén Daro, the most famous poet in the country. One of the biggest churches in Central America is the Leon Cathedral. The Guadalupe Cemetery, the Guadalupe Bridge, and the Sutiava Rural House are also important places in Leon. Leon is also known for its large number of museums, art centers, and outdoor murals.
Just a few miles inland from the Pacific Ocean, Leon has beaches like Poneloya and Las Peitas which are famous for water sports and nightlife. Just outside of the city, people can hire rules, which are trucks that act as buses, to take them to nearby mountains, rivers, and mangrove forests where they can hike, kayak, and watch wildlife.
Leon has many places to eat because it is home to students from all over the world. There are options for every taste and price. At the market, you can find foods like fried cheese, beans and rice, and plantains stuffed with cheese. There is also salsa dancing in a lot of bars, clubs, and dance halls.
