Central America Road Trip – Episode 989

Hear about a road trip through Central America as the Amateur Traveler talks about traveling overland through Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala in search of volcanoes, tropical birds, colonial cities, crater lakes, Mayan ruins, and a few new countries added to his map.

Why should you visit Central America?

This multi-country journey combines some of the region’s best experiences into one trip: cloud forests in Costa Rica, volcanic landscapes in Nicaragua, changing fortunes in El Salvador, the Mayan ruins of Copán in Honduras, and the lakeside villages and colonial cities of Guatemala. Along the way, Chris finds colorful markets, Scarlet Macaws, crater lakes, beautiful colonial architecture, and more volcanoes than he expected.

In this episode

Chris shares stories from a 15-day small-group trip that began in San José, Costa Rica, and ended in Antigua, Guatemala. The trip was designed to pick up three new countries for him: Nicaragua, Honduras, and El Salvador, while also revisiting Costa Rica and Guatemala.

Highlights of the trip

• Touring San José and heading into the cloud forests of Monteverde
• Spotting nocturnal wildlife on a night walk in Costa Rica
• Birdwatching and crocodile sightings in Palo Verde National Park
• Crossing into Nicaragua and dealing with unusual border rules around cameras and binoculars
• Visiting Granada, one of the most beautiful colonial cities on the trip
• Hiking around the rim of Mombacho Volcano with views down to Granada and Lake Nicaragua
• Seeing the glowing crater of Masaya Volcano at night
• Exploring the contrasting cities of Granada and León
• Boating through mangroves in the Juan Venado Nature Reserve
• Entering a transformed El Salvador, including Suchitoto and nearby villages, shaped by civil war history
• Crossing briefly into Honduras to visit the Copán Mayan ruins and see Scarlet Macaws
• Visiting Guatemala City, Lake Atitlán, Chichicastenango, and Antigua
• Learning about traditional weaving and natural dyes in a Mayan community near Lake Atitlán
• Ending in photogenic Antigua, surrounded by volcanoes and Lent processions

Places featured in this episode

Costa Rica

• San José
• Monteverde
• Palo Verde National Park

Nicaragua

• Lake Nicaragua
• Granada
• Mombacho Volcano
• Masaya Volcano
• Laguna de Apoyo
• Managua
• León
• Juan Venado Nature Reserve

El Salvador

• La Unión
• Suchitoto
• Cinquera

Honduras

Guatemala

• Basilica of the Black Christ in Esquipulas
• Lake Atitlán
  • San Juan La Laguna
  • Santiago Atitlán
  • Santa Catarina
• Chichicastenango
• Antigua Guatemala

What Chris talks about

• Chris reflects on the appeal of this trip for well-traveled visitors trying to fill in the map of Central America. He talks about the practical side of the route, including border crossings, optional excursions, varying weather from cool mountain cloud forest to hot tropical lowlands, and the rhythm of a fast-moving multi-country itinerary.
• He also highlights some recurring themes of the journey:
• Volcanoes everywhere, especially in Nicaragua and Guatemala
• Birdlife, from hummingbirds and kingfishers to motmots and Scarlet Macaws
• Colonial cities such as Granada and Antigua
• Mayan culture and history in Guatemala and Honduras
• The contrast between fast travel and places that deserved more time, especially Lake Atitlán and Antigua

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Show Notes

Central America Road Trip – Explore! Central America Highlights
Tour Radar
Central American Highlights (Reverse)
Central America Photos

Community

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Amateur Traveler Trips