Central America Travel
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Visitors wanting to get away from city life can get close to nature at one of the numerous national parks in the seven countries that make up the area.  While each park is different, generally hiking, rafting, kayaking and sightseeing are options.

Check out Blue Hole National Park in Belize.  Located twelve miles southeast of Belmopan, the Blue Hole is a wonderful recreation area.  The park features a pool from which it receives its name.  The pool sparkles with beautiful deep blue water.

While at St. Herman's, explore St. Herman's Cave.  The Mayans used the cave hundreds of years ago and artifacts have been retrieved from the area.  Do not forget to enjoy the wildlife.  The park covers 500 acres of forest and is ideal for observing birds and other animals.

Visitors wishing to see ancient ruins should check out Tikal National Park in Guatemala.  The park holds ruins of the Mayan Tikal City.  Visitors will find temples, plazas, and ball courts that cover six square miles.  There are thousands of structures here, but many are buried in the surrounding jungle.

Next, visit one of the many parks in Costa Rica.  At Manuel Antonio National Park, white sand beaches butt up to an evergreen forest. The trees actually grow all the way up to the high-tide line.  At Tamarindo Bay, visitors will find protected beaches that serve as nesting grounds for giant leatherback turtles.  And, in Mazanillo watch freshwater dolphins and manatees play.

Those looking to spend time scuba diving should stop in Belize or Honduras.  While visitors can scuba dive anywhere along the coastline of Central America, Belize and Honduras are special.

Off the shore of Belize, there are crystal clear waters.  Visibility often reaches over 100 feet deep, and waters stay temperate around 80 degrees Fahrenheit.  Divers will have a great time exploring the barrier reef off the coast of Belize.

Reef divers who cannot make it to Australia will love the coastal waters of Honduras, home to the second largest barrier reef in the world.  Divers and snorkelers will have the time of their lives exploring the azure waters just off the Caribbean coast.

Those who prefer to relax on the beach need to stop in El Salvador, which is known for its beaches and tropical climate.

Visitors stopping in Panama will undoubtedly want to see the Panama Canal, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.  It was created as a shortcut to the Pacific, so that ships would not have to sail all the way around the southern tip of South America.  Tourists thrill to the sight of huge ships being lowered in the Miraflores Locks before heading out into the Pacific Ocean.

Off the coast of Panama lie the Pearl Islands.  Some of the islands are uninhabited, but a few of the inhabited islands feature excellent hotels, good restaurants, and, of course, beaches.

Visitors to Central America will find it easy to travel between countries as the Pan-American Highway connects them and all mainland nations of the Americas.  The highway stretches from Alaska to Chile.  However, there is a gap in the road, known as Darien Gap.  It lies between Panama and Colombia and travelers are currently unable to pass between the two.

Central America Travel - Central America Tourism