Mexico and Central America
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Top Destinations
Belize
It’s easy to become immersed in the natural beauty of Belize. Broadleaf canopies shelter exotic birds, and ancient Mayan ruins are wrapped in vines. Underwater caves and the chute of the Blue Hole offer some of the world’s best diving, and the Belize Barrier Reef astounds snorkelers with a lavish medley of coral and fish. Belize’s secluded resorts embrace these surroundings: here, you can sleep under a palm-thatched roof in a lush jungle lodge and escape to a dreamy overwater bungalow with turquoise sea views all on the same trip.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica has it all: nowhere else can you gaze upon a volcano while soaking in a hot spring one day, hike deep into a rain forest the next, and end your trip learning to surf at a luxurious seaside resort. Miles of pristine beaches on the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, fabulous national parks with plentiful opportunities for wildlife viewing, and world-renowned eco-lodges have made this one of the hottest destinations around. The welcoming people of Costa Rica, and their mellow pura vida lifestyle, add warmth to every visit.
Guatemala
With incomparable ancient ruins, graceful churches, and colorful highland markets, Guatemala is the center of the Maya heartland. This landscape is known for its expansive stretches of rain forest that hide spider monkeys, toucans, and iguanas among mahogany trees draped with mosses and rare orchids. In a matter of days you can walk the cobblestone streets of a colonial capital, take a white-water rafting trip to the Pacific coast, and explore El Petén, where the stately pyramids of Tikal rise from the steamy jungle.
Honduras
Once dubbed the "Athens of Central America," the ancient Maya city of Copán lies in the western jungles of Honduras, where its soaring pyramids are today guarded by a team of scarlet parrots. But all of this country's attractions are not historical. Populated by the Garífuna people, the northern coast has a distinctly Caribbean flavor. Towns like La Ceiba are sleepy during the day, but come awake at night with music and dancing. Not far from shore are the Bay Islands, surrounded by pristine coral reefs that are a scuba diver's dream. Mountainous central Honduras has national parks and reserves that are well worth the effort it takes to reach them. In the undisturbed lowland forests you might see a jaguar or a tapir, while in the highland cloud forests you can still spot the holy grail of bird-watchers, the emerald-plumed quetzal.
Mexico
The beaches of Cancun, the golf courses of Los Cabos, the nightlife of Puerto Vallarta: Mexico offers enough seaside fun, splashy resorts, and piña coladas to fulfill anyone's sunny dreams. But travelers who dig a bit deeper discover a multifaceted country of ethereal cloud forests, colorful coral reefs, and stark deserts. From ancient archaeological sites and colonial-era cities like Oaxaca and San Miguel de Allende to the pulsing modern metropolis of Mexico City, the country presents thousands of years of history and abundant up-to-the minute style.
Panama
In the past couple of years Panama has become Central America's hottest destination. Beyond its famous canal (which, 100 years after its completion, still astonishes all who visit), scads of travelers are discovering vast jungles that hold amazing biological diversity, idyllic islands ringed with coral reefs, and mountain forests filled with exotic birds. Panama City is the exciting, and rapidly developing, hub from which to explore–-a vibrant and diverse metropolis with excellent dining, lodging, and nightlife, and an abundance of day-trip options.
