Central America

The 3-months I spent Central America backpacking was one of the most exhilarating, intense, and jam-packed adventures of my life.

The Central America region compromises of Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. You don't even have to hop on a plane to travel to all these countries because everything is extremely well connected by bus (which is great for the environment). Central America is the perfect destination for adventurous travelers who love rainforest walks, ancient ruins, volcano trekking, surfing, sailing, and scuba diving.

P.s. Most people start their trip in Mexico (which is part of North America). I spent a month in Mexico before starting my Central America itinerary, so click here to plan your Mexico backpacking route.

Best Places to Visit in Central America

Central America tourism has boomed in the last 10-years meaning it is more accessible and easier to travel than ever before. All countries in Central America have something to offer travelers but in my opinion, the easiest and the best countries to visit in Central America for first-time solo female travelers are Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. Below you’ll find a detailed travel guide for each of these countries.

Where to go in Central America really depends on your interests and the amount of time you have to work with. My itinerary for Central America took 3-months, but this could be easily tailored to be shorter (or longer!).

Belize Snorkeling Tour — **The Island Paradise of Caye Caulker**

Adventurous Things to Do in Central America

While backpacking Central America you’re going to encounter some serious wild and wonderful activities. These were the things that particularly blew me away:

Safety in Central America

Is Central America Safe to Visit? Yes — but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to take precautions. Political upheaval and civil unrest (most recently in Nicaragua) mean it's very important to stay abreast of the news.

Backpacking Central America Budget

How much does it cost to visit Central America? I kept track of absolutely everything I spent in Central America (Jan-March 2020), and was able to very comfortably spend on average $50 USD including all food, accommodation, transport and attractions.

If you’re backpacking Central America like I was, I would plan to budget between $40-50 USD per day. For this price, I got a hostel dorm with AC or a private room with AC and a shared bathroom in cheaper countries, local meals or street food, the main attractions and tours, and local transportation or uber (way cheaper than using taxis!). For a Flashpacker budget of $70-100 USD per day, you can stay in ensuite private rooms with air-conditioning, take AC door-to-door tourist shuttles or uber everywhere, do more guided tours, eat at nicer sit-down restaurants and splurge on drinks.

On a “luxury budget” the skies the limit. You’ll be able to stay a premiere hotels, lodges and resorts, eat at the top restaurants, see anything you want, and opt for private tours and day trips.

Backpacking Central America Costs:

Travel Style	Accommodation	Food	Transportation	Attractions	Average Daily Cost
Backpacker	$10-15	$5-10	$10	$15-20	$50-70
Flashpacker	$20-30	$10-20	$10-20	$20-30	$70 - 100
Luxury	$50-60	$20-40	$20-30	$30-40	$150+

The most expensive countries in Central America were Costa Rica and Panama (Belize wasn’t too far behind that). The cheapest Central American country was Guatemala (on par with Mexico prices), which was perfect because Mexico and Guatemala ended up being my two favourite countries on the trip! Head to my North America articles, for the Ultimate Guide to Mexico.

Best Hot Springs Costa Rica — **The Best Hot Springs in Costa Rica**

When to go to Central America

The best time to visit Central America is from December to April, which is the dry season. Keep in mind this is peak season in Central America to you can expect inflated prices and more crowds.

The weather in Central America varies distinctly from country to country and from region to region. In the space of hours you can literally go from mountainous altitude, to humid tropical rainforests, to dry heat of the coast. Rainy season is from April to December, with hurricane season being at its peak in September and October.

Getting Around Central America

In my opinion, the best way to travel in Central America is by bus. It’s cheap, the distances are relatively short on most legs of the journey and it’s better for the environment. I was able to travel all the way from Mexico to South America without catching a flight. You can read my ultimate guide to traveling around Central America here, but here are the quick fire top tips:

Central America Buses

There is a well-trodden backpacking route affectionately referred to as the “ Gringo Trail Central America ” – it is connected extensively with tourist shuttle buses and large coach services.

The large international bus services I used included:

Tica Bus
Trans Nica
Central Line
ADO Bus

Shuttle buses are also a popular way to get around Central America. While more expensive than public transport and coach services, they are still very cheap by Western standards. For example, a 20-hour shuttle from Antigua, Guatemala to Leon, Nicaragua cost me $30 USD. Shuttle services are found in all tourist hubs, all you need to do is negotiate a price and route. Hostels will often sell them directly and offer door-to-door pick up and drop off with other participating hostels.

Some of the long haul buses and shuttles I caught included:

Belize City to Flores
Flores to Semus Champey
Semuc Champey to Antigua
Antigua to Leon
San Juan Del Sur to San Jose
San Jose to Panama City

Taxi’s + Uber

As a solo female traveler I avoid taxi’s at all costs. I have been burnt way too many times around the world (aggressive drivers, changing prices, scary situations etc.). That’s why whenever possible I used Uber in Central America. This not only saved me the hassle of negotiating prices and any confusion that might occur about the address – but it also saved me a lot of money. For example, I found the Panama City taxi rates to be more than double than any ride sharing platform!!

If you have no choice but to use a taxi in Central America, make sure to check the price and negotiate the fare BEFORE you get into the car.

Air Travel

Central America cheap flights are rare to come by but if you don’t have a lot of time to work with, flying is the only way to cover a lot of ground. Keep in mind however, flights around central America are very expensive. A 1-hour flight from Guatemala to Nicaragua can cost upwards of $300 – so if you are flying, book in advance. I use Skyscanner to compare and find my cheapest flights.

Public Transportation

Public buses are the most common (and cheapest) way to get around Central America, with fares costing less than a dollar. These buses are often referred to as “chicken buses” because of the number of chickens and rice that is transported on them. They stop just about everywhere to let people hop on and off, and you’ll be crammed in tight with locals.

Central America Best Beaches

The beaches in Central America are absolutely incredible. From sleepy beach towns, to idyllic islands and some of the best surf spots in the world; here are my top picks for the best places in Central America to kick back and relax on a beach:

San Blas, Panama
Caye Caulker, Belize
Maderas, Nicaragua
Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica
Corn Islands, Nicaragua
Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
Roatan, Honduras
Bocas Del Toro, Panama

Best Central America Cities

If you're going to go backpacking in Central America, you’ll almost certainty pass through one of the main city hubs. Cities in Central America don’t always get the best rep but there are most definitely some incredible exceptions to this stereotype. From my experience, these are the best destinations in Central America for city lovers:

Antigua, Guatemala
Panama City, Panama
Granada, Nicaragua
Leon, Nicaragua
Panajachel, Guatemala
Guatemala City, Guatemala

Best Islands in Central America

You simply cannot plan a Central America Itinerary without including some of its famous island getaways.

Routan, Honduras
Corn Islands, Nicaragua
Caye Caulker, Belize
Ometepe, Nicaragua
San Blas, Panama
Bocas Del Toro, Panama

It is popular to travel to both South and Central America in one trip. If you're looking to go backpacking through central and South America click here to read about South America Backpacking.