Central America Travel: Variety is the Spice
Your Central America travel should be as eclectic as the cultures and landscapes freckling the region. To put it all together, get some help from the Web. You'll find sites dedicated to each of the region's seven countries, as well as advice and shared experiences from other travelers. Whether you prefer to keep your itinerary open-ended or you want to book everything in advance, the Web can enhance your experience of Central American tourism. We've selected some sites to help you get started.
Expand All Guide SectionsCentral America Travel Basics
In a word: vibrancy. Perhaps more well-known for its brutally war-torn past, Central America has ... read more »
Central America Travel Requirements
Political unrest and violence have largely subsided in Central America, but traveling the region ... read more »
Getting to Central America
You can fly in from the United States relatively easily and inexpensively. All seven countries have ... read more »
Central America Hotels
You don't have to rough it-but you can. Tourism is strong and growing across the region, which ... read more »
Getting Around in Central America
You can travel around the region cheaply, and there is a good chance that your ride will be ... read more »
Central America Blogs and Forums
The Web can give you a taste of a destination before you go, and one of the best ways to prepare for a trip is to read about and view photos of other travelers' experiences. Doing so may inspire you to include a particular attraction in your itinerary, or to leave one out. Central America is a popular destination for a wide range of traveler personalities and budgets, so you'll find diverse opinions regarding the region.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Blogs and forums offer potentially helpful collections of travel musings for you to consider. Just be sure to consult several sources and opinions before you come to any conclusions about a place.
- Blog search engines Technorati and Blogpulse can help you search for general or specific information about travel in Central America.
- Blogrolls can link you to other blogs and Web sites of interest. Typically located in the front-page sidebar of a blog, the blogroll is a list of links to similar sites.
- See our findingDulcinea Blogs Guide for further information and advice about consulting blogs (or writing your own).
Dulcinea's Picks
For blogs about Central America ...
Gadling
is a travel blog with daily entries arriving from several sources and places. Previous posts are organized by country (to the right, if you scroll down), making it easy for you to find those relating to Central America, such as water bungalows in Panama and Guatemalan hot waterfalls.
Jaunted
calls itself "the pop culture travel guide." You can read Central America travel stories and blog-type entries written by contributing editors and members. Postings are unusually savvy and unapologetic; for example, a recent entry disputed a hostel recommendation made in a major guidebook.
La Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo
is maintained by an art director living in a Spanish colonial town in Guatemala. Vivid photographs of various local attractions are presented, along with discussions of historical background with an emphasis on aesthetics, color, and architecture.
The Tranquilo Traveler
is written by guidebook writer and freelance travel writer/photographer Joshua Berman. This blog features entries about various locations around the world, including Belize, Nicaragua (for which Berman has written guidebooks), and El Salvador. Links to his published articles are also included.
Our Man
in Granada is the blog of Steve Jackson, a travel writer and photographer living in Granada, Nicaragua. Jackson's amazingly colorful photos are a draw on their own but his posts are equally intriguing. You'll get a glimpse into his daily life with features like video footage taken on a Nicaraguan bus. Also read his reactions to local food and lodging, and his commentary on current events.
For message boards and forums discussing Central America ...
TripAdvisor
lists recommended attractions and hotels with user ratings for each country. You'll find plenty of opinions and photos submitted by other travelers.
BootsnAll Travel Network
has a Central America message board where you can post questions or comments. The good mix of voices means that, whether you have traveled extensively in Central America or are inexperienced and looking for advice, you should be able to find what you're looking for. Posts are listed by pithy headings, so you can see what each is about before you read any further.
Rough Guides
provides a message board quite similar to the one on BootsnAll, but it may be worthwhile to check both forums to get a more well-rounded collection of ideas and opinions.
The Thorn Tree
is Lonely Planet's travel forum, organized by region. Posts are listed in their entirety and you may click to read replies, if you wish. Lonely Planet occasionally posts updates regarding its guidebooks and new Web site additions.
For travelogues about Central America ...
Pology
is a monthly online travel publication with feature stories and photo essays, all submitted by freelancers. The emphasis is on cultural experiences rather than on practical information or advice. You can read the current issue, browse past issues, or search by region.
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