Central America Holidays

 Guatemala, Belize and Honduras are home to major Maya sites. Explore Tikal and Caracol among tropical forests, while Copán is known for its carved stelae and Hieroglyphic Stairway.

The largest reef system in the Western Hemisphere runs along the Caribbean coasts of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. Trips from Belize's cayes or Honduras's Bay Islands offer opportunities to see coral, rays and turtles, with a chance of spotting whale sharks in season. 

Volcanoes shape much of the landscape here. You can walk the slopes of Pacaya in Guatemala, peer into Masaya's crater in Nicaragua or soak in the hot springs around Arenal in Costa Rica.

In reserves such as Monteverde in Costa Rica, hanging bridges and trails lead through misty, moss-covered forest. Look out for hummingbirds, orchids and, with luck, the resplendent quetzal.

Guided tours at Tortuguero in Costa Rica offer the chance to see sea turtles nesting during the main season from June to October. 

At the Miraflores Locks near Panama City, you can watch huge ships being raised and lowered between the Atlantic and Pacific. A partial transit gets you even closer.

Off Panama's Caribbean coast, the islands of Guna Yala (San Blas) are home to the Indigenous Guna people, who govern their own territory. Expect clear water, palm-fringed islands and a simple, unhurried pace of life.

Humpback whales from both hemispheres visit Costa Rica’s Pacific coast at different times of year. Uvita, near Marino Ballena National Park, is a popular base for whale-watching trips. 

Antigua in Guatemala, Granada and León in Nicaragua, and Casco Viejo in Panama City are known for cobbled streets, colourful façades and old churches. They are best explored slowly and on foot.

On Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula or in Belize's jungle interior, guided walks and river trips can reveal sloths, monkeys, toucans and tree frogs.

Holy Week in Guatemala is recognised by UNESCO, and Antigua is where it is at its most striking. Residents lay carpets of coloured sawdust, flowers and fruit across the streets, which processions then walk over.

The Garifuna, descended from West African and Indigenous Caribbean ancestors, live along the Caribbean coasts of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Their language, dance and music are recognised by UNESCO, and towns such as Dangriga, Hopkins and Livingston are good places to experience drumming, punta dancing and traditional food.

In Guatemala's highlands, many Maya women still weave colourful huipiles (blouses) on backstrap looms. Patterns often identify a particular village, and weaving cooperatives explain the meaning behind them.

Guna women in Panama make molas, bright textile panels created by layering and cutting fabric. Worn as part of traditional blouses, they feature geometric patterns, animals and everyday scenes.

Once used to carry coffee, Costa Rica's painted oxcarts are now a national symbol, and the country's oxcart traditions are recognised by UNESCO. Artisans in Sarchí still paint them in bold geometric and floral designs.

Every 1 November, All Saints' Day, the Guatemalan town of Sumpango displays enormous kites made from tissue paper and bamboo. The tradition is linked to honouring the dead.

This satirical street drama, recognised by UNESCO, combines music, dance and masks to mock colonial authority. It is performed in Diriamba during the San Sebastián festivities in January.

Coffee has shaped Central America's economy and landscapes for generations. Farm tours in Antigua (Guatemala), Costa Rica's Central Valley and Boquete (Panama) cover growing, harvesting and processing, usually ending with a tasting.