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// Central America & Caribbean

Central America
& the Caribbean

Mayan ruins, cloud forests, Caribbean beaches and the last great adventure circuit in the Americas.

Central America is the most compact yet varied travel region on earth — within 1,500km you go from the Mayan ruins of the Yucatán to a Costa Rican cloud forest, a Panama Canal crossing and a San Blas island paradise. Cuba is unique — politically frozen but culturally electric, with colonial grandeur and hospitality that is genuinely unlike anywhere else. Mexico alone could absorb a year: Mexico City's food scene rivals any on earth, Oaxaca is one of the world's great cultural capitals, and the Yucatán has cenotes, ruins and Caribbean reef all within an hour of each other.

// Where to Go

Destination Guides

Mexico City, Oaxaca & Yucatán
Mesoamerican ruins, mezcal and the best tacos on earth — guide coming soon
🌋
Guatemala
Antigua, Lake Atitlán and the Tikal jungle ruins — guide coming soon
🦥
Costa Rica
Volcanoes, cloud forest and Pacific wildlife — guide coming soon
🎺
Cuba — Havana & Trinidad
Crumbling colonial grandeur, vintage cars and son cubano — guide coming soon
🏖️
Belize
The Great Blue Hole and jungle lodges on the cayes — guide coming soon
🌴
Dominican Republic & Jamaica
Caribbean island life — guide coming soon
// Budget Routes

Backpacker Guides

// Book Activities

Experiences Worth Booking

🎟️
Chichen Itza Tour from Cancún, Mexico

The most visited ancient ruin in the Americas — worth having a guide for the astronomical context.

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🎟️
Lake Atitlán & Mayan Villages Tour, Guatemala

Three volcanoes, indigenous Kaqchikel communities and a lake that Aldous Huxley called the most beautiful in the world.

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🎟️
Arenal Volcano & Hot Springs, Costa Rica

Hike the lava fields then soak in geothermal pools below an active volcano.

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🎟️
Havana City Tour & Vintage Car Ride, Cuba

Malecón at sunset from a 1957 Chevrolet — the essential Havana experience.

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// When to Go

Season guide

Most of Central America: November–April is the dry season — the best time to visit. May–October is the rainy season (heavy afternoon showers but mornings are usually clear). Caribbean: December–April is peak season — hurricane season is June–November, with September–October being highest risk. Cuba: November–April for the best weather. Mexico: Shoulder seasons (April–May, October–November) avoid peak crowds while keeping good weather.

// Need to Know

Before you go

🌡️

Dengue fever is present across the region — use DEET repellent, especially at dawn and dusk. Mosquito net at budget accommodation.

💧

Tap water is not safe to drink across Central America and the Caribbean. Always use bottled or filtered water and avoid ice in budget restaurants.

🚌

Chicken buses (repurposed US school buses) are the authentic and affordable way to travel between Guatemalan towns. Slow, cramped and unforgettable.

🇨🇺

Cuba requires a tourist card (about £25) in addition to your visa. Cash only — US cards don't work. Take enough dollars or euros for the full trip.

🏄

Costa Rica is the most expensive country in the region but has the best infrastructure for ecotourism and wildlife. Worth every cent.

// Bespoke Planning

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