I’m ashamed to admit that my first trip to Central America set me on edge. I was, of course, drawn to the region by its natural beauty. From its misty volcanoes and rainforests to its palm-fringed beaches and old colonial cities, I became awestruck and felt compelled to pack my bags.
But my visions of Central America, like many other travelers, weren’t all sugar-coated. In the back of my mind as I embarked for Panama City were all the loco stories of knife-point muggings, travel scams, and miscellaneous unsavory encounters.
Fortunately, within mere minutes of arriving, my mind was set at ease. All the tense moments I expected were simply nonexistent. And even as I traveled around Central America to places like El Salvador (considered the murder capital of the world—yikes!), I felt, on the whole, about as comfortable as I do in Eastern Europe or Southeast Asia.
That’s not to say it’s always going to be easy to travel in Central America. Big cities like San Salvador, Tegucigalpa, and Guatemala City play starring roles in the region’s less-than-safe reputation, and aren’t places you’ll want to linger around long anyway for that exact reason.
But don’t let the stories freak you out. Let’s look past all the negative press and see Central America for what it is: an affordable and fascinating place to travel.
Whether you want to hike up volcanoes in Costa Rica, laze by the beach in Panama, or trace the footsteps of the Mayans in Guatemala, there’s something for everyone—at every comfort level—in Central America.
Top Countries in Central America
