OT: Central America/Mexico for month (or more) in winter

[superjohn]

Miami and the Keys are fun but, yeah, that was an "ugly American" response.

I like it down there, different from the rest of the state.

 

[Doginaus]

Check out Panama. I lived there for 18 years (grew up there actually). It's a beautiful country, uses American currency and has plenty of amenities to boot. Panama City has just about everything you could possibly need. The Panama Canal is an absolutely amazing feat considering that it was completed 107 years ago. The cost of living is relatively cheap considering. When I retire, I would definitely consider moving there. This is my 2 cents worth.

 

[huskyinfl]

Lived in Panama and Costa Rica. I also speak Spanish. Been all over Panama not a bad thing to say same with CR. You need to understand the culture though. Highways shut down sometimes. Customer Service is unheard of. In fact I'd say the customer is always wrong in Latin America.

 

[storrsroars]

Check out Panama. I lived there for 18 years (grew up there actually). It's a beautiful country, uses American currency and has plenty of amenities to boot. Panama City has just about everything you could possibly need. The Panama Canal is an absolutely amazing feat considering that it was completed 107 years ago. The cost of living is relatively cheap considering. When I retire, I would definitely consider moving there. This is my 2 cents worth.

One memory of Panama was when I was working a tradeshow there in 1994 and a colleague and myself hired a cab to go visit the Canal Zone. On the way there, the driver decided to take us on a tour of all the buildings that were shot to hell while we were chasing Noriega. While it was five years after the US invaded, not much had been done to fix those buildings and the driver was kinda sticking our noses in it, but in a completely affable way. He got tipped well regardless.

I could do w/o Panama City. Hottest and most humid place I've ever been in my life. And their favorite dish is a slopfest created in Cleveland called the Johnny Mazetti. But the bonus was we got Armed Forces TV in our hotel, which meant the best of all three networks on one network, and amazing commercials on missile launchers and tactical deployment software.

 

[huskyinfl]

Panama has changed a lot. El Chorrillo is noriegas area and it's still rough. One of my friends got arrested and thrown in a jail there. Lucky 5k gets you out.
Panama gets it though, they do not tolerate messing with tourists or retirees. Will you totally get ripped off absolutely but nothing bad will happen to you. The government wants your money too badly.
Casco Viejo is a world heritage site now.

 

[Conndog]

My sister and brother-in-law have been renting a place in Puerto Rico, Vieques island, for maybe 10 years. They loved it but stopped a couple of years (hurricane, then Covid). I never visited them, not sure why. So far, Colombia sounds pretty intriguing to me- I love soccer and cycling is popular there too, I imagine.

 

[Travelman6]

I lived in Guatemala for a year, Mexico for a year, and Colombia for 3.5 years and traveled around a bit, I can offer some advice.

TLDR version: All countries are bolded so skip the ones you don't want to read about and go to the ones that are interesting to you out of the following: Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, Cuba, and Mexico.

SOUTH AMERICA

Colombia - As other people have mentioned, Cartagena is beautiful. But San Andres is even better and some of the smaller islands off of San Andres are some of the most beautiful beaches I have seen in my life. As someone else stated, many people go to Medellin but the rest of the region is gorgeous too and there are a lot of small towns near Medellin worth seeing: Jardin, Santa Fe and Guatape, as well as many others, plus Parque Avri on the outskirts of the city. Near Guatape is El Penon de Guatape, a stunning display of nature. San Rafael itself is a terrible town but there is some incredible nature for those willing to explore a little. The Coffee Region, Manizales (underrated city), Salento (small hippyish type town with a great light walk leading to a view of the city) are also worth visiting. I did not care for Bucaramanga much but Giron and especially Barichara are so pretty. Yopal is a huge part of Colombia that is just flat for as far as the eye can see. Colombia has it all: Rain Forests, beaches, mountains, deserts, and flatlands like a Savanah, the second most diverse country in the world as far as different types of ecosystems including the Páramo which can only be found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Finally, Moxpox is an awesome little town, one of the most peaceful in South America!

Bogota is fine as far as safety as well as long you stick to the beaten path and there are some cool towns to check out for those on an extended stay like Villa de Leyva, Guatavita, Guasca, Tabio, Tenjo, and Suesca. If pressed for time the first two on that list are the best to see. Chingaza near Bogota is a beautiful nature place. I lived here for 2 years as well as La Calera (countryside) and Cajica for a year. For longer-term stays, every town around Bogota mentioned above, as well as La Calera, Cajicá, and Chía are of interest. Playa del Belen is a little further but very much worth it. Finally, avoid VivaColombia like the plague! Finally, for any visitor, avoid the topic of Escobar as it is so boring to most Colombians who want nothing to do with that and it will only lead to eye rolls (rightfully so) although there are small pockets in and around Medellin who practically worship him (he did invest a lot of money in poor neighborhoods in Medellin but he bombed Bogota so the very large majority of Bogota locals detest him or, at the very least just want to erase memories of him).

Ecuador - Quito is ok for the day but Banos is a great place for people who love extreme sports. I did rappelling and bungee jumping here. Mindo is another great day trip from the city and provides some wonderful hiking nearby. You can see the equator which is worth it (Mitad del Mundo) and maybe an hour from Quito. Cuenca is a smaller, neat little city, much more worthwhile than Quito IMO and has a lot of nature you can check out for the day. Guayaquil is ok, met a few friends from there. Cotopaxi = incredible nature, well worth the hike.

Bolivia - I did not care for La Paz but enjoyed everything else. Chocobamba is a neat city with some small mountains on the outskirts of the city which provide a good view of the city. The Salt flats are something most people have heard but there are a lot of other unique nature places that can be seen around the Salt Flats during a multi-day tour. Toro toro (beautiful nature) should not be missed either. Sucre is one of my favorite cities in South America. Potosi is pretty cool and one of the highest (altitude) cities in the world.. Lake Titicaca is a must.

Peru - Of course, Machu Picchu is a must but I could not stand the town (Aguas Calientes) near it and found it to be super overrated and with much higher prices than anywhere else in Peru. Cusco has plenty to offer and the Rainbow Mountains are breathtaking though one of the harder hikes I have done. I did not like Lima that much (Miraflores is ok) but Arequipa was an under rated city. Trulijo is a smaller city with some ancient ruins nearby, I think older than MP. Taking a flight over the Nazca Lines was a highlight of my trip here. Don't miss Paracas, Huachchina, and Ica, all three are quaint little towns, Ica being the closest to Nazca if memory serves me correctly and there are some more cool ruins to see near here. Usually, I just take public transit, I find it is the best way to really get a pulse on a country, and have met some amazing people this way. But with Peru, I took Peru Hop for part of the trip and regret it a little as it was too touristy for my tastes but it is an option for some. I found just getting local buses to be more worthwhile.

Central America and the Caribbean

Panama - The Panama Canal is super impressive and the Old Town has a lot of potential but is poorly taken care of. Think Cartagena, but less effort has been put into maintaining it. I also found San Blas to be a less clean version of San Andres in Colombia. Still beautiful, but more exploited IMO and more touristy. I enjoyed El Valle de Antón in Central Panama and some of the views outside this town. Sadly, I found the beaches in the Southern half of Panama to be poorly taken care of, more so than any other Latin country I have been to and I was also robbed at gunpoint on one, the only truly terrifying experience I have had in nearly 40 countries.

Nicaragua - I only passed right through Managua without even stopping as I have heard there is not much there but the next biggest cities, Granada and Leon are very interesting, with great architecture. Leon really has a UNI type vibe to it, lots of energy. The humidity in both cities is oppressive, however, so be ready for that! San Juan del Sur is an underrated beach but the Corn Islands are truly where it's at! Be sure to also check out Ometepe and the volcanoes on this island. There are a few volcanoes I checked out near Leon, wish I could remember their names!

Honduras - San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa can safely be avoided. The most time I spent there, or most people, is simply as a stopover to other places. Comayagua is a beautiful little town NW of Tegucigalpa and worth the stop for its laid back vibe. Copan Ruins, of course, are a must. While not as huge as Tikal, the intricate details of the ruins are impressive. Sepulturas Ruins is even more empty. Santa Rosa de Copan is a decent town, worthy of a stay just for the fact that it provides easy access to Copan. Not sure many people visit Copan as, at one point, I was alone in the ruins! Omoa was the first town I went to in Honduras after crossing from Guatemala. It is ok, nothing to write home about, and has an odd vibe to it But a cool fortress in the town. I had a blast going to Utila and, with a kayak, was able to find a secluded beach. Many people go to Roatan. People often choose between Utila and Roatan. I guess Roatan is more lux, Utila is more for backpackers.

El Salvador - San Salvador has its parts, but the center of the city was sketchy to me. I checked out some ruins outside of San Salvador but don't remember the names . El Tunco is a laid back surfing town that is worth a visit even if you don't surf. El Zonte is cool too. Santa Ana Volcano is well worth the hike and lake Coatepeque is so relaxing.

Guatemala - Guatemala City ("Guate") is hit or miss as far as safety and places of interest and is split into zones. The most worthwhile (and safest zones) to visit are Zone 1, 2, 4 (cool graffiti), 10, and 14 (Cayala). Green Rush, within the city, is an interesting slice of nature in the city. Antigua, about 45 minutes from Guate is a gorgeous little town with stunning scenery. Guatemala is famous for its many volcanoes such as Picaya. As far as beaches, not much to speak of but Monterico and El Paredon are decent. A lot of people rave about Livingston but I found it to be so so and other parts of Izabal are more interesting. I remember getting bored in Livingston once and walking along the beach for some time before coming to something that looked like a mini Semuc Champey. By the way, Semuc Champey is one of the coolest places of nature I have ever seen. I saw that on my way back from Tikal. Tikal, along with Angkor Wat and Michu Pichu are three of the coolest ruins I have ever seen and likely anyone will see! If you go on a tour, you can listen to the howler monkeys at 3 am in the morning. Yaxha, maybe two hours from Tikal, should not be missed either. Flores, near Tikal, is a worthwhile town to check out. Finally, Lake Atitlan is a beautiful lake but sadly it has become very polluted but still provides tons of great views. There are dozens of little towns around the lake, all with their unique vibes such as Panajachel ("Pana", overrated IMO) and San Marcos. I have been to nearly 40 countries and some of the kindest people I have ever met were from Guatemala. Regardless of some of the ugly, stupid comments you might hear or read (even here I have read some truly ignorant s***) it is a worthwhile place to visit steeped in history. I never had anything close to an issue in my year here.

Belize - I have never been to Jamaica but this is kind of how I imagine it would be, tons of reggae, chilled people, and/or stone people here with tasty, spicy food. Very undeveloped and lots of nature. I enjoyed the beach towns Placencia and Hopkins, especially the later. Punta Gorda is ok, but not so many places to just chill. Near Hopkins is the Jaguar Preserve if you need a break from the beach and/or want to hike and I even went rafting down a river here, in the middle of the jungle! Lesser known is Laughing Bird Caye, but I enjoyed my visit there. Belize City can be safely missed EXCEPT for the easy access it provides to the Northern islands, this goes double for Belmopan. Belize = quaint, sleepy villages by the beach, stunning islands, and old ruins in the jungle wouldn't bother with anything else.

Cuba - Of course, Havana, but see it quick. I already noticed an influx of more modern cars in 2017. Trinidad is also a beautiful little town in Cuba and you can take tours to a waterfall, via horse, which is neat to see more nature in the country. La Boca is a very small beach town worth chilling at for a while. I also went to Cienfuegos. I remember taking a boat in the city to some odd town but there were some pristine, virgin beaches near the town which made it all worthwhile. Check out Playa Ancon too.

Mexico - I lived here for a year in Monterrey (3rd largest city in the country). I felt like, at times, Monterrey took the worst from the US and the worst from Mexico and mixed it all together in some odd mini USA/Mexico hybrid. The city does not have much of an identity and it is home to some of the least friendly people in the country but I did meet a solid group of friends here and there are some decent museums, quite a lot in fact. The food here is not great but if you meet some friends you will enjoy the best barbeques ever. My goodness locals here know how to cook meat on the grill, so tasty! Nearby Santiago is worth a visit. Still, Mexico City is vastly superior as far as the people and food, and visiting nearby Teotihuacán is mandatory. Guadalajara, still, is even better, I love Jalisco! Small towns such as Tequilla, Ajijic, Lake Chapala, Mazamitla (Mexico's version of Switzerland) were incredible and even random towns in the region had at least something to offer like Tepic, La Manzanilla de la Paz, and Tepatitlan although those three can safely be avoided if there is not much time. Tulum is awesome and laid back and has Chichén Itzá, which alone makes traveling to this part of Mexico worth it. However, I found Playa del Carmen and Cozumel to be overrated. Merida is ok but I liked Valladoid more. Be sure to visit some cenotes while in this area too! Also, check out Puebla south of CDMX! Puerto Vallarta is super crowded and overrated but some of the beaches a short drive away can be nice as well as places around Islas Mujeres.

If I think of more I will edit and add to this, perhaps with italics.

 

[Get a Job]

I lived in Guatemala for a year, Mexico for a year, and Colombia for 3.5 years and traveled around a bit, I can offer some advice.

TLDR version: All countries are bolded so skip the ones you don't want to read about and go to the ones that are interesting to you out of the following: Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, Cuba, and Mexico.

SOUTH AMERICA

Colombia - As other people have mentioned, Cartagena is beautiful. But San Andres is even better and some of the smaller islands off of San Andres are some of the most beautiful beaches I have seen in my life. As someone else stated, many people go to Medellin but the rest of the region is gorgeous too and there are a lot of small towns near Medellin worth seeing: Jardin, Santa Fe and Guatape, as well as many others, plus Parque Avri on the outskirts of the city. Near Guatape is El Penon de Guatape, a stunning display of nature. San Rafael itself is a terrible town but there is some incredible nature for those willing to explore a little. The Coffee Region, Manizales (underrated city), Salento (small hippyish type town with a great light walk leading to a view of the city) are also worth visiting. I did not care for Bucaramanga much but Giron and especially Barichara are so pretty. Yopal is a huge part of Colombia that is just flat for as far as the eye can see. Colombia has it all: Rain Forests, beaches, mountains, deserts, and flatlands like a Savanah, the second most diverse country in the world as far as different types of ecosystems including the Páramo which can only be found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Finally, Moxpox is an awesome little town, one of the most peaceful in South America!

Bogota is fine as far as safety as well as long you stick to the beaten path and there are some cool towns to check out for those on an extended stay like Villa de Leyva, Guatavita, Guasca, Tabio, Tenjo, and Suesca. If pressed for time the first two on that list are the best to see. Chingaza near Bogota is a beautiful nature place. I lived here for 2 years as well as La Calera (countryside) and Cajica for a year. For longer-term stays, every town around Bogota mentioned above, as well as La Calera, Cajicá, and Chía are of interest. Playa del Belen is a little further but very much worth it. Finally, avoid VivaColombia like the plague! Finally, for any visitor, avoid the topic of Escobar as it is so boring to most Colombians who want nothing to do with that and it will only lead to eye rolls (rightfully so) although there are small pockets in and around Medellin who practically worship him (he did invest a lot of money in poor neighborhoods in Medellin but he bombed Bogota so the very large majority of Bogota locals detest him or, at the very least just want to erase memories of him).

Ecuador - Quito is ok for the day but Banos is a great place for people who love extreme sports. I did rappelling and bungee jumping here. Mindo is another great day trip from the city and provides some wonderful hiking nearby. You can see the equator which is worth it (Mitad del Mundo) and maybe an hour from Quito. Cuenca is a smaller, neat little city, much more worthwhile than Quito IMO and has a lot of nature you can check out for the day. Guayaquil is ok, met a few friends from there. Cotopaxi = incredible nature, well worth the hike.

Bolivia - I did not care for La Paz but enjoyed everything else. Chocobamba is a neat city with some small mountains on the outskirts of the city which provide a good view of the city. The Salt flats are something most people have heard but there are a lot of other unique nature places that can be seen around the Salt Flats during a multi-day tour. Toro toro (beautiful nature) should not be missed either. Sucre is one of my favorite cities in South America. Potosi is pretty cool and one of the highest (altitude) cities in the world.. Lake Titicaca is a must.

Peru - Of course, Machu Picchu is a must but I could not stand the town (Aguas Calientes) near it and found it to be super overrated and with much higher prices than anywhere else in Peru. Cusco has plenty to offer and the Rainbow Mountains are breathtaking though one of the harder hikes I have done. I did not like Lima that much (Miraflores is ok) but Arequipa was an under rated city. Trulijo is a smaller city with some ancient ruins nearby, I think older than MP. Taking a flight over the Nazca Lines was a highlight of my trip here. Don't miss Paracas, Huachchina, and Ica, all three are quaint little towns, Ica being the closest to Nazca if memory serves me correctly and there are some more cool ruins to see near here. Usually, I just take public transit, I find it is the best way to really get a pulse on a country, and have met some amazing people this way. But with Peru, I took Peru Hop for part of the trip and regret it a little as it was too touristy for my tastes but it is an option for some. I found just getting local buses to be more worthwhile.

Central America and the Caribbean

Panama - The Panama Canal is super impressive and the Old Town has a lot of potential but is poorly taken care of. Think Cartagena, but less effort has been put into maintaining it. I also found San Blas to be a less clean version of San Andres in Colombia. Still beautiful, but more exploited IMO and more touristy. I enjoyed El Valle de Antón in Central Panama and some of the views outside this town. Sadly, I found the beaches in the Southern half of Panama to be poorly taken care of, more so than any other Latin country I have been to and I was also robbed at gunpoint on one, the only truly terrifying experience I have had in nearly 40 countries.

Nicaragua - I only passed right through Managua without even stopping as I have heard there is not much there but the next biggest cities, Granada and Leon are very interesting, with great architecture. Leon really has a UNI type vibe to it, lots of energy. The humidity in both cities is oppressive, however, so be ready for that! San Juan del Sur is an underrated beach but the Corn Islands are truly where it's at! Be sure to also check out Ometepe and the volcanoes on this island. There are a few volcanoes I checked out near Leon, wish I could remember their names!

Honduras - San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa can safely be avoided. The most time I spent there, or most people, is simply as a stopover to other places. Comayagua is a beautiful little town NW of Tegucigalpa and worth the stop for its laid back vibe. Copan Ruins, of course, are a must. While not as huge as Tikal, the intricate details of the ruins are impressive. Sepulturas Ruins is even more empty. Santa Rosa de Copan is a decent town, worthy of a stay just for the fact that it provides easy access to Copan. Not sure many people visit Copan as, at one point, I was alone in the ruins! Omoa was the first town I went to in Honduras after crossing from Guatemala. It is ok, nothing to write home about, and has an odd vibe to it But a cool fortress in the town. I had a blast going to Utila and, with a kayak, was able to find a secluded beach. Many people go to Roatan. People often choose between Utila and Roatan. I guess Roatan is more lux, Utila is more for backpackers.

El Salvador - San Salvador has its parts, but the center of the city was sketchy to me. I checked out some ruins outside of San Salvador but don't remember the names . El Tunco is a laid back surfing town that is worth a visit even if you don't surf. El Zonte is cool too. Santa Ana Volcano is well worth the hike and lake Coatepeque is so relaxing.

Guatemala - Guatemala City ("Guate") is hit or miss as far as safety and places of interest and is split into zones. The most worthwhile (and safest zones) to visit are Zone 1, 2, 4 (cool graffiti), 10, and 14 (Cayala). Green Rush, within the city, is an interesting slice of nature in the city. Antigua, about 45 minutes from Guate is a gorgeous little town with stunning scenery. Guatemala is famous for its many volcanoes such as Picaya. As far as beaches, not much to speak of but Monterico and El Paredon are decent. A lot of people rave about Livingston but I found it to be so so and other parts of Izabal are more interesting. I remember getting bored in Livingston once and walking along the beach for some time before coming to something that looked like a mini Semuc Champey. By the way, Semuc Champey is one of the coolest places of nature I have ever seen. I saw that on my way back from Tikal. Tikal, along with Angkor Wat and Michu Pichu are three of the coolest ruins I have ever seen and likely anyone will see! If you go on a tour, you can listen to the howler monkeys at 3 am in the morning. Yaxha, maybe two hours from Tikal, should not be missed either. Flores, near Tikal, is a worthwhile town to check out. Finally, Lake Atitlan is a beautiful lake but sadly it has become very polluted but still provides tons of great views. There are dozens of little towns around the lake, all with their unique vibes such as Panajachel ("Pana", overrated IMO) and San Marcos. I have been to nearly 40 countries and some of the kindest people I have ever met were from Guatemala. Regardless of some of the ugly, stupid comments you might hear or read (even here I have read some truly ignorant s***) it is a worthwhile place to visit steeped in history. I never had anything close to an issue in my year here.

Belize - I have never been to Jamaica but this is kind of how I imagine it would be, tons of reggae, chilled people, and/or stone people here with tasty, spicy food. Very undeveloped and lots of nature. I enjoyed the beach towns Placencia and Hopkins, especially the later. Punta Gorda is ok, but not so many places to just chill. Near Hopkins is the Jaguar Preserve if you need a break from the beach and/or want to hike and I even went rafting down a river here, in the middle of the jungle! Lesser known is Laughing Bird Caye, but I enjoyed my visit there. Belize City can be safely missed EXCEPT for the easy access it provides to the Northern islands, this goes double for Belmopan. Belize = quaint, sleepy villages by the beach, stunning islands, and old ruins in the jungle wouldn't bother with anything else.

Cuba - Of course, Havana, but see it quick. I already noticed an influx of more modern cars in 2017. Trinidad is also a beautiful little town in Cuba and you can take tours to a waterfall, via horse, which is neat to see more nature in the country. La Boca is a very small beach town worth chilling at for a while. I also went to Cienfuegos. I remember taking a boat in the city to some odd town but there were some pristine, virgin beaches near the town which made it all worthwhile. Check out Playa Ancon too.

Mexico - I lived here for a year in Monterrey (3rd largest city in the country). I felt like, at times, Monterrey took the worst from the US and the worst from Mexico and mixed it all together in some odd mini USA/Mexico hybrid. The city does not have much of an identity and it is home to some of the least friendly people in the country but I did meet a solid group of friends here and there are some decent museums, quite a lot in fact. The food here is not great but if you meet some friends you will enjoy the best barbeques ever. My goodness locals here know how to cook meat on the grill, so tasty! Nearby Santiago is worth a visit. Still, Mexico City is vastly superior as far as the people and food, and visiting nearby Teotihuacán is mandatory. Guadalajara, still, is even better, I love Jalisco! Small towns such as Tequilla, Ajijic, Lake Chapala, Mazamitla (Mexico's version of Switzerland) were incredible and even random towns in the region had at least something to offer like Tepic, La Manzanilla de la Paz, and Tepatitlan although those three can safely be avoided if there is not much time. Tulum is awesome and laid back and has Chichén Itzá, which alone makes traveling to this part of Mexico worth it. However, I found Playa del Carmen and Cozumel to be overrated. Merida is ok but I liked Valladoid more. Be sure to visit some cenotes while in this area too! Also, check out Puebla south of CDMX! Puerto Vallarta is super crowded and overrated but some of the beaches a short drive away can be nice as well as places around Islas Mujeres.

If I think of more I will edit and add to this, perhaps with italics.

Post/handle

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I lived in Guatemala for a year, Mexico for a year, and Colombia for 3.5 years and traveled around a bit, I can offer some advice.

TLDR version: All countries are bolded so skip the ones you don't want to read about and go to the ones that are interesting to you out of the following: Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, Cuba, and Mexico.

SOUTH AMERICA

Colombia - As other people have mentioned, Cartagena is beautiful. But San Andres is even better and some of the smaller islands off of San Andres are some of the most beautiful beaches I have seen in my life. As someone else stated, many people go to Medellin but the rest of the region is gorgeous too and there are a lot of small towns near Medellin worth seeing: Jardin, Santa Fe and Guatape, as well as many others, plus Parque Avri on the outskirts of the city. Near Guatape is El Penon de Guatape, a stunning display of nature. San Rafael itself is a terrible town but there is some incredible nature for those willing to explore a little. The Coffee Region, Manizales (underrated city), Salento (small hippyish type town with a great light walk leading to a view of the city) are also worth visiting. I did not care for Bucaramanga much but Giron and especially Barichara are so pretty. Yopal is a huge part of Colombia that is just flat for as far as the eye can see. Colombia has it all: Rain Forests, beaches, mountains, deserts, and flatlands like a Savanah, the second most diverse country in the world as far as different types of ecosystems including the Páramo which can only be found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Finally, Moxpox is an awesome little town, one of the most peaceful in South America!

Bogota is fine as far as safety as well as long you stick to the beaten path and there are some cool towns to check out for those on an extended stay like Villa de Leyva, Guatavita, Guasca, Tabio, Tenjo, and Suesca. If pressed for time the first two on that list are the best to see. Chingaza near Bogota is a beautiful nature place. I lived here for 2 years as well as La Calera (countryside) and Cajica for a year. For longer-term stays, every town around Bogota mentioned above, as well as La Calera, Cajicá, and Chía are of interest. Playa del Belen is a little further but very much worth it. Finally, avoid VivaColombia like the plague! Finally, for any visitor, avoid the topic of Escobar as it is so boring to most Colombians who want nothing to do with that and it will only lead to eye rolls (rightfully so) although there are small pockets in and around Medellin who practically worship him (he did invest a lot of money in poor neighborhoods in Medellin but he bombed Bogota so the very large majority of Bogota locals detest him or, at the very least just want to erase memories of him).

Ecuador - Quito is ok for the day but Banos is a great place for people who love extreme sports. I did rappelling and bungee jumping here. Mindo is another great day trip from the city and provides some wonderful hiking nearby. You can see the equator which is worth it (Mitad del Mundo) and maybe an hour from Quito. Cuenca is a smaller, neat little city, much more worthwhile than Quito IMO and has a lot of nature you can check out for the day. Guayaquil is ok, met a few friends from there. Cotopaxi = incredible nature, well worth the hike.

Bolivia - I did not care for La Paz but enjoyed everything else. Chocobamba is a neat city with some small mountains on the outskirts of the city which provide a good view of the city. The Salt flats are something most people have heard but there are a lot of other unique nature places that can be seen around the Salt Flats during a multi-day tour. Toro toro (beautiful nature) should not be missed either. Sucre is one of my favorite cities in South America. Potosi is pretty cool and one of the highest (altitude) cities in the world.. Lake Titicaca is a must.

Peru - Of course, Machu Picchu is a must but I could not stand the town (Aguas Calientes) near it and found it to be super overrated and with much higher prices than anywhere else in Peru. Cusco has plenty to offer and the Rainbow Mountains are breathtaking though one of the harder hikes I have done. I did not like Lima that much (Miraflores is ok) but Arequipa was an under rated city. Trulijo is a smaller city with some ancient ruins nearby, I think older than MP. Taking a flight over the Nazca Lines was a highlight of my trip here. Don't miss Paracas, Huachchina, and Ica, all three are quaint little towns, Ica being the closest to Nazca if memory serves me correctly and there are some more cool ruins to see near here. Usually, I just take public transit, I find it is the best way to really get a pulse on a country, and have met some amazing people this way. But with Peru, I took Peru Hop for part of the trip and regret it a little as it was too touristy for my tastes but it is an option for some. I found just getting local buses to be more worthwhile.

Central America and the Caribbean

Panama - The Panama Canal is super impressive and the Old Town has a lot of potential but is poorly taken care of. Think Cartagena, but less effort has been put into maintaining it. I also found San Blas to be a less clean version of San Andres in Colombia. Still beautiful, but more exploited IMO and more touristy. I enjoyed El Valle de Antón in Central Panama and some of the views outside this town. Sadly, I found the beaches in the Southern half of Panama to be poorly taken care of, more so than any other Latin country I have been to and I was also robbed at gunpoint on one, the only truly terrifying experience I have had in nearly 40 countries.

Nicaragua - I only passed right through Managua without even stopping as I have heard there is not much there but the next biggest cities, Granada and Leon are very interesting, with great architecture. Leon really has a UNI type vibe to it, lots of energy. The humidity in both cities is oppressive, however, so be ready for that! San Juan del Sur is an underrated beach but the Corn Islands are truly where it's at! Be sure to also check out Ometepe and the volcanoes on this island. There are a few volcanoes I checked out near Leon, wish I could remember their names!

Honduras - San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa can safely be avoided. The most time I spent there, or most people, is simply as a stopover to other places. Comayagua is a beautiful little town NW of Tegucigalpa and worth the stop for its laid back vibe. Copan Ruins, of course, are a must. While not as huge as Tikal, the intricate details of the ruins are impressive. Sepulturas Ruins is even more empty. Santa Rosa de Copan is a decent town, worthy of a stay just for the fact that it provides easy access to Copan. Not sure many people visit Copan as, at one point, I was alone in the ruins! Omoa was the first town I went to in Honduras after crossing from Guatemala. It is ok, nothing to write home about, and has an odd vibe to it But a cool fortress in the town. I had a blast going to Utila and, with a kayak, was able to find a secluded beach. Many people go to Roatan. People often choose between Utila and Roatan. I guess Roatan is more lux, Utila is more for backpackers.

El Salvador - San Salvador has its parts, but the center of the city was sketchy to me. I checked out some ruins outside of San Salvador but don't remember the names . El Tunco is a laid back surfing town that is worth a visit even if you don't surf. El Zonte is cool too. Santa Ana Volcano is well worth the hike and lake Coatepeque is so relaxing.

Guatemala - Guatemala City ("Guate") is hit or miss as far as safety and places of interest and is split into zones. The most worthwhile (and safest zones) to visit are Zone 1, 2, 4 (cool graffiti), 10, and 14 (Cayala). Green Rush, within the city, is an interesting slice of nature in the city. Antigua, about 45 minutes from Guate is a gorgeous little town with stunning scenery. Guatemala is famous for its many volcanoes such as Picaya. As far as beaches, not much to speak of but Monterico and El Paredon are decent. A lot of people rave about Livingston but I found it to be so so and other parts of Izabal are more interesting. I remember getting bored in Livingston once and walking along the beach for some time before coming to something that looked like a mini Semuc Champey. By the way, Semuc Champey is one of the coolest places of nature I have ever seen. I saw that on my way back from Tikal. Tikal, along with Angkor Wat and Michu Pichu are three of the coolest ruins I have ever seen and likely anyone will see! If you go on a tour, you can listen to the howler monkeys at 3 am in the morning. Yaxha, maybe two hours from Tikal, should not be missed either. Flores, near Tikal, is a worthwhile town to check out. Finally, Lake Atitlan is a beautiful lake but sadly it has become very polluted but still provides tons of great views. There are dozens of little towns around the lake, all with their unique vibes such as Panajachel ("Pana", overrated IMO) and San Marcos. I have been to nearly 40 countries and some of the kindest people I have ever met were from Guatemala. Regardless of some of the ugly, stupid comments you might hear or read (even here I have read some truly ignorant s***) it is a worthwhile place to visit steeped in history. I never had anything close to an issue in my year here.

Belize - I have never been to Jamaica but this is kind of how I imagine it would be, tons of reggae, chilled people, and/or stone people here with tasty, spicy food. Very undeveloped and lots of nature. I enjoyed the beach towns Placencia and Hopkins, especially the later. Punta Gorda is ok, but not so many places to just chill. Near Hopkins is the Jaguar Preserve if you need a break from the beach and/or want to hike and I even went rafting down a river here, in the middle of the jungle! Lesser known is Laughing Bird Caye, but I enjoyed my visit there. Belize City can be safely missed EXCEPT for the easy access it provides to the Northern islands, this goes double for Belmopan. Belize = quaint, sleepy villages by the beach, stunning islands, and old ruins in the jungle wouldn't bother with anything else.

Cuba - Of course, Havana, but see it quick. I already noticed an influx of more modern cars in 2017. Trinidad is also a beautiful little town in Cuba and you can take tours to a waterfall, via horse, which is neat to see more nature in the country. La Boca is a very small beach town worth chilling at for a while. I also went to Cienfuegos. I remember taking a boat in the city to some odd town but there were some pristine, virgin beaches near the town which made it all worthwhile. Check out Playa Ancon too.

Mexico - I lived here for a year in Monterrey (3rd largest city in the country). I felt like, at times, Monterrey took the worst from the US and the worst from Mexico and mixed it all together in some odd mini USA/Mexico hybrid. The city does not have much of an identity and it is home to some of the least friendly people in the country but I did meet a solid group of friends here and there are some decent museums, quite a lot in fact. The food here is not great but if you meet some friends you will enjoy the best barbeques ever. My goodness locals here know how to cook meat on the grill, so tasty! Nearby Santiago is worth a visit. Still, Mexico City is vastly superior as far as the people and food, and visiting nearby Teotihuacán is mandatory. Guadalajara, still, is even better, I love Jalisco! Small towns such as Tequilla, Ajijic, Lake Chapala, Mazamitla (Mexico's version of Switzerland) were incredible and even random towns in the region had at least something to offer like Tepic, La Manzanilla de la Paz, and Tepatitlan although those three can safely be avoided if there is not much time. Tulum is awesome and laid back and has Chichén Itzá, which alone makes traveling to this part of Mexico worth it. However, I found Playa del Carmen and Cozumel to be overrated. Merida is ok but I liked Valladoid more. Be sure to visit some cenotes while in this area too! Also, check out Puebla south of CDMX! Puerto Vallarta is super crowded and overrated but some of the beaches a short drive away can be nice as well as places around Islas Mujeres.

If I think of more I will edit and add to this, perhaps with italics.

This is good stuff.

 

[husky429]

Most American response ever, Florida blows.

The only good parts of Florida are the Keys and parts of Miami. Everywhere else sucks. And the panhandle is the buttcrack of America. My fiancé grew up in DEEP Appalachia and only managed to get out because she's more motivated than 99% of people and smart as a whip--even she thought the Panhandle was trash when we drove through.

Only slightly related, but the adults who loveee Disney World are a breed of crazy I will never connect with. Those people are freaks.

 

[CL82]

Ok, what's the national flower of El Salvador, smart guy?

Uh the izote? If you are going to test him, ask him something tough.

 

[SC Husky]

I lived in Guatemala for a year, Mexico for a year, and Colombia for 3.5 years and traveled around a bit, I can offer some advice.

TLDR version: All countries are bolded so skip the ones you don't want to read about and go to the ones that are interesting to you out of the following: Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, Cuba, and Mexico.

SOUTH AMERICA

Colombia - As other people have mentioned, Cartagena is beautiful. But San Andres is even better and some of the smaller islands off of San Andres are some of the most beautiful beaches I have seen in my life. As someone else stated, many people go to Medellin but the rest of the region is gorgeous too and there are a lot of small towns near Medellin worth seeing: Jardin, Santa Fe and Guatape, as well as many others, plus Parque Avri on the outskirts of the city. Near Guatape is El Penon de Guatape, a stunning display of nature. San Rafael itself is a terrible town but there is some incredible nature for those willing to explore a little. The Coffee Region, Manizales (underrated city), Salento (small hippyish type town with a great light walk leading to a view of the city) are also worth visiting. I did not care for Bucaramanga much but Giron and especially Barichara are so pretty. Yopal is a huge part of Colombia that is just flat for as far as the eye can see. Colombia has it all: Rain Forests, beaches, mountains, deserts, and flatlands like a Savanah, the second most diverse country in the world as far as different types of ecosystems including the Páramo which can only be found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Finally, Moxpox is an awesome little town, one of the most peaceful in South America!

Bogota is fine as far as safety as well as long you stick to the beaten path and there are some cool towns to check out for those on an extended stay like Villa de Leyva, Guatavita, Guasca, Tabio, Tenjo, and Suesca. If pressed for time the first two on that list are the best to see. Chingaza near Bogota is a beautiful nature place. I lived here for 2 years as well as La Calera (countryside) and Cajica for a year. For longer-term stays, every town around Bogota mentioned above, as well as La Calera, Cajicá, and Chía are of interest. Playa del Belen is a little further but very much worth it. Finally, avoid VivaColombia like the plague! Finally, for any visitor, avoid the topic of Escobar as it is so boring to most Colombians who want nothing to do with that and it will only lead to eye rolls (rightfully so) although there are small pockets in and around Medellin who practically worship him (he did invest a lot of money in poor neighborhoods in Medellin but he bombed Bogota so the very large majority of Bogota locals detest him or, at the very least just want to erase memories of him).

Ecuador - Quito is ok for the day but Banos is a great place for people who love extreme sports. I did rappelling and bungee jumping here. Mindo is another great day trip from the city and provides some wonderful hiking nearby. You can see the equator which is worth it (Mitad del Mundo) and maybe an hour from Quito. Cuenca is a smaller, neat little city, much more worthwhile than Quito IMO and has a lot of nature you can check out for the day. Guayaquil is ok, met a few friends from there. Cotopaxi = incredible nature, well worth the hike.

Bolivia - I did not care for La Paz but enjoyed everything else. Chocobamba is a neat city with some small mountains on the outskirts of the city which provide a good view of the city. The Salt flats are something most people have heard but there are a lot of other unique nature places that can be seen around the Salt Flats during a multi-day tour. Toro toro (beautiful nature) should not be missed either. Sucre is one of my favorite cities in South America. Potosi is pretty cool and one of the highest (altitude) cities in the world.. Lake Titicaca is a must.

Peru - Of course, Machu Picchu is a must but I could not stand the town (Aguas Calientes) near it and found it to be super overrated and with much higher prices than anywhere else in Peru. Cusco has plenty to offer and the Rainbow Mountains are breathtaking though one of the harder hikes I have done. I did not like Lima that much (Miraflores is ok) but Arequipa was an under rated city. Trulijo is a smaller city with some ancient ruins nearby, I think older than MP. Taking a flight over the Nazca Lines was a highlight of my trip here. Don't miss Paracas, Huachchina, and Ica, all three are quaint little towns, Ica being the closest to Nazca if memory serves me correctly and there are some more cool ruins to see near here. Usually, I just take public transit, I find it is the best way to really get a pulse on a country, and have met some amazing people this way. But with Peru, I took Peru Hop for part of the trip and regret it a little as it was too touristy for my tastes but it is an option for some. I found just getting local buses to be more worthwhile.

Central America and the Caribbean

Panama - The Panama Canal is super impressive and the Old Town has a lot of potential but is poorly taken care of. Think Cartagena, but less effort has been put into maintaining it. I also found San Blas to be a less clean version of San Andres in Colombia. Still beautiful, but more exploited IMO and more touristy. I enjoyed El Valle de Antón in Central Panama and some of the views outside this town. Sadly, I found the beaches in the Southern half of Panama to be poorly taken care of, more so than any other Latin country I have been to and I was also robbed at gunpoint on one, the only truly terrifying experience I have had in nearly 40 countries.

Nicaragua - I only passed right through Managua without even stopping as I have heard there is not much there but the next biggest cities, Granada and Leon are very interesting, with great architecture. Leon really has a UNI type vibe to it, lots of energy. The humidity in both cities is oppressive, however, so be ready for that! San Juan del Sur is an underrated beach but the Corn Islands are truly where it's at! Be sure to also check out Ometepe and the volcanoes on this island. There are a few volcanoes I checked out near Leon, wish I could remember their names!

Honduras - San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa can safely be avoided. The most time I spent there, or most people, is simply as a stopover to other places. Comayagua is a beautiful little town NW of Tegucigalpa and worth the stop for its laid back vibe. Copan Ruins, of course, are a must. While not as huge as Tikal, the intricate details of the ruins are impressive. Sepulturas Ruins is even more empty. Santa Rosa de Copan is a decent town, worthy of a stay just for the fact that it provides easy access to Copan. Not sure many people visit Copan as, at one point, I was alone in the ruins! Omoa was the first town I went to in Honduras after crossing from Guatemala. It is ok, nothing to write home about, and has an odd vibe to it But a cool fortress in the town. I had a blast going to Utila and, with a kayak, was able to find a secluded beach. Many people go to Roatan. People often choose between Utila and Roatan. I guess Roatan is more lux, Utila is more for backpackers.

El Salvador - San Salvador has its parts, but the center of the city was sketchy to me. I checked out some ruins outside of San Salvador but don't remember the names . El Tunco is a laid back surfing town that is worth a visit even if you don't surf. El Zonte is cool too. Santa Ana Volcano is well worth the hike and lake Coatepeque is so relaxing.

Guatemala - Guatemala City ("Guate") is hit or miss as far as safety and places of interest and is split into zones. The most worthwhile (and safest zones) to visit are Zone 1, 2, 4 (cool graffiti), 10, and 14 (Cayala). Green Rush, within the city, is an interesting slice of nature in the city. Antigua, about 45 minutes from Guate is a gorgeous little town with stunning scenery. Guatemala is famous for its many volcanoes such as Picaya. As far as beaches, not much to speak of but Monterico and El Paredon are decent. A lot of people rave about Livingston but I found it to be so so and other parts of Izabal are more interesting. I remember getting bored in Livingston once and walking along the beach for some time before coming to something that looked like a mini Semuc Champey. By the way, Semuc Champey is one of the coolest places of nature I have ever seen. I saw that on my way back from Tikal. Tikal, along with Angkor Wat and Michu Pichu are three of the coolest ruins I have ever seen and likely anyone will see! If you go on a tour, you can listen to the howler monkeys at 3 am in the morning. Yaxha, maybe two hours from Tikal, should not be missed either. Flores, near Tikal, is a worthwhile town to check out. Finally, Lake Atitlan is a beautiful lake but sadly it has become very polluted but still provides tons of great views. There are dozens of little towns around the lake, all with their unique vibes such as Panajachel ("Pana", overrated IMO) and San Marcos. I have been to nearly 40 countries and some of the kindest people I have ever met were from Guatemala. Regardless of some of the ugly, stupid comments you might hear or read (even here I have read some truly ignorant s***) it is a worthwhile place to visit steeped in history. I never had anything close to an issue in my year here.

Belize - I have never been to Jamaica but this is kind of how I imagine it would be, tons of reggae, chilled people, and/or stone people here with tasty, spicy food. Very undeveloped and lots of nature. I enjoyed the beach towns Placencia and Hopkins, especially the later. Punta Gorda is ok, but not so many places to just chill. Near Hopkins is the Jaguar Preserve if you need a break from the beach and/or want to hike and I even went rafting down a river here, in the middle of the jungle! Lesser known is Laughing Bird Caye, but I enjoyed my visit there. Belize City can be safely missed EXCEPT for the easy access it provides to the Northern islands, this goes double for Belmopan. Belize = quaint, sleepy villages by the beach, stunning islands, and old ruins in the jungle wouldn't bother with anything else.

Cuba - Of course, Havana, but see it quick. I already noticed an influx of more modern cars in 2017. Trinidad is also a beautiful little town in Cuba and you can take tours to a waterfall, via horse, which is neat to see more nature in the country. La Boca is a very small beach town worth chilling at for a while. I also went to Cienfuegos. I remember taking a boat in the city to some odd town but there were some pristine, virgin beaches near the town which made it all worthwhile. Check out Playa Ancon too.

Mexico - I lived here for a year in Monterrey (3rd largest city in the country). I felt like, at times, Monterrey took the worst from the US and the worst from Mexico and mixed it all together in some odd mini USA/Mexico hybrid. The city does not have much of an identity and it is home to some of the least friendly people in the country but I did meet a solid group of friends here and there are some decent museums, quite a lot in fact. The food here is not great but if you meet some friends you will enjoy the best barbeques ever. My goodness locals here know how to cook meat on the grill, so tasty! Nearby Santiago is worth a visit. Still, Mexico City is vastly superior as far as the people and food, and visiting nearby Teotihuacán is mandatory. Guadalajara, still, is even better, I love Jalisco! Small towns such as Tequilla, Ajijic, Lake Chapala, Mazamitla (Mexico's version of Switzerland) were incredible and even random towns in the region had at least something to offer like Tepic, La Manzanilla de la Paz, and Tepatitlan although those three can safely be avoided if there is not much time. Tulum is awesome and laid back and has Chichén Itzá, which alone makes traveling to this part of Mexico worth it. However, I found Playa del Carmen and Cozumel to be overrated. Merida is ok but I liked Valladoid more. Be sure to visit some cenotes while in this area too! Also, check out Puebla south of CDMX! Puerto Vallarta is super crowded and overrated but some of the beaches a short drive away can be nice as well as places around Islas Mujeres.

If I think of more I will edit and add to this, perhaps with italics.

Re: Colombia: Yes, I agree that ST. Andreas has the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen. I remember seeing various colors water (in a good way) when traveling between the main island and the smaller islands. But it’s tough to compare Cartagena and ST. Andreas. Cartagena is a pretty big city and it offers more than just beaches.

 

[HooperScooper]

I lived in Guatemala for a year, Mexico for a year, and Colombia for 3.5 years and traveled around a bit, I can offer some advice.

TLDR version: All countries are bolded so skip the ones you don't want to read about and go to the ones that are interesting to you out of the following: Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, Cuba, and Mexico.

I hope Conndog gives you a triple like for this. And maybe lets you stay with him for at least a week to wherever he decides to live.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

I lived in Guatemala for a year, Mexico for a year, and Colombia for 3.5 years and traveled around a bit, I can offer some advice.

TLDR version: All countries are bolded so skip the ones you don't want to read about and go to the ones that are interesting to you out of the following: Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, Cuba, and Mexico.

SOUTH AMERICA

Colombia - As other people have mentioned, Cartagena is beautiful. But San Andres is even better and some of the smaller islands off of San Andres are some of the most beautiful beaches I have seen in my life. As someone else stated, many people go to Medellin but the rest of the region is gorgeous too and there are a lot of small towns near Medellin worth seeing: Jardin, Santa Fe and Guatape, as well as many others, plus Parque Avri on the outskirts of the city. Near Guatape is El Penon de Guatape, a stunning display of nature. San Rafael itself is a terrible town but there is some incredible nature for those willing to explore a little. The Coffee Region, Manizales (underrated city), Salento (small hippyish type town with a great light walk leading to a view of the city) are also worth visiting. I did not care for Bucaramanga much but Giron and especially Barichara are so pretty. Yopal is a huge part of Colombia that is just flat for as far as the eye can see. Colombia has it all: Rain Forests, beaches, mountains, deserts, and flatlands like a Savanah, the second most diverse country in the world as far as different types of ecosystems including the Páramo which can only be found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Finally, Moxpox is an awesome little town, one of the most peaceful in South America!

Bogota is fine as far as safety as well as long you stick to the beaten path and there are some cool towns to check out for those on an extended stay like Villa de Leyva, Guatavita, Guasca, Tabio, Tenjo, and Suesca. If pressed for time the first two on that list are the best to see. Chingaza near Bogota is a beautiful nature place. I lived here for 2 years as well as La Calera (countryside) and Cajica for a year. For longer-term stays, every town around Bogota mentioned above, as well as La Calera, Cajicá, and Chía are of interest. Playa del Belen is a little further but very much worth it. Finally, avoid VivaColombia like the plague! Finally, for any visitor, avoid the topic of Escobar as it is so boring to most Colombians who want nothing to do with that and it will only lead to eye rolls (rightfully so) although there are small pockets in and around Medellin who practically worship him (he did invest a lot of money in poor neighborhoods in Medellin but he bombed Bogota so the very large majority of Bogota locals detest him or, at the very least just want to erase memories of him).

Ecuador - Quito is ok for the day but Banos is a great place for people who love extreme sports. I did rappelling and bungee jumping here. Mindo is another great day trip from the city and provides some wonderful hiking nearby. You can see the equator which is worth it (Mitad del Mundo) and maybe an hour from Quito. Cuenca is a smaller, neat little city, much more worthwhile than Quito IMO and has a lot of nature you can check out for the day. Guayaquil is ok, met a few friends from there. Cotopaxi = incredible nature, well worth the hike.

Bolivia - I did not care for La Paz but enjoyed everything else. Chocobamba is a neat city with some small mountains on the outskirts of the city which provide a good view of the city. The Salt flats are something most people have heard but there are a lot of other unique nature places that can be seen around the Salt Flats during a multi-day tour. Toro toro (beautiful nature) should not be missed either. Sucre is one of my favorite cities in South America. Potosi is pretty cool and one of the highest (altitude) cities in the world.. Lake Titicaca is a must.

Peru - Of course, Machu Picchu is a must but I could not stand the town (Aguas Calientes) near it and found it to be super overrated and with much higher prices than anywhere else in Peru. Cusco has plenty to offer and the Rainbow Mountains are breathtaking though one of the harder hikes I have done. I did not like Lima that much (Miraflores is ok) but Arequipa was an under rated city. Trulijo is a smaller city with some ancient ruins nearby, I think older than MP. Taking a flight over the Nazca Lines was a highlight of my trip here. Don't miss Paracas, Huachchina, and Ica, all three are quaint little towns, Ica being the closest to Nazca if memory serves me correctly and there are some more cool ruins to see near here. Usually, I just take public transit, I find it is the best way to really get a pulse on a country, and have met some amazing people this way. But with Peru, I took Peru Hop for part of the trip and regret it a little as it was too touristy for my tastes but it is an option for some. I found just getting local buses to be more worthwhile.

Central America and the Caribbean

Panama - The Panama Canal is super impressive and the Old Town has a lot of potential but is poorly taken care of. Think Cartagena, but less effort has been put into maintaining it. I also found San Blas to be a less clean version of San Andres in Colombia. Still beautiful, but more exploited IMO and more touristy. I enjoyed El Valle de Antón in Central Panama and some of the views outside this town. Sadly, I found the beaches in the Southern half of Panama to be poorly taken care of, more so than any other Latin country I have been to and I was also robbed at gunpoint on one, the only truly terrifying experience I have had in nearly 40 countries.

Nicaragua - I only passed right through Managua without even stopping as I have heard there is not much there but the next biggest cities, Granada and Leon are very interesting, with great architecture. Leon really has a UNI type vibe to it, lots of energy. The humidity in both cities is oppressive, however, so be ready for that! San Juan del Sur is an underrated beach but the Corn Islands are truly where it's at! Be sure to also check out Ometepe and the volcanoes on this island. There are a few volcanoes I checked out near Leon, wish I could remember their names!

Honduras - San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa can safely be avoided. The most time I spent there, or most people, is simply as a stopover to other places. Comayagua is a beautiful little town NW of Tegucigalpa and worth the stop for its laid back vibe. Copan Ruins, of course, are a must. While not as huge as Tikal, the intricate details of the ruins are impressive. Sepulturas Ruins is even more empty. Santa Rosa de Copan is a decent town, worthy of a stay just for the fact that it provides easy access to Copan. Not sure many people visit Copan as, at one point, I was alone in the ruins! Omoa was the first town I went to in Honduras after crossing from Guatemala. It is ok, nothing to write home about, and has an odd vibe to it But a cool fortress in the town. I had a blast going to Utila and, with a kayak, was able to find a secluded beach. Many people go to Roatan. People often choose between Utila and Roatan. I guess Roatan is more lux, Utila is more for backpackers.

El Salvador - San Salvador has its parts, but the center of the city was sketchy to me. I checked out some ruins outside of San Salvador but don't remember the names . El Tunco is a laid back surfing town that is worth a visit even if you don't surf. El Zonte is cool too. Santa Ana Volcano is well worth the hike and lake Coatepeque is so relaxing.

Guatemala - Guatemala City ("Guate") is hit or miss as far as safety and places of interest and is split into zones. The most worthwhile (and safest zones) to visit are Zone 1, 2, 4 (cool graffiti), 10, and 14 (Cayala). Green Rush, within the city, is an interesting slice of nature in the city. Antigua, about 45 minutes from Guate is a gorgeous little town with stunning scenery. Guatemala is famous for its many volcanoes such as Picaya. As far as beaches, not much to speak of but Monterico and El Paredon are decent. A lot of people rave about Livingston but I found it to be so so and other parts of Izabal are more interesting. I remember getting bored in Livingston once and walking along the beach for some time before coming to something that looked like a mini Semuc Champey. By the way, Semuc Champey is one of the coolest places of nature I have ever seen. I saw that on my way back from Tikal. Tikal, along with Angkor Wat and Michu Pichu are three of the coolest ruins I have ever seen and likely anyone will see! If you go on a tour, you can listen to the howler monkeys at 3 am in the morning. Yaxha, maybe two hours from Tikal, should not be missed either. Flores, near Tikal, is a worthwhile town to check out. Finally, Lake Atitlan is a beautiful lake but sadly it has become very polluted but still provides tons of great views. There are dozens of little towns around the lake, all with their unique vibes such as Panajachel ("Pana", overrated IMO) and San Marcos. I have been to nearly 40 countries and some of the kindest people I have ever met were from Guatemala. Regardless of some of the ugly, stupid comments you might hear or read (even here I have read some truly ignorant s***) it is a worthwhile place to visit steeped in history. I never had anything close to an issue in my year here.

Belize - I have never been to Jamaica but this is kind of how I imagine it would be, tons of reggae, chilled people, and/or stone people here with tasty, spicy food. Very undeveloped and lots of nature. I enjoyed the beach towns Placencia and Hopkins, especially the later. Punta Gorda is ok, but not so many places to just chill. Near Hopkins is the Jaguar Preserve if you need a break from the beach and/or want to hike and I even went rafting down a river here, in the middle of the jungle! Lesser known is Laughing Bird Caye, but I enjoyed my visit there. Belize City can be safely missed EXCEPT for the easy access it provides to the Northern islands, this goes double for Belmopan. Belize = quaint, sleepy villages by the beach, stunning islands, and old ruins in the jungle wouldn't bother with anything else.

Cuba - Of course, Havana, but see it quick. I already noticed an influx of more modern cars in 2017. Trinidad is also a beautiful little town in Cuba and you can take tours to a waterfall, via horse, which is neat to see more nature in the country. La Boca is a very small beach town worth chilling at for a while. I also went to Cienfuegos. I remember taking a boat in the city to some odd town but there were some pristine, virgin beaches near the town which made it all worthwhile. Check out Playa Ancon too.

Mexico - I lived here for a year in Monterrey (3rd largest city in the country). I felt like, at times, Monterrey took the worst from the US and the worst from Mexico and mixed it all together in some odd mini USA/Mexico hybrid. The city does not have much of an identity and it is home to some of the least friendly people in the country but I did meet a solid group of friends here and there are some decent museums, quite a lot in fact. The food here is not great but if you meet some friends you will enjoy the best barbeques ever. My goodness locals here know how to cook meat on the grill, so tasty! Nearby Santiago is worth a visit. Still, Mexico City is vastly superior as far as the people and food, and visiting nearby Teotihuacán is mandatory. Guadalajara, still, is even better, I love Jalisco! Small towns such as Tequilla, Ajijic, Lake Chapala, Mazamitla (Mexico's version of Switzerland) were incredible and even random towns in the region had at least something to offer like Tepic, La Manzanilla de la Paz, and Tepatitlan although those three can safely be avoided if there is not much time. Tulum is awesome and laid back and has Chichén Itzá, which alone makes traveling to this part of Mexico worth it. However, I found Playa del Carmen and Cozumel to be overrated. Merida is ok but I liked Valladoid more. Be sure to visit some cenotes while in this area too! Also, check out Puebla south of CDMX! Puerto Vallarta is super crowded and overrated but some of the beaches a short drive away can be nice as well as places around Islas Mujeres.

If I think of more I will edit and add to this, perhaps with italics.

'Tikal, along with Angkor Wat and Michu Pichu are three of the coolest ruins I have ever seen and likely anyone will see!'
egypt. the loong boat trip on the nile, stopping periodically to see stuff from 3500, 4500, and so on years ago, takes the cake, but hopefully soon, the sumer tigris/euphrates movie will be available for viewing. too bad alex burned persepolis to the ground. that town was banging 2600 hundred years back. and then there's greece, turkey, and israel.
epic. here's a pic of representatives from the known world, walking up the steps to bring goodies to the boss in persepolis. no worries, it's a dry heat, like arizona, and not anything like that wet heat of se asia or the caribbean.

 

[J187Money]

My wife refuses to go to Mexico anymore
we both loved Cabo and it’s less than 2 hours from Phoenix.

That's where we spend time - was there for 6 weeks over the summer/fall. Was completely safe - would spend more time there if I could.