Im leaving in two weeks for the entire month of diciembre. FlyIng into GUA city and getting outta there asap.

I am taking a medium sized backpack with a few things and plan on a minamilst stylle trip--sleeping outdoors, lots of hiking, climbing, freshwater fishing, drinking when i can find a good nightlife, scuba/snork. Taking chicken buses everywhere i can.

Does Nicaragua or El Salvador have much to offer? Is spanish crucial, did you pay with dollars or convert, hows the food? Does anyone have stories, advice, helpful tips?

Destinations I'm trying to hit and spend time in:
Copan-Hon
San Pedro volcanoe-Gua
Livingston-Gua
Tela-Hon
La ceiba-Hon
Isla Utila-Hon

11/16/2012 10:38:23 AM

If you're already going to Lake Atitlan, go ahead and check out Antigua. It's a bit touristy, but cool. There is a volcano nearby where you can go right up to the lava (and jump in if you're feeling suicidal). Pretty easy hike, definitely worth it to descend into the bowl and see the gates of Mordor.

I hear Livingston can be kinda sketch. Didn't make it when I was in Guatemala. I went from Guatemala to Belize, didn't do Honduras so I can't help you on that leg of your trip.

11/16/2012 11:12:44 AM

I only go to Guatemala for the plastic surgery.



Sorry I had to, but seriously I'm interested in this as well.

11/16/2012 12:44:42 PM

take some guns and filibuster william walker style

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Walker_%28filibuster%29

11/16/2012 7:19:27 PM

^no
^^noted, I'll check the rates
^^^thanks, I saw it was en route...might be able to rent a dirtbike there, my one luxury expenditure

11/17/2012 2:23:57 AM

Volcan Pacaya near Antingua is a good hike and can check out out some lava flows. Tikal is the best for ancient ruins and plenty of wildlife. There are 3 places you can stay right at the entrance to the ruins in Tikal (forget the names). Flores is a decent town for the nights between Antigua and Tikal. Can take a bus from Tikal to San Ignacio, Belize and then make your way to the coast and cayes. I like Tabocco Cayes in Belize as it was small, decent snorkling, cheap and not too many people (about 5 acre island).

Granada, Nicaragua is a great town and makes for a good hub to do a number of nearby things... Swim/kayak in Laguna de apoyoyo (down in the crater of an extinct volcano), hike volcan mombacho, check out the islatas (tiny islands formed in lago de Nicaragua when side of volcan mombacho was blown off during a past eruption), and there is an island / ismuth is the middle of the lake formed from two volcanos that offer plenty of hiking as well.

11/20/2012 2:30:08 AM

Hey, I just did a C.A. trip for a couple of months, so I'll throw in my two cents. Didn't do any sleeping outdoors, so can't help you there. Definitely recommend/agree about the medium size backpack...just pack light/small, it makes the traveling so much easier, especially on the chicken buses (sucks walking past people with 1" room carrying a huge pack...plus if its small enough to sit with, you don't have to seek it out from above or wherever when its your stop). Spanish isn't required, but it would make your life a lot easier and more enjoyable (obvious post is obvious). Most places like hostels/restaurants/and touristy things took dollars. But I just felt more comfortable with quetzals or lempiras, etc. E.S. and Panama use dollars. Each ground border crossing you will have ample opportunities to exchange money...the rates these guys give are pretty fair...fair enough, in my opinion. You may get one or two who try to screw you, just politely say no and know that they are not your last option to exchange lol.

Guatemala: Quetzaltenango (Xela) en Guatemala is a pretty cool town/city. You can hike the highest peak in C.A. with a tour guide for pretty cheap...you'd camp overnight and make it to the summit by sunrise, its pretty sweet. Lago Atitlan and Antigua are kind of must-stops, being convenient travel-wise and very interesting (yeah there's a lot of tourists so don't expect much "culture"). Tikal of course would be cool to see, but if you're going to Copan, it's a bit out of the way (unless you do a round-about or want to see Belize). If you do go up there I would recommend Flores, as phried mentioned. Staying at the places right next to Tikal are pretty expensive I believe, but many say its worth it because you can see all of the wildlife on early morning hikes.

Honduras: I didn't do a whole lot in Honduras. Copan Ruinas is very cool. Quite a few things to do for a few days (ruins, museums, wildlife parks, hot springs, pretty good food). Gracias and Comayagua are decent colonial-city stops on the way East...but if you're going to Tela you'd probably avoid them on a more direct-route.

El Salvador doesn't have a ton tourist-wise, but I liked it quite a bit. Santa Ana, while not the greatest place to stay in itself, has a few things to see around there (crater lake, small ruins, museums). La Palma, near the Honduran border, is a cool small-town. There are several nearby mountains & such to hike. Plenty of Pac Coast beaches of course and surfing/whatnot in E.S.

Nicaragua: Granada, as mentioned above, is a cool city. Leon, its rival city, is cool as well with a ton of history (much of it causing anti-american sentiments, but I didn't think it was a big deal, I was treated fine). You can sled down the side of a volcano there, which was a blast. They clock you on how fast you go, and there are several hilarious busts. Isla Ometepe is beautiful and worth checking out (especially since you are doing a lot of hiking).

11/20/2012 7:34:36 PM