Central America and the Caribbean

The Mayans never realized they were laying the framework for a future travellers’ trail. Much of Central America – the Ruta Maya (the Mayan route) – has become just that. Alongside spectacular ruins set against jungle backdrops are coasts that please divers and surfers alike, plus desertscapes, mountains, gorges, welcoming indigenous peoples and prices that are gentle on your pocket. Keep moving east (better get on a boat for good measure) and you arrive at the Caribbean, a string of island nations that stretch across vodka-clear waters from Florida to South America. Though many are rich with culture, the all-inclusive, tradition-free holiday is the major revenue source. Few people take the time to venture past the duty-free shops, meaning that travellers are left with plenty to explore.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS

1 Bay Islands Honduras. Located 50km off the north coast of Honduras, these are the budget-travellers’ Caribbean islands. Western Roatán and all of Utila are, anyway. Guanaja and eastern Roatán have gone upmarket. This paradise has one little drawback, though: insatiable sandflies.

2 Cancún Mexico. In the 1960s a government computer chose this 20-kilometre strip of sand as the perfect place to build a tourist behemoth. Today, there are 140 hotels on the thin Yucatán island; it’s worth a visit to see what top-down dedication to sun tourism can achieve. As added bonuses, there is world-class diving on the nearby islands of Cozumel and Mujeres, and Mayan ruins within striking distance (Chichen Itza to the east, Tulum to the south).

3 Caribbean diving The crystalline waters of the Caribbean make most people want to do one thing: jump in. With a snorkel or a basic scuba course, you can peek through the looking glass at the coral reefs, wrecks and phosphorescent fish on the other side.

4 Panama Canal Panama. The 80-kilometre splitting of continents was completed in 1914, creating a man-made wonder that raises and lower ships 26m, a dammed river that became Gatun Lake, and the Culebra Cut, a 14-kilometre-long, 192-metre-wide channel through a mountain. It takes the 13,000–14,000 ships that use the canal annually about nine hours to cross. A huge expansion is under way, expected to double capacity by 2016.

5 Tikal Guatemala. Guatemala’s ancient Mayan ceremonial centre of temples, pyramids and plazas lies in the north of the country where it battles the ever-encroaching rainforest. Howler monkeys provide the soundtrack as you wander between the trees and ruins, feeling like you’re lost in your own Tintin adventure.

SECURITY ISSUES

It’s always a good idea to check the current political conditions before visiting a country (see Chapter 15), but the following are worth a little extra research: Guatemala, Haiti, northern Mexico.

WHEN TO GO

The chances of getting blasted by a Caribbean hurricane are slim at best, but it only takes one to toss your journey through a window or wrap it around a palm tree. With a close eye on the weather, these June to November storms can be avoided (most hit Aug–Oct), but it might mean an expensive last-minute flight. Also, because North American and European winter-sun worshippers get their tropical fix in the region, accommodation tends to fill up just after Christmas. Otherwise, with some minor highland-to-coast migration in certain spots to avoid rains or uncomfortably warm temperatures, it’s good all year around.

RECOMMENDED VACCINATIONS

Routine boosters for MMR, DPT and polio
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B (optional)
Rabies (optional)
Typhoid
Yellow fever (Panama, Trinidad and Tobago; required for entry in certain countries if arriving from affected areas)

GETTING AROUND BY AIR

International flight prices in Central America send a clear message to the budget traveller: take ground transport. Most of the Caribbean islands are within three hours of the southern US, but many flights stop a few times on the way to the more southerly destinations. However, if you can put a group together, a chartered flight among the islands shouldn’t cost you any more than a standard fare, and it’ll leave at your convenience. Caribbean air passes supply the most convenient way to see the islands; the only other options are hitching on yachts, using some of the limited ferry services, or doing expensive one-way hops.

LOWEST DAILY BUDGET

Expensive (£50/$78+):

Aruba, Barbados, Bahamas, Bonaire, Martinique, Puerto Rico, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Martin, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Turks and Caicos, Virgin Islands

Mid-range (£25–45/$39–70):

Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Cuba, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, coastal resorts of Mexico

Budget (£13–22/$20–34)

Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico (except the coastal resorts), Nicaragua, Panama

AIR PASSES

Visit North America oneworld.com. Allows travel to up to 250 destinations in 28 countries with One World Alliance airlines, including the US, Canada, Mexico and most of the Caribbean islands. Buy between two and ten coupons, priced depending on the distance you fly, and saving you as much as thirty percent on regular fares. Travellers must be from outside North America, and all flights must be confirmed when you book. The maximum stay in any one destination is sixty days.
North America Airpass staralliance.com. This Star Alliance pass allows travel to over 300 destinations in twenty countries, including Bermuda, Antigua, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica, the Caymans, Aruba and Barbados. It’s limited to three to ten coupons, which are priced according to how many you buy and where you begin. It doesn’t always represent a good deal – check other fares before you buy. You have to use all coupons within three months, and your itinerary must be set in advance, but can be changed for a service fee. Not available to residents of North America.

SAMPLE RETURN AIRFARES

Mexico City to:

Cancún £85/$133
Guatemala City £175/$273
Panama City £255/$400
San Salvador £195/$305

Miami to:

Martinique £450/$705
Puerto Rico £215/$336
St Thomas £225/$352

OVERLAND ROUTES

The major overland route runs between the US and South America, with a boat ride or flight to avoid the Darién Gap, a lawless, roadless, guerrilla-infested region between Panama and Colombia. The route runs through either Honduras or El Salvador and is most commonly done by bus. Driving private vehicles down from the US is also an option, but one that may prove more frustrating and come with more delays than the local transport. Ferries are also worth looking into in the Caribbean, and there’s always the option of hitching a ride on a yacht.

BUSES

In Central America, you’ve got everything from the chicken bus to the luxury bus, but mostly it’s just chicken buses. When planning overland routes, consider that any more than two or three hours in a day on one of these, particularly if you wouldn’t describe yourself as “petite”, is going to be punishing. There are direct buses from the US into Mexico and from Mexico to Belize and Guatemala. The relatively modern Tica buses ( web_icon ticabus.com) start in Tapachula in Chiapas, southern Mexico, and connect the major cities all the way to Panama City (you could run the length of the line in 81hr). In the Caribbean, most foreigners go by taxi or rental car, so the local buses, usually minibuses, are almost exclusively ridden by locals. The timing can be hard to calculate as most are privately operated, don’t run to schedule and can stop innumerable times on the way or make detours at the driver’s whim, which can mean plenty of delays by the time they arrive at their destination.

TRAINS

The Central American railway system isvirtually nonexistent, due to jungle, lack of planning or government privatization. Mexico has kept a few scenic tourist lines alive, such as the Copper Canyon run from Chihuahua to Los Mochis (15hr; web_icon railsnw.com).

FERRIES

Island-hopping ferry services in the Caribbean are simple in places and challenging in others. Between Martinique, Guadeloupe, Dominica and St Lucia there’s a high-speed catamaran service called L’Express des Iles which runs six days a week ( web_icon express-des-iles.com). Ferries in the Virgin Islands run regularly ( vinow.com/general_usvi/interisland_ferry). After that, it’s just the odd connection here and there. French St Martin and Anguilla are connected by a link called, aptly enough, The Link ( web_icon link.ai), which leaves three times daily and carries ninety passengers. Albury’s Ferry ( alburysferry.com) services the Bahamas between Great Guana and Scotland Cay, Man-O-War Cay, Hope Town and Marsh Harbour. There are also ferries linking Baja to mainland Mexico as well as between the Yucatán peninsula and the islands of Isla Mujeres, Cozumel and Holbox.

CARS

Rentals in the Caribbean and Central America can cost as much or more than in the US or Europe and, on top of that, some Caribbean countries like to make you buy a temporary visitors’ licence unless you have an international driving permit. In Central America, an international permit will be useful if you plan to spend some time behind the wheel. You may want to take a few taxi rides first to get a firsthand look at driving conduct (or lack thereof).

Buying a car or motorcycle in the US and driving overland is probably the best option for a long-term trip. To get a vehicle into Mexico, you don’t need a Carnet de Passage, but you’ll need to get a temporary import permit online, at a Mexican consulate, or at a Centro de Importación Temporal de Vehículos (CITV) counter, which handles temporary vehicle entries at the customs office near border crossings). A deposit is also required, refundable when you leave the country. The price depends on the age of your vehicle. You might also pick up some Mexican auto insurance while you’re there. The vehicle’s certificate of ownership must be in your name, and you’ll need a valid registration card and driving licence. Then, you can’t leave the country without the vehicle. If it’s wrecked, or you have an emergency, you must seek permission at the Federal Registry of Vehicles in Mexico City or a treasury (hacienda) office elsewhere. Petrol prices in Mexico are higher than in the US and there are very expensive toll roads. You’ll also be likely to encounter road blocks for drugs and weapons searches, so think twice (if it even requires that much thought) before you carry either in your car.

BIKES

Central American and Caribbean roads can be notoriously narrow, so you’re going to be swerving or balancing on what’s left of the road’s shoulder. In the large cities, it’s even more dangerous. So, while you’re riding you’ll want your bike to be as visible as possible. And when you’re not riding make sure your bike is discreet, hidden and locked. On smaller roads, however, cycling is gaining popularity. From June to September, the rains may make cycling an uncomfortable and muddy affair, but the rest of the year is fine weather-wise.

HITCHING

Hitching is not a part of the Central American tradition, largely because the local buses are so cheap. In fact, you’ll have a hard time to prevent the local buses from pulling over and offering a ride each time they pass. It can be done on less-frequented routes, though trucks (slow) and the back of pick-up trucks (unsafe) are the most common options. Your best bet is a posted note at a hostel or traveller café to share petrol costs with travellers who already have a vehicle.

READING LIST

Paula Burnett (ed) The Penguin Book of Caribbean Poetry
Zee Edgell Beka Lamb
Jamaica Kincaid A Small Place
E.A. Markham (ed) The Penguin Book of Caribbean Stories
V.S. Naipaul A House for Mr Biswas
Charles Portis Dog of the South
Jean Rhys Wide Sargasso Sea
Salman Rushdie The Jaguar Smile, a Nicaraguan Journey
Rosario Santos (ed) And We Sold the Rain: Contemporary Fiction from Central America
Paul Theroux The Mosquito Coast
Derek Walcott Omeros

VISAS

US, Canada and EU passport-holders can stay between a few weeks and several months in all the Caribbean islands (except Cuba) without a visa. New Zealand and Australian passport-holders just need a visa for Trinidad and Tobago and Cuba. Americans need a license from the US Treasury Department to visit Cuba (typically given to journalists, aid workers or students studying in Cuba). With the revival of US–Cuban diplomatic relations in 2014 travel restrictions have been somewhat relaxed, but Americans are still prohibited from travelling to Cuba simply as tourists. This may be changed in the near future. Many prefer, at their own risk, to visit Cuba illegally by travelling from Canada or Mexico. Most Central American and Caribbean countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months after you enter the country.

VISA AND VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS FOR CENTRAL AMERICA

Belize No visa required for stays up to 30 days. Stays can be extended for up to 90 days. Sufficient funds ($60 per day) and a return/onward ticket needed. Vaccinations recommended for typhoid and hepatitis A.

Costa Rica No visa required for stays of up to 90 days. Onward/return ticket required.

El Salvador No visa required for stays up to 90 days for most EU citizens, Canadians and New Zealanders. Australians and Americans only need a Tourist Card, bought on arrival. Proof of sufficient funds required.

Guatemala No visa required for stays up to 90 days; 90-day extensions available. Vaccinations recommended for typhoid, rabies, hepatitis A and hepatitis B.

Honduras No visa required for stays up to 90 days; 30-day extensions can be obtained at local immigration offices. Return/onward ticket required.

Mexico No visas required for stays up to 180 days, but all need a tourist card (FMM), which is available on arrival and from travel agencies and most airlines serving Mexico. Proof of sufficient funds and return ticket needed.

Nicaragua Entry permit can be obtained on arrival for stays of up to 90 days. Tourist Card must be purchased on arrival. Onward/return ticket required. Vaccinations recommended for typhoid, rabies, hepatitis A and hepatitis B.

Panama No visa required for stays of up to 180 days. “Change of migratory status visa” needed for longer stays. Onward/return ticket required. Vaccinations recommended for typhoid, rabies, hepatitis A and hepatitis B.

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