Americas - Central America

Welcome to the Central America branch!

Welcome to the Thorn Tree's Central America branch.

We hope you find plenty of useful information about travelling to Central America here. It is highly recommended that new users check out the Central America FAQ thread before posting a new thread; you may find many of the answers you seek there, and the FAQ thread has been updated as of December 2008! It also contains helpful information about how to search the forum and advice for how to post your questions. If you are a returning user or a Central America guru, please help us keep the FAQ thread up-to-date by adding important information which is absent, or pointing out information which is no longer being represented accurately.

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Language School In Antigua

I just wanted to leave a comment about language schools in Guatemala. My girlfriend and I spent 6 weeks in Centeral America this summer. Two of which were spent studying at Tecun Uman in Antigua. Mario, the director was fantastic, he arranged for us to be picked up in Guatemala city even though our flight was coming in at 11 at night. That night, we were taken to meet him at the school and dropped off at our families home (Lucia Carcuz familia). Mario helped us get our bags when they did not arrive and took care of any needs we had. My language teacher Carlos was great, I had never taken Spanish and after two weeks, I was able to hold basic conversations. My girlfriend had Anna, and she raved about her as well. Antigua is not the place to go to get rid of tourists. There are plenty of them and food/beer is expensive for Guatemala. If we return, we would probably study in Xela for a mo... more »

honduras

I was in Nicaragua last year

bus strike

Just heard on the news about bus drivers strikes for the next 5 days around Santa Ana area. A bus driver was shot today and many buses are not running around Juayua, Santa Ana and connecting villages. The news has said that 70% of S. A has been closed down and 1000 more military personel have been drafted in. Its all to do with new laws being introduced etc. My question is has anyone heard any different? Im in Juayaua at the moment and was not able to get to Apenaca because of banditos? Hoping to get the bus to Santa Ana tomorrow.

visiting costa rica for the first time (take 2)

sorry about my cryptic question regarding accommodation, trip advisor conflicting reports etc. I did omit the key topic of my question and that was accommodation in Alajuela specifically. I was looking at a number of different places to stay ie. Alajuela backpackers, Los Volcanes, Mi Tierra etc as to which is a nice place to stay for our first few days before heading off. Reports regarding these places were quite conflicting & I just want to make sure that our choice is a favourable one. Our price range isn't truely budget but not high end either.
Does anyone have any suggestions????

cheers

Anger, Angst and Attacks in Toledo, Belize

CROCODILE SANCTUARY BURNED IN TOLEDO, BELIZE, ALLEGEDLY BY ‘MAYA MOB’ INCITED BY LOCAL ‘FORTUNETELLER’ FOLLOWING DISAPPEARANCE OF TWO LOCAL CHILDREN

The American Crocodile Education Sanctuary (ACES) facility near Punta Gorda, Toledo District, Belize, operated as a volunteer reptile rescue and rehab center by a young American couple, Vince Rose and wife Cherie Renee Chenot-Rose, was burned to the ground early Sunday, September 5. From news reports, a group of about 100 villagers from San Marcos village, armed with rifles, shotguns and machetes, came to the ACES property on Water Hole Road in the Forest Home area when the couple was away, looking for two missing children they believed were at the ACES facility. The ACES caretaker was frightened to go to the facility and protect it due to the mob of villagers.

The villagers reportedly shot some of the crocodiles and the property ... more »

Caribbean coast and malaria

I'm trying to plan a trip in late October - early November and was going to include some time on the Caribbean coast.
Some guidebooks suggest that anti-malarials are necessary travelling further south eg to Cahuita.
What would be the general opinion on this? Is there much resistance to standard anti-malarial meds?
Thanks for any advice.

Chiri

Sunscreen

How available is sunscreen in Belize? I don't intend to check bags, so with the insane TSA rules, this makes bringing enough sunscreen for 10 days impossible. I've read that sunscreen is "expensive" in CA... how expensive?

Language School in Leon

Hi. My friend and are heading to Nicaragua next week and we want to take a few weeks of Spanish classes in Leon. Has anyone had good experiences with a particular language school there and with specific teachers at that school. Also if anyone has advice on cheap accomodations for while we are there that would be great.

thanks,
evan