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we will be traveling from mid january to mid april and are backpacking

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Your question is probably too broad for people to be able to provide a good answer.
I would completely avoid Honduras, it is arguably the most dangerous country. However you'll have to pass through it at some point, There isn't much to see in El salvador, except the beach at El Tunco is great for surfing and chilling out. I would focus on Guatemala and Nicaragua.
Based on where you start you have a few options. If in Guatemala I would spend most of your time in Antigua and surround area (lake atilan and perhaps Xela), avoid guatemala city generally it's dangerous. You can bus/fly up to flores/tikal and then into belize.
Or you could start your trip in belize if you are set on visiting that country then work your down into guatemala and then in el salvador and over to nicaragua.
For nicaragua you'll be spending most of your time in the west of the country, Leon, Grenada, to some volcanoes then in some of the beaches, San Juan is the most popular. Ometepe is fantastic don't miss it.

Edited by: battambang

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Battambang

I think your advice stinks.

There is no reason to avoid Honduras, in fact if they are going down the Pacific coast of Mexico, going to Belize would be a lot of time and energy when they can hit the Bay Islands, and the Copan ruins on the way south. Please tell me where a tourist.foreigner has been effected by the drug violence in this region, Honduras/Guatemala etc....I am not aware of any. Your suggesttion to avoid Honduras based on its murder rate would mean people should avoid Chicago too?

Poster-

You have to realize the main ruins in Guatemala and the Yucatan/Belize are on the Caribe side, most people fly into Cancun and work thier way down to Belize/Guatemala via Tulum.

I also dont think Antigua is worth more than a few nights, yes its a lovely spanish colonial city and UNESCO site, but its touristy and also crime ridden too. Lago Atilan would be a nice 4-5 days in the various lakeside chill out party places.

The surfing on the Pacific side if Guatemala is spotty but overall rough the lodging/towns are about as bad it gets in the CA region.

I have not been to El Salvador and El Tunco, but its the new place to go and surf, bet you would dig it.

Nicaragua the main surf breaks are both north and south of San Juan Del Sur, kind of pain as you have to commute to them with shuttles, and the town is so so, at least compared to the great beaches and surf towns in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica possesses endless tropical surf beaches, and Dec/Jan is great off shore winds in NW CR and SW Nicaragua. But its high season and not cheap Xmas week.

Are you dragging your surfboards all along this trip or renting?

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My advice stinks? Ok, Honduras, home of the highest murder rate in the world.
Granted the murderers don't seem to be targeting foreigners, kidnappings are not unheard of. And I agree too it is not particularily safe anywhere in Central America.
But it is notable that 6 American citizens have been murdered this year so far in Honduras..

"Since 1995, 108 U.S. citizens have been reported murdered in Honduras; of these, just 29 cases have been resolved. Six U.S. citizens were reported murdered in Honduras in the first six months of 2012 "

"According to the United Nations, Honduras has the highest per capita homicide rate in the world, with 86 homicides for every 100,000 inhabitants. Although crime and violent crime occurs in all parts of Honduras, the north coast and central portions of the country have historically had the country’s highest crime rates. Copan, Roatan/Bay Islands, and other tourist destinations have a lower crime rate than other parts of the country. "

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1135.html