Some ideas for my trip

Hola travellers

I'm travelling to Central America in October for 3 weeks. So I don't have that much time and don't want to hurry like hell, so your advice is crucial...

Actually, I would like to combine culture (especially the mayas), diving and nice landscape (Volcanos). My prefered coutnries would be Mexico, Guatamala, Honduras, Belize or/and ...

So where is
- the best Maja spot
- the best diving spot
- the (active?) volcano (should I skip this?)
- the best whatever I forgot...

I have some money and can afford to book an open jaw flight or similiar stuff. My first tought was something like fly in to cancun, part of guatamala and out of roatan... But maybe this isn't focused enough?

Thanks!

Philipp

Sounds fun! Apparently the best maya spot in CA is Tikal, located in Guatemala. I'm going there in Nov. so cannot speak personally, but I'm sure you will hear this time and time again on this thread. I know Guatemala, with all the research i'm currently doing, has tons of amazing volcanos, many of which you can climb. They say it's an experience of a life time, however on the diving side of things, Guatemala has very little to offer. I was in Roatan in February of this year and it was a blast......didn't really leave West End much except to go over to the beach in West Bay (20min walk or 5min water taxi) because we scuba dived the whole time. Great diving! Only suggestion would be to not dive with Pura Vida....not the best service especially for new divers and they do not take proper safety precautions especially during the dive itself. A group of us were there and everyone ended up leaving and going to Seagrape....awesome dive group and wonderful people. They were amazing!!! Utila is supposed to have great diving as well, although they have to go out further in their boats and I heard the visibility wasn't as good....it could've been the time of the year that I went? Utila is apparently quite a bit cheaper than Roatan which is nice if your trying to be economical....dive prices were good in Roatan 20-25 bucks a dive, however everything else is fairly expensive. Hope this helps somewhat....Enjoy your vacation! Jill

Hi Philipp. You ask where is the best. What's best for me may not be what's best for you. So with that caveat I'll make some comments.

For visiting the restored ruins of ancient Mayan cities I'd vote Mexico (which by the way is not in Central America) and Guatemala about even. They both have some of excellent sites. For experiencing today's Mayan culture, Guatemala is by far the best choice. Just go visit some remote villages. Each village has their own distinctive dress (costume), kind of gives it a school uniform look. But as you develope an understanding of the dress, you will then develop a great appreciation for it.

For diving I'd recommend Belize and the Bay Islands in Honduras. Belize is more expensive, both diving and living, but Honduras may be more expensive for you to get to, so that Belize may be less expensive overall, depending on your travel route and timeframes.

For volcanos again your best choice is Guatemala. Not tons of them as Jill would have you believe, but enough for some outstanding viewing and most worthwhile climbing. Keep it on your list of things to do. Volcan Fuego, near Antigua, is putting on quite a show these days. Volcan Pacaya, near Antigua, is a great half day trip and climb. Like peering into hell. There are other climbs for day trips, or overnight stays, all worthwhile. Lounging on the northwest side of Lago de Atitlan with a cold cerveza watching the ever changing clouds playing with the three volcano peaks is mesmerizing. Mexico has some good ones, too, but not in the area where you will be.

Buen viaje!

Thanks a lot for your comments! I would really appreciate to hear some more suggestions.

As far as I understand now:

I can skip Mexico (sorry, for my ignorance about central america...), because the sites in Guatamala are as nice as in Meixco, but I can save some time... So I better start in Guatemala City, go for a volcano, have a close look at the ancient maya sites and their present way of life and then make some bubbles in Belize or Honduras.

Is Belize generally expensive or just diving?
Is difficult to get from Guatamala to the Bay Island's?

Thanks
Philipp

Belize is in general expensive, the most expensive country in Central Americal. One route might be flying into Guatemala City and flying out of Roatan. That should work well. If you like climbing volcanoes there is a good climb near the city of Xela, and a good outfitter to take you on an overnight. I'd also climb Pacaya. And maybe even a day climb of Volcan San Pedro at Lago de Atitlan. If you like a hippy pot culture you'll love chilling out a few days at the village of San Pedro on the same lake. Even if you aren't into a hippy pot culture you would probably like chilling out there a few days. There are some small villages around this lake that you can walk to the high parts of town (they are all built on the hillsides around the lake), and mingle with the local mayan women and children who rarely have gringo visitors to their neighborhoods.

Buen viaje!

I didn't make it in one day from Antigua to Roatan. If i'm correct ferries only go in the morning and one in the afternoon. So don't think you can make it in one day anyway.

Fastest is getting from guatemala city to San Pedro sula - La ceiba and take the ferry. There's also another route going from the Guatemalan coast (puerto barrios) to omoa in hondruas and on to la ceiba. Or maybe that one's faster?

I had wrongly had taken my first and only tourist shuttle to get from antigua to la ceiba. Thought that would be the easy option for such a long trip. But for a start I got stranded for a few hours in Copan, missed the connection. Than I got transferred to some bus company to get from Copan to La ceiba. But aparently the ride stopped in San Pedro Sula of all places (although I paid a ticket to la ceiba). Tired of the situation, I went to another busstation and went on by chickenbus to La ceiba were I arrived late in the evening. A hell of a day... But a swim in the caribbean on roatan the next day made it all forget...

Well, only since no one has mentioned it yet -- and since you did specify Mayan sites -- let me put in a good word for Copan, Honduras. It's not on as grand a scale as Tikal, but it does have its unique advantages. (Note: I haven't seen Tikal, and though I have visited Copan several times, my last visit was autumn, 2001.) First, it's a grand sight in its own right, with a lot of impressive architecture and sculpture. The archaeological park in which the site is located is well-kept up. And -- assuming nothing has changed significantly since my last visit -- the town of Copan Ruinas, just 1 km from the Mayan site, is an attractive late-colonial town. Staying in town, you don't have to worry about boarding a bus for the Mayan site; just walk to the ruins when you feel like it. For a long time Copan had the reputation of beling relatively less touristed than other major sites, but I don't know whether that has changed in the past few years.

Note, though, that no living Mayan culture survives in Honduras, as it does in Guatemala.

I'm doing something similar, flying into Guatemala and out of Cancún. I'm not convinced the Bay Islands have enough over Belize for the extra travelling. Mexico is in there too cos I like it a lot, and will provide some (by that time no doubt attractive!) urban sophistication as well as great ruins and beaches.

Well I didn't read all the responses...so I might be repeating here: So three weeks isn't alot...but luckily this part of the world allows you to see a lot in a little amount of time. I had a friend who did two weeks starting and ending in Cancun...so you can make that work. I would start by flying into cancun...but leaving as quickly as possible as it isn't the best spot on the carribean. If you got the time jet over and check out Chitchen Itza in the mid-section of the Yucutan before heading to Tulum on the beaches below Cancun. Tulum is beautiful, and we spent several night here in cheap cabins right on the beach. Also don't forget to check out the fresh water cenotes as they are a real treat from teh constant salt bath. From there you can hop a bus to Belize, where we did the expediated process of getting off the mainland and onto the islands. Calle Caulker is beauitful and very quaint...with a small town whose only vehicles are golf carts. Check out my favorite restaraunt called Rasta Pasta....great food! There is amazing snorkeling and diving off these islands...and tour are offered on both islands (Caye Caulker and San Pedro) to shark/ray alley which was awesome, the blue hole, and tons of other great places. The second island, San Pedro, is bigger with more of a night life...but I prefered Caye Caulker. After that you can head inland in Belize...we stopped in San Ignacio and stayed at these cool tree houses and floated down the river in inner tubes...good fun! After this we crossed over into Guatemala to check out Tikal...which is an absolutely do not miss! Amazing! On my way down to Guatemala City I stopped at this super chilll place called Finca Ixobel (outside of Poptun) which can only be alikened to a summer camp for backpackers. Definately recomend a stop through here if you have the time! The city is a city... don't stay too long. Antigua is very picturesque and I definately enjoyed it...although I wasn't too stoked on the herds of high school kids from around the world. The volcanoe is definately worth the visit if you have the time, as well as lake atitlan. The lake is amazing and there are several villages around the lake that you can visit on a boat. Also the markets in Chichicastenango will sufice for all your shopping for this trip, and everything is so cheap and so colorful! From here you can either cross over to Mexico, hit San Cristobal de Las Casas and head back up to Cancun...or you can backtrack a little and go back up through Tikal. So much to see... so little time! Enjoy!

Wow, great guys! Thanks a lot for your help!

I have the impression that something like Guatemala City to Cancun or Rottan is good fun and reasonable in 3 weeks. I will check out the flights ( I start in Zürich...) and some guide books to clearify the details.

Merci vel Mol ond allne vel Spass bim Reise! (swiss german: Thanks a lot and have fun travelling)

Philipp

Just to help underline the advice above, DON'T MISS TIKAL. Outstanding spot, I'll be going back before long. Belize in general was awesome and very friendly but expensive, Guatemala was a bit more difficult for a non-spanish speaker (and a bunch cheaper) but still a ton of fun. Visiting some more countries in about 7 weeks- I'll let you know what I think!