Belize, Bucketlist, Central America, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama

Probably The Best Central America Bucket List For Outdoor Lovers Ever

There are affiliate links in here.  I get a small commission if you purchase through them at no extra cost to you.

I’ve wanted to do this post forever but just kept putting if off for some reason but today is the day. Today I’m working on my Central America bucket list!

I love Latin America and while I’ve only been to Ecuador in South America, I cannot wait to go back to all of Central America and explore and see as many things as possible.

While my US bucket lists are more nature focused, this still will be, there will probably be a lot more city/town stuff on this list. It’s a mix of things I’ve already done and things I would very much like to do.

There are a few things that I also don’t necessarily want to do myself but know they’re must-have’s on any Central America bucket list. This is a combo personal bucket list/general bucket list.

There are so many amazing things to do in Central America, it’s going to be a long list. Also, I know Mexico is usually part of Central America backpacking trips, but I’m giving it it’s own bucket list because Mexico is huge and not technically Central America.

Travel Services I Recommend:
AllTrails – This is my favorite hike tracking app.
Discover Cars – I recommend Discover Cars for rental cars.
Booking.com – This is great for finding and booking hotels.
Get Your Guide – I recommend Get Your Guide for booking tours.
National Park Obsessed – This is the best national park planner.
Skyscanner – Skyscanner is great for finding and booking flights.
See all my resources here.

Bucket list posts

Cahal Pech Ruins San Ignacio Belize
Monkey Falls San Ignacio Belize

Belize bucket list

I only spent three or four days in Belize and I only stayed in San Ignacio, but I really enjoyed my time there. The drive from Chetumal, Mexico to San Ignacio felt like we were in Jurassic Park.

While I wasn’t there too long, I was able to visit the ATM Cave, the Cahal Pech ruins, and Monkey Falls but would love to go back and do even more, especially visit the islands of Belize.

I want to visit the islands, see all the ruins with my new-found love and appreciation for them, go to all the national parks, and even try snorkeling (I’m determined to learn to like it).

There are so many great things to add to your Belize bucket list, I know I’ll need all kinds of time there to do even a good portion of it. Also, Belize is expensive. The tours aren’t very budget friendly, but knowing that going into it can help you plan even more.

Cahal Pech Ruins San Ignacio Belize
  • See Monkey Falls
  • See Thousand Foot Falls (the tallest waterfall in Central America at 1,600 feet tall!)
  • Scuba dive the Blue Hole
  • See the Altun Ha ruins
  • Take a helicopter over the Blue Hole
  • Go sailing
  • Hike Tiger Fern Trail
  • Visit the Barton Creek Cave
  • Do some cave kayaking
  • Visit the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and hope to see a jaguar
  • Relax on Ambergris Caye
  • Visit Laughing Bird Caye National Park
  • Visit Hopkins
  • Go cave tubing
  • Visit Rio Frio Cave
  • Canoe the Macal River
  • See/do the Black Hole Drop
  • See the Caracol ruins
view from volcan pacaya antigua guatemala
Antigua Guatemala

Guatemala bucket list

I. Love. Guatemala. So. Much. I spent about three weeks there and it’s probably the number one place I think about going back to (and Taiwan and Japan). There are so many things I still want to do there, it’s crazy.

It’s second on here just because I went in order from north to south, but Guatemala is the number one place on my Central America bucket list for so many reasons.

It’s beautiful, the towns are amazing, there are tons of Mayan ruins, there is so much hiking, and volcanos! Ugh. I’m just making myself want to go back even more now.

roasting marshmallows on volcan pacaya antigua guatemala

El Salvador bucket list

I’ve technically been to El Salvador but all I did there was eat breakfast in El Tunco on our shuttle ride from Antigua, Guatemala to Leon, Nicaragua.

I know there is so much more to do in El Salvador and i would love to do, well, any of it haha. Ok, anything but surfing or diving even though surfing is huge here.

I know I can’t really say since I’ve only had breakfast here, but I feel like El Salvador is a bit of a hidden gem that should definitely be on your Central America bucket list.

  • Surf in El Tunco
  • Visit Cerro Verde National Park
  • Hike the Santa Ana Volcano
  • Visit El Imposible National park
  • Hike up San Salvador Volcano
  • Visi Playa El Zonte
  • Relax in Mizata
  • Swim in Lake Coatepeque Caldera
  • Visit Lake Ilopango
  • Visit the Tazumal ruins
  • Hike up Conchagua Volcano
  • See Salto el Cubo waterfalls
  • Explore Lake Suchitlan
  • Visit Playa El Cuco
  • Visit La Ruta de Las Flores
  • Boat in Laguna Verde
  • Visit Juayua on Ruta de Las Flores
  • See the Tamanique Waterfalls
  • See Chorros de La Calera
  • Eat pupusas
  • Relax in the Santa Teresa hot springs
  • Visit Suchitoto
  • See Los Tercios waterfalls
  • Visit Joya de Ceren ruins
  • Tour a coffee farm

Honduras bucket list

I’ve also technically been to Honduras (on that same shuttle ride) but we didn’t stop there at all, just at the border crossing. I was just surprised how dry it was.

I didn’t expect that but it felt like we were driving through The Lion King. I don’t know much about Honduras other than the Bay Islands and Copan Ruinas so I’m excited to put this part of my Central America bucket list together.

I won’t lie, I didn’t really realize Honduras would be so amazing for national parks, nature, all things outdoor! I don’t know why I didn’t think that but man, this creeped up higher on my list of places to go back to putting this together!

  • Dive the Bay Islands
  • Snorkel in Roatan
  • Visit Copan Ruinas
  • Hike Cerro Azul Meambar National Park
  • Visit Honduras’ first national park, La Tigra
  • Visit Lake Yojoa
  • See Pulhapanzak Waterfall
  • Take a coffee tour
  • Day trip to Cayos Cochinos
  • Visit Punta Sal National Park
  • See Macaws at Macaw Mountains reserve
  • Visit the town of Trujillo
  • Go caving at the Caves of Taulabe
  • Visit Pico Bonito National Park
  • Look for wildlife in Cusuco National Park
  • Relax on Utila
  • Explore Celaque National Park
  • Go back in time in Gracias
  • See El Cristo del Picacho
  • White water raft on Rio Cangrejal
  • Hike Montana Santa Barbara National Park
  • Visit Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve
  • See the Cave of Glowing Skulls
  • Visit La Mosquitia
ometepe nicaragua
san juan del sur jesus statue hike nicaragua

Nicaragua bucket list

I spent a whole month in Nicaragua and did surpisingly little. I spent a few days in Leon to go volcano boarding, then went to San Juan del Sur, then Ometepe, then San Juan del Sur, then Managua, then the Corn Islands, then Managua, then San Juan del Sur again before going to Costa Rica.

I saw some great things but there are soooo many more things I want to see and do there! And I want to go back to the Corn Islands because I love them so much and want to see how they’ve changed since 2015.

san juan del sur jesus statue hike nicaragua
punta uva costa rica

Costa Rica bucket list

Costa Rica is incredible. And expensive. I was only there for about a week a the end of my Central America trip but I liked it and would like to go back and see a lot more of it.

I mean, they have tons of waterfalls, national parks, and volcanos which I love all of those. I need to see a sloth. I need to go to all the beaches. I need to drink more coffee. I need to go back to Costa Rica.

Costa Rica
punta uva costa rica
  • Explore Manuel Antonio National Park
  • Do a night tour at Manuel Antonio
  • Surf in Jaco
  • Hike Pico Blanco por Ventoleras
  • Relax on Whale Tail Beach
  • Visit Marino Ballena National Park
  • Visit the Terraba Sierpe Mangroves
  • Relax on Conchal Beach
  • Go scuba diving at Cano Island
  • See a sloth
  • Swim at Montezuma Waterfalls
  • Visit Tortugero National Park
  • Do the Bajos del Toro waterfall hike
  • Hike to Nauyaca Waterfall
  • Visit Volcano Irazu
  • Hike Cahuita National Park
monteverde costa rica
boca del drago panama
bocas del toro panama

Panama bucket list

Ahh, Panama. I only spent maybe three days here at the very end of my trip before heading back to San Jose to fly home. I only went to Bocas del Toro but I liked it. Mostly.

I did not like Red Frog Beach but I did like the cafe and chocolate place on the hill. And Bocas del Drago. And Bocas Town. But, like everywhere else on my Central America bucket list, there are a million other places in Panama I want to go.

Isla Bastimentos Bocas del Toro Panama
Isla Bastimentos Bocas del Toro Panama
  • Sail from the San Blas Islands to Colombia
  • Hike to Las Golondrinas Waterfall
  • Explore Casco Viejo in Panama City
  • Do La Silampa Waterfall hike
  • Hike El Pianista Trail
  • Visit the Gamboa Rainforest
  • Hike Cerro Cara Iguana
  • Visit Boquete
  • Hike Sendero Los Quetzales
  • Hike Cerro La Gaita
  • Hike Aguila Falls and Canyon
  • Climb Volcan Baru
  • Hike Cerro Tute
  • Go whale watching on the Gulf of Chiriqui

Have you been to Central America? Where did you go? What did you do there? What is still on your Central America bucket list?

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.