Central America bucket list

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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.
America the Beautiful – The national park pass is essential.
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.
Enterprise – This is my rental car recommendation.
See all my resources here.

Bucket list posts

Central America bucket list

There are so many amazing things to do in Central America and in 2.5 months there I barely scratched the surface.

And now I have a never ending Central America bucket list and need too go back ASAP to really get cracking on this bad boy.

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.

Visit the ATM Cave
Explore San Ignacio
Visit St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park
See the Xunantunich ruins
See howler monkeys at the Community Baboon Sanctuary
Visit the Cahal Pech ruins
Snorkel with manatees at Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary
See the Lamanai ruins
Visit Placencia
See El Pilar ruins
See Butterfly Falls at Hidden Valley Reserve
Visit Mayflower Bocawina National Park
See Big Rock Falls
Visit Rio On Pools
Visit Billy Balquedier National Park
Relax on Caye Caulker
Snorkel Caye Caulker

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

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.

~~Explore Flores~~
Hike El Mirador (on your own or with a group)
Visit the Tikal ruins at sunrise
Swim at Semuc Champey
Do the candlelight cave tour at Semuc Lampey
Visit Laguna La Chua
Surf in El Paredon
Visit the Nakum ruins
Visit the Uaxactun ruins
Hike Corazon de Agua
Hike Indian Nose at sunrise
Visit Quetzaltenango (Xela)
Visit El Ceibal ruins
Visit the Chichicastenango market
Tour a coffee farm
~~Explore the Panajachel market~~
Rock climb in Panajachel
Hike to Finca Paraiso in Rio Dulce
Hike Chicabal Volcano and Chicabal Lake
Scuba dive in Lake Atitlan
Visit Castillo de San Felipe

roasting marshmallows on volcan pacaya antigua guatemala

Visit the Quirigua ruins
Kayak on Lake Atitlan
Relax in Las Fuentes Georginas hot springs
Channel your inner hippie in San Marcos
Climb Volcan San Pedro
Visit Siete Altares
Take some Spanish lessons
~~Walk around Antigua~~
See the Iximche ruins
Hike Pumpatin Canyon
~~Explore the market in Antigua~~
Ride a chicken bus
See the Yaxha ruins
Hike Tajumalco (the highest peak in Central America!)
Climb Volcan Pacaya
~~Walk to Cerro de La Cruz in Antigua~~
Hike Cerro de Oro
Relax in Rio Dulce
Relax on the beach of Monterrico
Hike/camp on Volcan Acetenango

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

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.

ATV or scooter around Isla de Ometepe
Climb Volcan Maderas
Climb Volcan Concepcion
Surf Playa Colorado
Relax on Playa Maderas
Hike in the Miraflor Nature Reserve
Walk to the Christ of Mercy Statue in San Juan del Sur
~~Swim in El Ojo de Agua~~
Go volcano boarding on Volcan Cerro Negro
Explore historic Grenada
Hike Canyon de Somoto
See the white roof on Leon Cathedral
Relax in Las Salinas hot springs
Scuba dive on Little Corn Island

Surf at Las Penitas
Visit the craft market in Masaya
Visit the Corn Islands
~~Sunday Funday pool crawl in San Juan del Sur~~
Kayak Las Isletas
See the tide pools at Guasacate Beach
Visit Apoyo Lagoon
Relax on Playa Hermosa
Climb Volcan Telica
Visit the town of Esteli
Climb Volcan Masaya
Visit the Isletas of Grenada
Visit Mombacho Volcano

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.

Visit the Jaguar Rescue Center
Zipline in Monteverde
Hike in the Monteverde Could Forest Reserve
Kayak in the mangroves of Quepos
Hike Poas Volcano
Relax and explore the Nicoya Peninsula
Enjoy the Tabacon hot springs
Do a night jungle tour in Monteverde
Hike to the Rio Negro hot springs
Go diving to shipwrecks on the Tortuga Islands
Go whitewater rafting in Arenal
Hike Cerro Chato
Hike in Arenal Volcano National Park
Hike Tenorio Volcano

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

Hike the Cerro Cabeza de Vaca Loop
Surf in Dominical
Relax on Playa Uvita
Hike to Catarata del Toro waterfall
Visit the town of Ojochal
Visit Rincon de la Vieja National Park
Hike the Sendero Bosque Nuboso Trail
Hike to the waterfalls of La Fortuna
Look for wildlife at Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve
Hike Palo Verde National Park
Bike around Puerto Viejo
Explore Gandoca National Park
Hike the Rainmaker Forest Trail
Do a chocolate tour
Visit Corcovado National Park
Visit Rio Celeste
Hike to La Muralla Waterfall
Hike the El Tigre Waterfall trailLook for wildlife at the Curu Wildlife Reserve
Go canyoning and waterfall rappelling in La Fortuna

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.

See the Panama Canal
Do a bioluminescent tour in Bocas del Doro
Visit the San Blas Islands
Snorkel in the Pearl Islands
Go island hopping in Bocas del Toro
Do the Bermejo Waterfall hike
Do the El Salto Waterfall hike
Hike the Lost Waterfalls Trail
Hike the Pipeline Trail in Boquete
Bike to Boca del Drago from Bocas Town
Hike to the Ola Waterfalls
Hike Cerro Picacho in Ola

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

Final thoughts on Central America bucket list

Putting together this Central America bucket list has, not surprisingly, just made me want to go back even more than I already did.

There are so many amazing outdoor activities in Central America, it can be hard to decide what to do and what not to. When will I ever go to new places when there are so many places I want to go back to!?