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Central America destination guide

The Central America destination guide.

Central America is a narrow isthmus with two coasts and two different weather systems, which is why advice about it so often contradicts itself. Costa Rica's Pacific coast in February and its Caribbean side in the same week are opposite holidays. We do not hold our own houses here yet, so treat this as planning advice: when to go, how far things really are, and which places justify a trip.

Travel tips

Pick a coast, then a season

The Pacific side runs dry from December to April and wet from May to November. The Caribbean side broadly reverses it, with September and October often its driest, clearest weeks. Choosing the coast first makes the calendar simple instead of contradictory.

Distances are short but slow

Roads wind, and a hundred kilometres can take three hours. Domestic flights on small aircraft — San José to the Osa Peninsula, Panama City to Bocas del Toro — save most of a day and are worth the cost. They carry strict soft-bag weight limits.

Two bases, not four

The classic Costa Rica trip is rainforest then beach: Arenal or Monteverde followed by Guanacaste or the Osa. Adding a third region turns a ten-day holiday into a driving tour. Belize pairs its inland Maya sites with a cay; Panama pairs the city with the islands.

The green season is not a write-off

May, June and again November usually mean bright mornings and afternoon storms rather than all-day rain, with the landscape at its best and rates a third lower. September and October are the wettest on the Pacific and the most likely to disrupt a plan.

Check entry rules and health advice early

Requirements vary by country and change — onward-ticket rules, exit taxes and vaccination advice among them. Check your own foreign office and a travel clinic a month ahead, especially for jungle lodges and the remote Caribbean coast.

The best months to go

December to April
Pacific dry season and the region's high season: reliable sun in Guanacaste, Nicaragua and the Panamanian Pacific, with Christmas, New Year and Easter the busiest and most expensive weeks by a wide margin.
May to June
The start of the green season and one of the best-value windows: sunny mornings, afternoon showers, a vivid landscape and far fewer visitors. Turtle nesting begins on several coasts.
July to August
A drier spell in the middle of the green season on much of the Pacific coast, and the northern-hemisphere holidays, so beach towns fill again. Good for whale watching in Costa Rica and Panama.
September to October
The wettest weeks on the Pacific side, with some lodges closing — but often the clearest, calmest time on the Caribbean coast and for Belize's inland cays. Lowest rates of the year.
November
The rains taper and the region dries out ahead of the December peak. Green landscape, low crowds and rates still below high season: a strong shoulder month.

Local culture and etiquette

Greetings come first, and warmly

Buenos días before the question, a handshake or a single cheek kiss between acquaintances. Business and service run on politeness more than speed, and pushing rarely makes anything faster.

A little Spanish goes a long way

English is common in hotels, lodges and Belize, and much less so outside them. A handful of phrases is received generously, and it changes how a market or a small restaurant treats you.

Dress is casual, but not beachwear in town

Even smart restaurants are relaxed; swimwear in shops and on streets is not. In indigenous communities and small towns, more modest dress is appreciated.

Tipping is modest

Costa Rican bills usually include a ten per cent service charge; a little extra in cash for good service is normal. Guides and drivers, particularly on multi-day trips, are tipped directly at the end.

Must-visit places

  • Guanacaste, Costa Rica

    Pacific beach hotels and rental houses with the most reliable dry season, December to April.

  • The Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

    The densest rainforest and wildlife in the country, reached by light aircraft; lodges are all-inclusive and small.

  • Arenal and Monteverde

    Volcano, hot springs and cloud forest, an easy pairing with a beach week; cooler and wetter year-round.

  • Belize's cays and Cayo

    Barrier-reef diving from Ambergris or a private cay, paired with Maya sites inland; driest February to May.

  • Bocas del Toro and Guna Yala, Panama

    Caribbean island archipelagos, quiet and low-key, with their best weather in September and October.

  • Lake Atitlán and Antigua, Guatemala

    Highland towns and volcanoes; cool, dry and clear from November to April.

  • Nicaragua's Emerald Coast

    Surf and cliff-top houses south of San Juan del Sur, at their best from December to April.

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