15 Days Classic Central America Adventure

About the destination: Guatemala City is the capital of Guatemala, and it's the largest and most modern city of the country. Guatemala City is a sprawling city with a mix of modern, colonial and traditional architecture. It has an interesting Old City, great Churches, some good museums and markets, and it´s a good place to see the real Guatemala with its mixtures of Ladino and Indian culture.In zona 13 and 14, in the southern part of the centre of Guatemala City, you will find the impressive Avenida las Americas. This wide boulevard is a tribute to every country in Latin America, from Mexico to Argentina and Chile. It runs from Calle 1 to Calle 20, through what is called the cultural area of the city.The central square in Guatemala City known as Parque Central is the heart of the city and is always a centre of activity. It is also one of the most attractive areas for visitors since many of Guatemala City's most notable features, such as the Cathedral, many museums, the National Palace, and the National Library, surround the Plaza. Most of the Plaza is an open paved area, perfect to do some shopping, or just sit back and watch everyone else go about their business. There are also splashing fountains where children play and quieter shaded areas, where young lovers seem to occupy every bench. Nearby we have the Central Market, huge market for Guatemalan handicrafts. The genuine and profound hospitality of its inhabitants combined with the city's outstanding cultural legacy and astonishing natural beauty makes Guatemala City a compelling place for travellers.

About the destination: Roatán, located between the islands of Útila and Guanaja, is the largest of Honduras' Bay Islands. The island was formerly known as Ruatan and Rattan. It is approximately 77 kilometres long, and less than 8 kilometres across at its widest point. The island consists of two municipalities: José Santos Guardiola in the east and Roatán, including the Cayos Cochinos, further south in the west. The most populous town of the island is Coxen Hole, capital of Roatán municipality, located in the southwest, the easternmost quarter of the island is separated by a channel through the mangroves. This section is called Helene, or Santa Elena in Spanish. Satellite islands at the eastern end are Morat, Barbareta, and Pigeon Cay. Further west between French Harbour and Coxen Hole are several cays, including Stamp Cay and Barefoot Cay MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS • Cameo Factory in Coxen Hole • Carambola Gardens • Caves of Helene • Dolphin show, at Anthony's Key Resort. • East end, if you are up for an adventure, visit the east end of the island. This end of the island is home to many locals and some expats as well as a few resorts, one that needs to be mentioned is Camp Bay Beach, Beach Adventure Lodge, which is the only resort on Camp Bay Beach. Also here you can taste the Tasty Tarpon restaurant and is a place to gain free access to the beach from snorkeling/ diving to fly fishing. There are a few other interesting stops along the way such as Marble Hill Farms where wonderful local jams & jellies are made. Asylum bar & grill is on a palapa literally over the calm waters in Camp Bay which can sometimes feel like the restaurant at the end of the universe after the long journey of getting there. Santa Helena located in Roatans municipal of Santos Guardiola, is a small secluded island 12 miles further east of Roatan. This off 'the beaten path' beautiful tropical paradise is a one mile by two mile island that is sparsely populated with indigenous people that still live life as it was in the 'Old Caribbean', unspoiled and uncommercialized from tourist related development. St. Helene is the epitome of a 'sleepy little fishing village'. Access to Helene is by private boat or passenger ferry service from Oak Ridge. • Garifuna Village Tour, in Punta Gorda • Iguana Farm, near French Harbor. • Mangrove Forest Kayak tour, at Camp Bay Beach Adventure Lodge • Marine Science Museum, at Anthony's Key Resort. • Oak Ridge, is a small village on the eastern end of the island. On arrival, you'll be offered water-taxi tours to the Hole-in-the-Wall restaurant, neighbouring communities, and around the harbour, but it's also pleasant to walk through the village, which has many brightly coloured wooden houses on stilts along the shore. • Pigeon Cayes, Two small deserted islands. • Punta Gorda, renting a scooter and driving to Punta Gorda takes about 1 hr each way, and goes through some beautiful countryside. It can be nice to get away from the touristy areas and get back into places that look and feel like Honduras. The town of Punta Gorda is friendly and you may run into a beach party if you are lucky. • Roatan Butterfly Garden • Whites Beach • Marine Park. The marine park is a protected area of reef stretching from West Bay to Sandy Bay and snorkeling and diving are good ways to see the marine life. Go out in a kayak, a boat, or just swim out from the shore.

About the destination: Granada is a city in western Nicaragua and the capital of the Granada Department, it is Nicaragua's sixth most populous city. Granada is historically one of Nicaragua's most important cities, economically and politically. It has a rich colonial heritage, seen in its architecture and structure. Granada is also known as La Gran Sultana, in reflection of its Moorish and Andalusian appearance, unlike its sister city of León and historical rival, which displays Castilian trends. MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS • Volcan Mombacho Lots to do on the volcano...great hikes, a real cloud forest at the top, a couple of zip lines operators, tour of the coffee plantation and processing facility is. • There are 6 main churches: the Cathedral, La Merced, Guadalupe, Xalteva, San Francisco and María Auxiliadora, which all have interesting historical backgrounds and are in very different states. • Fuerte La Polvora. A few historical exhibits are available on the main level, you can climb the towers for views of the quiet city streets, or wander through the lovely courtyard. • Lake CocibolcaL. During the day this is a nice place to catch a breeze, and there are many Nicaraguan families that come here to pass the time. Vendors pass selling all kinds of food. • The Centro Turistico, a park like area complete with bars and restaurants. It's a bit cleaner than the beach right down from the city. • The Central Park with the Cathedral and the Colonial houses surrounding it. • The Isletas. • Mi Museo.

About the destination: Tortuguero is a small fishing village in the far northwest corner of Costa Rica located on a narrow spit of land between the Caribbean Sea and the Tortuguero Canal. Tortuguero is one of the most remote places in Costa Rica and is only accessible by boat or plane. The main reason why most people travel to Tortuguero is to see turtles lay eggs on the beach and to visit Tortuguero National Park. Tortuguero National Park is one of the most visited national parks in Costa Rica.Tortuguero is the perfect tropical rainforest, mosaic of little canals and deltas, wealth of exotic wildlife, stretch of seemingly endless expanse of sandy beach, peace and quiet. Tortuguero is true nature.

About the destination: Panama City is the capital of Panama. It is a very cosmopolitan city, with a modern and western vibe but proudly displaying its Hispanic and Indigenous roots. In recent years, Panama City has become an important hub of international commerce and banking. It can satisfy every interest since there are various museums, very nice restaurants and lots of places to dance and have fun in the evening outings. Panama City has a Picturesque and interesting Casco Viejo or Old Town filled with wonderful colonial architecture. El Casco Viejo is a charming neighbourhood, ideal for walking around its historic streets with beautifully restored colonial architecture, its churches and squares, its nice cafes and restaurants that mingle well with the remnants of old times. The Cathedral, the Interoceanic Canal museum, the History Museum are around The Plaza de la Independencia, the city’s main square. A lot more churches, museums and historical buildings are found in this area just a few blocks away from each other. The Palacio de las Garzas, where the President of the country lives, is two blocks to the north. On the east side there is Plaza de Francia and the beautiful walkway called Paseo de las Bovedas, with great views of the city. The amazing Panama Canal, considered one of the greatest engineering marvels in the world, is, undoubtedly, the one big draw of all tourists who come to the city. Growing, inviting, exciting, lively and sleepless, Panama City is the most cosmopolitan and vibrant capital in Central America.