Central America is hardly a well-kept secret. Costa Rica is jam-packed with eco resorts, expats and sloth-scouting holidaymakers, while the beaches of Belize are littered with yogis. And then there’s Panama with its famous canal and cruises to match. Anyone who’s done a little research on travelling to Guatemala recently will no doubt have come across the same raft of travel bloggers and influencers as the rest of the world. On the other hand, there are a few countries there that still fly under most people’s travel radars.
El Salvador
El Salvador used to be solidly on the “Do Not Travel” list. However, things have begun to look pretty different in the last few years. Since he took office, President Bukele has been making drastic efforts to cut back on the violence. It’s still not exactly a beginner’s holiday, but more experienced travellers can feel confident checking out the country’s Mayan cities and volcanic hikes before the hordes catch on.
When it comes to those aforementioned ruins, there are a good few sites to choose from but if there’s only room for one ancient city in your itinerary, it should probably be Cihuatán. You’ll find quite a few companies offering combined tours of Cihuatan Archaeological Park and the distillery, usually with a stop off in the charming colonial town of Suchitoto as well. While it’s great for a couple of hours meandering through the cobblestone streets and galleries, stick around a little longer to hit the trails, your gateway to serene lakes, hidden waterfalls, and mysterious caves.
Santa Ana is the country’s highest active volcano, whose summit comes complete with epic views over the radioactive-turquoise of Laguna Ilamatepec, the less bio-hazardous-looking Lake Coatepeque, and the surrounding volcanoes.
The Santa Ana volcano climb is fairly intense, taking anywhere from 1 to 3 hours, however summits like one of San Salvador’s two peaks will take as little as 30 minutes. The trail up the higher of the capital’s twin peaks still only takes around 1.5 hrs, with the leafy canopies of El Boquerón National Park protecting you from the elements.
Honduras
Another not so well travelled country is Honduras. If it’s beach time you’re after, this is likely where you’ll want to focus all your energy. The Bay Islands, located in the Caribbean off Honduras’ northern coast, have some of the clearest waters around and are renowned for phenomenal diving.
Roatán is the most popular holiday island there. The village of West End is a lot less busy and might make a good home base if you’d like room to breathe.
Utila is a smaller island southwest of Roatán, with a party reputation and a huge scuba culture. You can take a water taxi to Water Cay, a tiny uninhabited island nearby. On the mainland, there are a few more spots that are well established on the tourist trail. Firstly, there are the Mayan ruins at Copán Ruinas
The rainforests of Pico Bonito National Park and the nearby Cangrejal River Valley, just inland from the coastal city of La Ceiba are ripe for adventure travel, with white water rafting, hiking trails, and wildlife aplenty. Similarly, Lago de Yojoa is a nature-lover’s paradise, this time with a bonus lake.
Now, while Honduras isn’t super touristy overall, it’s also not the kind of place we’d recommend getting off the beaten path.