I was lucky enough to backpack through Central America with one of my best friends for 3 months this last winter.
We bussed through 8 countries, making stops in 6 of them, sometimes for weeks, sometimes for days. Along with the 18 hour bus journeys came the glory that are 3rd world country charms..."chicken" buses packed to the brims, the occasional pick pocket, heat exhaustion, food poisoning, sunburns, sweaty backpacks, "bathrooms" aka holes in the ground, a major lack of toilet seat covers, getting kicked off said chicken buses due to lack of buying the proper ticket, missing connections, get dumped out of public transport at 3 am in a terrifying, unknown, dark, dirty city...
However, all of this was temporary.
On a lucky bus ride, uncrowded, with the sun on my face, I beamed through the dirty glass window of the refurbished 70's school bus that was responsible for my life, and I can't help but smile. I am in awe of the Guatemalan countryside to the right of me. I love the chickens scattered around my feet and the fact that Selena is blasting on the stereo even though I just want to sleep. I love the $1 beans and rice meal from the comedor we stop at. I love jumping off cliffs into emerald water at a spot that can only be described as something that should be the 8th wonder of the world. I love the hammocks I sleep in place of beds, and am grateful for the power that comes on for 3 hours a day on a remote Nicaraguan tropical island. Waking up tangled in mosquito nets and smelling like a mixture of sunscreen, deet, and rum. The wild horses that roam the sunsets in Costa Rica and dancing at the nightclubs of Guatemala. The water so clear you'd swear it was glass. The sunrise over a mayan ruin that made my heart swell and my eyes wet.
Travel isn't always pretty, sometimes it breaks your heart. My point is - sometime you'll get kicked off a bus on a dirt road in mexico. Sometimes you'll get held at a Belizean border and pay your way into a country. You'll get ripped off.
But travel will also mend your heart. It will make you see the good in people. You will see that the people that have less, love more. That a simple life, is a better life.
Recommendations:
Guatemala -
*Antigua. An adorable, cobblestoned colonial city with chic bars and cafes. Drink the mezcal at Cafe No Se and peak the volcano from the rooftop at Skybar.
*Semuc Chempay/Lanquin. This place blew my mind. All of our jaws dropped when we finally got there. Sit in the emerald pools and have little fish bite your toes, and spring for the tour, it's worth it. I won't divulge too much but it has to do with swimming in a cave by candlelight. Also...rope swings!
Nicaragua -
*Island Ometepe. An island formed by 2 volcanos in the middle of a freshwater Lake Nicaragua, this place is insane. It's a tropical island with lush vegetation. Monkeys are everywhere, fireflies light up the night sky, and wild horses and butterflies roam free. It was heaven.
Costa Rica
*Montezuma. A rad hippie town. Stay at the hostels on the beach, hang out at bonfires, smoke a doobie, check out the amazing market for all your fruit. The mango was so good in Costa Rica we wanted to actually bang it.
*Punta Uva. One of the more beautiful beaches I saw in my 3 months. crystal clear water surrounded by jungle where monkeys could be heard howling and swinging. Ride your bikes down the highway and understand why Costa Rica is so popular with travelers.
Panama
*Bocas Del Toro. I was a little skeptical at first, as I heard this was the "vegas" of central america...ew. However,there are about 5 islands and you can pick and choose as you please. I stayed on Bastimentos for almost 3 weeks and adored it. Take water taxis to other islands, hike through jungles to find deserted beaches, pick fresh guava from the trees. I stayed at Hostal Bastimentos and the owners were real gems. We became a family, made dinner every night, learned how to make coconut oil. It was wonderful.
*San Blas Islands - a must if you're in Panama. Only for 1 or 2 nights, as we could walk around our island in less than 5 minutes (island fever is real!) but it was amazing. So, so, beautiful. It's hard to describe in words. but just trust me.
*Panama City - a weird version of Miami. Casco Viejo is the best neighborhood.To beat the heat, we slummed the American Trade Hotel, a version of the ever so hip Ace Hotel in the US, and had cocktails and pretended to be fancy. Walk to the fish market from Casco and get what I think is the best ceviche in the world for $1.25. You will never find more fresh, more delicious ceviche, I promise.
All photos by Megan Robinson. Treat your eyeballs to some more of her photos right here.
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