> Transportation throughout Central America is easy...
The only place I ever had to pay a small bribe to cross a border was
to get out of Nicaragua. I know there used to be a bus company that
went from Guatemala City to Panama City, but I never used it and don't
know what it was called or if it still exists.
> don't go up through Yucatan...
Obviously if speed of transit is the main criterion and ruins or
beaches are not, Yucatán would out of the way. Go south to Guatemala
via Tapachula.
>...Belize which is much more expensive and not really worth going to.
Belize is relatively more expensive than its neighbors, but in
absolute terms it's not expensive. The main reason to go is to
snorkel/dive, and if you want those things, it's definitely worth it.
But Guatemala has Belize beat if you want very Indian culture and
archaeological sites.
> special warnings: Do not visit Copan (or is it Coban)if you have seen Tikal...
Never been to Copán, but Tikal certainly is fabulous, still one of the
best ruins experiences in all of Central America. Honduras does have
an extensive park system, though it's very undeveloped and somewhat
hard to visit by public transport. But having been in Costa Rica twice
for extended stays, but only once for a week in Honduras, Honduras is
definitely on my radar screen for the future.
> Tegucigalpa, what a Hell hole if ever there was one...
Tegucigalpa is nothing special, but it's not Tangiers, Morocco, which
really is a hell-hole. And there are interesting places to visit
outside Tegucigalpa, including La Tigra and Valle de los Angeles.
> carry $US cash when crossing the border to Nicaragua...
> Continuing south Nicaragua is much better than Honduras,
The Nicaragua I saw was *the* most beat up country in all of Central
America (and most of these countries are pretty beat up
environmentally, including Costa Rica). The people were very
dispirited from all the post-Sandinista corruption, and the landscape
was really beat up. But I suppose I'd give Nicaragua another go since
I was just there for a few days. But I'd expect to be "roughing it".
>Costa Rica and Panama...welcoming places by contrast.,..
Costa Rica has the advantage of having a large, diverse park system,
much of which can be visited by public transport, as well as a "beach
vacation" tradition. But in no way would I rank it higher in
"welcoming" than Honduras. Guatemalans are pretty somber in spite of
the "color" because their government is so repressive and the vast
majority of people live in such abject poverty. Some Belizeans tend to
have a bit of a chip on the shoulder towards visitors. But even in
Costa Rica all is not well. Crime is skyrocketing, especially in San
Jose, and a very large percentage of the population is sinking deeper
and deeper into poverty (most visitors don't get off the beaten track,
so they don't see this).
Each country has something different to offer the visitor, but none is
a "paradise". All have very real and severe problems. However, none is
so bad that I'd avoid it. |
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