Dreaming about greener grass? Tired of waiting around for friends to graduate, to have the money, to have the time, to travel? It might be time to consider solo travel. I don’t believe that every destination is ideal for solo travel, but Central America isn’t one of them. Whether you’re solo dolo for the first time or the 20th time, the underrated and budget-friendly region that is often lumped in with Mexico is an absolute must.
First of all, let’s talk about where Central America actually is. Anything that’s in between the United States and Colombia is Central America- that includes Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. This region is rich with rainforests, volcanos, beaches, diverse wildlife, and ancient Indigenous cultures/communities. Entry and exit formalities for Canadians, Americans, and EU members are generally lax and inexpensive. Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua make up the C-4 countries in which those on a visitor visa in any of these countries can travel between them with no formal entry/exit checks for up to 90 days.
San Blas Islands, Panama
Second of all, yes, Central America is safe to travel to. As a solo female traveller who knows very little Spanish, my safety was never in jeopardy, and none of the travellers I had met had incidents, and the locals would attest to how safe each city is. I would practice normal measures of caution— keep an eye on your things and never get too incapacitated that you’re unable to keep track of your belongings. Carry less on yourself and keep your expensive/majority of items at your hotel/hostel, preferably with a lock. With all of that being said, I saw some people go to crazy measures like the RFID money belts, actually locking their things, etc. And while I don’t encourage being reckless, I’ve gotten away with using a regular cross-body purse and on my most recent trip to Panama, I forgot to bring a lock and didn’t lock my things up my entire trip. There were no casualties (related to locking up my things, at least) and most of all, I’ve never had a local make me feel unsafe or try anything funny on me. I’d like to think that I have great fortune, because I rarely ever lose things or have had things stolen from me, but the one time that I did was when I went to an island/bar crawl called Filthy Friday that was 99% fellow travellers like myself, and my Apple Watch and cash was stolen from my bag that I left on the ground. Like I said, practice a normal level of caution.
Now, for the good stuff! With cheap transit, tour companies, delicious food, and a large bilingual population, here’s why Central America is an ideal place for beginner backpackers and solo travellers.
Panama Viejo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
There really is something for everyone, everywhere.
There’s no such thing as a landlocked Central American country. In fact, most of them are bi-coastal, with major destinations on both the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. The ones that aren’t, however, are still worth going to and boast beautiful beaches. For history and culture buffs, there are 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites spread out amongst all the region, including Pre-Columbian Chiefdom Settlements in Costa Rica, the Maya Site of Copán in Honduras, and Casco Viejo in Panama. World Heritage Sites always promise museums, a rich culture, and preservation efforts to be enjoyed. For adventure junkies, zip-lining, whale watching, white-water rafting, kayaking, scuba diving, and surfing can be found for the fraction of the cost by Western standards everywhere. Unique to the region is the abundance of volcanoes- some active, some dormant, but all promising hikes, views, and even swimming that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. Favorites include El Salvador’s Santa Ana, which overlooks a bright turquoise lake at the top, and Volcan Concepcion and Volcan Maderas in Ometepe, Nicaragua, which have magnificent views of each other and almost guarantee the visit of howler monkeys. If you’re a party animal, Nicaragua and Panama host two of the most famous island crawls; San Juan Del Sur’s Sunday Funday, and Bocas Del Toro’s Filthy Friday (which I previously mentioned, and despite getting my stuff stolen there, I’d still endorse).
And no matter what you’re into, it’s cheap!
If any of the previously mentioned activities gets you going, what will get you even more excited is that doing them won’t break the bank. Everything from air fare (at least from North America), to local transport (I’ve never taken an airport taxi more than $20), to accommodations (hola, $10 dorm beds!), to the food, is affordable and worth your while, even if you decide to splurge a little. Most activities and tours won’t run you more than $20 USD per day, and you’d be hard pressed to find an alcoholic beverage that costs more than $5, even in the notoriously expensive country of Panama.
The cheapest Central American countries are El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. Mid-range are Belize and Honduras, and Costa Rica and Panama are the most expensive in the region. Costa Rica has world-leading environmental preservation, making it an ideal place for nature lovers, and Panama is the most developed Central American country, so if you don’t want to rough it too much, it’s definitely the place for you.
You don’t need to know the local language.
In most tourist towns and major cities, the locals and the local business owners will be bilingual. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to learn more than just “hola” and “gracias” (and “lo siento”, if you’re Canadian!), but it’s certainly not the end of the world and won’t be a huge issue to not be fluent in Spanish. If locals don’t know English, they’re often used to interacting with gringos enough that they’ll whip out Google Translate or quasi-sign language to get their point across and help you out. Also, Spanish is a latin language, so for my fellow Canadians who have a basic French understanding, picking up Español is easier than you’d think.
You’ll never be offline.
Important for the digital nomads and Instagram influencers out there! Cellular data in Central America is ridiculously cheap, like, get a SIM card with unlimited data for 10 days for $6 USD, cheap. And it’s fast! Most businesses and accommodations will include free wifi that works at reasonable speeds. For those who want to get away but may not want to unplug completely, you’ll still be able to keep on top of your notifications. In fact, the transition for electronics in Central America is headache free, since you don’t need a plug/outlet adapter as the outlets there are the same ones used in North America.
These are legitimately some of the nicest people in the world.
Am I allowed to bequeath this honor onto someone, as a Canadian? Central Americans make Canadians look like the grim reaper. With double cheek kisses and hugs upon greeting, obligatory “mi amor” (my love) in casual conversation, and warm hospitality, the culture is one that is infectious. Of course, each country’s people have their own quirks and nuances in etiquette, but the overarching feel is SO much different than the “heads-down” culture that I’m used to in North America. Expect to be saying hello to almost everyone you pass by, for restaurant owners to greet you as if you were a child of theirs, and for people on horses, motorcycles, bikes, cars, and trucks to offer you a lift. Even if there is a language barrier, locals are almost always willing to lend a hand and give you directions, or at least call their cousin or friend who “knows how to speak English” (everyone always has one, and believe it or not this is actually an effective way of communicating!), and point you the right way.
Riding a horse up Volcan Maderas in Nicaragua
Most of all, Central America and the hybrid island/jungle vibe attracts all kinds of people. There’s plenty of other solo travellers, couples, groups of friends, ex-patriots, and of course, locals, to be met. And if you’re not in a people mood, it’s not easy to take a step back and relax on your own since you won’t be drowning in other tourists.
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