Best kept secrets in Central America
As the World gets smaller, and it is easier to travel to just about any corner of the earth, travelers are swarming around looking for new places to discover. Europe, Mexico and the Caribbean have long been on the tourist map, and are visited by millions of people every year, many who are now looking for new destinations to visit, hopefully still undiscovered and truly authentic. Central America is thus, now being looked upon. Costa Rica, Guatemala, and now Panama, have been quite successful in the region, so the question is: where are the best kept secrets in Central America? The answer is actually quite easy: Honduras and Nicaragua! Both of these countries offer unique, very authentic experiences in truly original destinations, best of all, despite the fact that they are small neighboring countries; they are very different from each other! Since there are so many secrets to talk about, I will only mention what in my mind is the top secret for each country!
Let me start with Honduras…
Located in the Caribbean coast of Honduras, the department of Atlantida offers some truly unique settings that you will not find elsewhere in Central America. The beaches, the Garifuna Culture, the high density of National Parks and protected areas make of Atlantida a truly unique destination. Within Atlantida, you will find one area that is truly unique… The Cangrejal River Valley. A combination of exotic tropical jungles, a lovely river with incredible scenic views, white water, natural swimming pools, the perfect combination of a remote setting with easy access make it truly attractive and unique. Best of all is the fact that most tourists in the area must pass right through La Ceiba on their way to the Bay Islands of Utila or Roatan, so they do not even have to make an effort to discover this really distinct mini destination. This is truly one of the best kept secrets in Central America, however there are many travelers coming through La Ceiba en route to the Bay Islands and not even stopping by the Cangrejal River Valley despite the fact that it is only a 9 km detour that will cost them $25 US dollars and take them less than half an hour! What a mistake!
There are almost 50 private rooms, as well as some dorms in the Cangrejal River Valley, and they cost anywhere between $20 US per room in double occupancy at Cabanas Aventuras or La Canasta Ecolodge to over $300 US per night at the luxurious Las Cascadas Resort. Most rooms however are around $100 US per night in double occupancy, as is the case at La Villa de Soledad, where for $100 US per night in double occupancy two persons can enjoy a room with breakfast, taxes included. In total, there are 10 lodges, inns and bed and breakfasts in the area. About half of them are actually owned by foreigners who have discovered this extremely well kept secret, easily one of the best kept secrets in Central America, and made this their home and invested in building a small business. The above means that if you do not speak Spanish, you will have no problem, because there are many people here that speak English!
One of the reasons that this area is worth including as a secret is the fact that there are many different options of activities and tours in the area. From the World Class white water rafting in the area, to the outstanding hiking in the both Pico Bonito National Park and Nombre de Dios National Parks. Birdwatching is superb, and best of all, the area is extremely safe, with the community members understanding clearly that tourists really do help them improve their quality of life, and therefore really looking out for the travelers who venture out to this magical valley.
Time to move on to Nicaragua
Nicaragua has a lot to offer, and more and more travelers are becoming bolder and visiting this country that hosted the last big revolution in the Americas as early as the 1980s. Much has changed since those days, and Nicaragua today boasts the highest security in Central America. Nicaragua is known for its lakes and volcanoes, and therefore, I will steer clear of these not because they are not worthy, but because they are not a secret….
Without doubt, one of the best kept secrets in Central America is Little Corn Island, a small island off the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua. Getting here is complicated, and in some cases, a true adventure. If you are interested in figuring out how to get there, visit www.nicatips.com. Little Corn Island is small, friendly, and one of the few places on earth where there are no cars, motorcycles, golf carts, etc. Getting around the island is strictly a walking option. The largest hotel on the island is only 20 rooms big, and many of the properties are funky, friendly, beach front hotels with a lot of character. English is widely spoken, as the island was actually under British domain until the 1860s, so you will find many English names on both Corn Island and little Corn Island. Diving is good on the island, but mostly, it is a perfect place to simply relax in a perfect, tranquil island setting with friendly people.
