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CENTRAL AMERICA


CENTRAL AMERICA


t


What the seven


countries of Central America lack in size they more than make up for in Mayan culture,


scenery and picture- postcard colonial towns, says Adam Coulter


C


entral America has had a long and turbulent history, riven with civil wars and coups.


However, for the past 20 years the


region has enjoyed political stability and steady tourism growth – which received a boost last year from the publicity surrounding the end of the Mayan Year on December 21, 2012. In short, in tourism terms the region is in from the cold and set to emerge as one of the in-demand destinations over the next few years. It comprises seven countries that


connect Mexico to South America, in a thin arc about 1,500kms long, with the Pacifi c to the west and the Caribbean to the east. Belize and Guatemala border


Above: Lake Atitlan, Guatemala


Mexico, followed by Honduras and El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama, which borders Colombia.


All seven offer a wonderful mix


of Mayan culture and breathtaking natural beauty, with lush landscapes of smouldering volcanoes and untouched coasts, and vibrant cities and perfectly preserved colonial towns thrown into the mix. Such a relatively small region lends itself perfectly to a twin- or even a triple-centre holiday, and if you are sending a client out that far – there are still no direct fl ights from the UK to anywhere in Central America, so it takes the best part of the day and two fl ights minimum to get there – it makes sense for them to see as much as possible. But despite their small size, each has a distinct identity, culture and landscape, as Amanda Sweeney, Latin America Programme Manager for Rainbow Tours explains. “Each


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destination in Central America offers exceptional diversity – fabulous beaches, interesting colonial and indigenous cultures, amazing wildlife and varied landscapes. “It is possible to pack a lot in to a relatively short trip, or combine more than one country for a really interesting itinerary.” The most popular country is Costa


Rica, an “an iconic Central American destination, famed for its safety record and lack of an army but also for the generally careful way it has developed tourism, protecting the national parks, diverse wildlife and stunning scenery that draw people to this country,” says John Faithfull, a travel consultant at Steppes Travel. If your client wants to look beyond


Costa Rica, Cox & Kings has a number of interesting itineraries, explains


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