CENTRAL AMERICA
COSTA RICA’S RELAXED VIBE BY RAFE STONE, JOURNEY LATIN AMERICA “In Costa Rica I was reminded of why Central America is such an interesting destination. Short distances between areas meant that we were never travelling for more than three or four hours in a day overland, and the terrain could vary from morning to afternoon. We could have easily popped into Panama from the south or into Nicaragua to the north as many people do. On the Caribbean coast the vibe was relaxed, the sea translucent and the tropical forest abundant with wildlife. In an hour we saw sloth, howler monkey and many species of bird. As with much of Central America the coastline is still unspoilt. Inland a volcanic range stretches through most of the isthmus so a hike, bike or day at a hot springs is never far away.”
Vesella Baleva, Product Manager for
Cox & Kings. “For 2013 we introduced the less-visited El Salvador, expanded our Costa Rica portfolio with a new self-drive option and set up various new itineraries to inspire clients. “We are also always looking for
new experiences and excursions, like learning how to make chocolate in Granada or visiting a chicken bus workshop outside Antigua.” Central America is still very much a niche tourism destination for UK visitors, partly due to a lack of knowledge of the area. Another obstacle is the lack of
direct fl ights from the UK to the region (despite ongoing lobbying), but
that didn’t stop 96,039 UK tourists making their way out there between January and November last year, a healthy rise of 1.5%.
What’s new Cruising: Construction is 80% complete at Banana Coast, a new Western Caribbean port in Trujillo, Honduras. Silversea Cruises became the fi rst cruise line to commit to making a call at the new port, with the 296-passenger Silver Cloud scheduled to visit Banana Coast on December 17, 2014.
The Honduras Tourist Board says the number of cruise passengers arriving in Roatan this season should reach close to one million.
This page: Mayan ruins in Belize; the Embera people of Panama; colourful toucan; Belize’s Blue Hole; Panama’s San Blas Islands; scarlet macaws. Opposite, clockwise from left: Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica; Surfi ng in El Salvador; fruit seller, El Salvador; colonial Granada, Nicaragua
The Panama Canal Expansion is expected to be completed by December 2014, coinciding with the centenary of the opening of the Canal. The new channel is expected to start operating by April 2015. The eight-year project will
double the capacity, broadening the Canal to allow bigger ships
52 July/August 2013
www.sellinglonghaul.com
“On any itinerary include the colourful Chichicastenango market in Guatemala, open on Thursdays and Sundays. Local people in traditional dress trade textiles, pottery, food
and handicrafts” VESELLA BALEVA, PRODUCT MANAGER COX & KINGS
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