DESTINATIONS al perks
Pair Belize and Guatemala to get the very best of Central America, says Kelly Ranson
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travelweekly.co.uk
elize and Guatemala have largely stayed off the tourist radar for Brits, as bigger Latin American countries scoop up first-time
visitors to the region, leaving the sacred sites and steamy jungles of these neighbouring states only to those in the know. Yet for the more intrepid UK traveller, that simply adds to the allure. These small countries boast some of the world’s best diving sites, Mayan ruins, mist-filled jungles and colonial cities – perfect for a twin-centre trip. Plus they offer just the kind of vibrant visual content you can use in social media or marketing to inspire customers planning ahead for 2021. While there are no direct flights from the UK to
Belize or Guatemala as yet, they are still easily accessible either with a stopover in the US (usually via Miami or Houston) or by tagging on a few days in Costa Rica, thanks to BA’s direct airlift. These countries pair up neatly on a joint itinerary,
letting visitors compare and contrast their ancient ruins, unspoilt rainforests and brochure-worthy waterfronts, with highlights on offer in each destination.
RUINS
Guatemala: Whether it’s the sounds of the howler monkeys or the magnificent view from atop one of the pyramids, Tikal will leave a lasting memory. Mayan sites are scattered across Guatemala, but the scale of Tikal is really something – and you can see why it’s one of the country’s top attractions for visitors. Driving into the Unesco World Heritage Site, the true scale of this place becomes apparent. It takes more than 20 minutes to get from the gate to the visitor area alone, and the whole national park covers around 225 square miles. Setting off to explore, you will scale small hills
(which are, in fact, ruins of temples that have not yet been excavated) in the lush rainforest to reach a large opening where the expansive area of the central plaza can be found. Visitors have to use their imagination to envisage how these preserved pyramids were once the hub of an ancient civilisation dating back as far as 600BC. Travellers tend to stay in Flores, the small island town with colonial charm, often described as the ‘gateway to Tikal’. ²
4 JUNE 2020 BELIZE & GUATEMALA | LATIN AMERICA
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