stellablue

We're in the beginning stages of planning a vacation to Central America. We're a family of 3 - husband, wife, 4-y-o boy. As a couple we've been to the Yucatan (3 times) and Belize several times (6 times). As a family we've only been out of the country to the BVIs, mostly because this nervous mom doesn't want to put adventure travel over the health and safety of her one-and-only son. Now we think he is old enough to handle rougher roads and stronger insect repellant, so we want opinions on several destinations.

Interests of the adults include history/culture (e.g. mayan ruins), snorkelling (from shore if possible, the boy can swim), hiking/walking, and amateur birding. Also we prefer t-shirts and flip-flops, decent seafood, and moderate accommodations with at least a fridge and coffemaker so we don't have to go out for breakfast. The boy has been on many planes and travels well, just hasn't been out of the country much.

Destinations we are considering are:
Panama (it's been on the list since before kid - thinking Gamboa and a beach destination)
Honduras (ditto - thinking Copan and Roatan)
Belize - since we know it
Mexico - maybe Akumal for the snorkeling and Coba since we've never been there.

Can you help us decide? Thanks in advance.

NurseSally

You really can't go wrong with any of those choices. I love Guatemala. Tikal is amazing and the Mayan villages are wonderful.But there isn't much in the way of beaches. Costa Rica is also a good choice for a family, alot of fun tours to take. I was in Honduras. It is more difficult to travel there - not set up for tourists as much as other places. Maybe with a young son, Akumal and that area was be easiest - great beaches and Coba is interesting. wonderful. Tulum is nearby and is a great place. Small town, quaint accomodations and the ruins over looking the ocean are beautiful. Travel there is pretty easy since they are so used to tourists. You'll have fun no matter where you end up.

hopefulist

My vote is for Copán, then La Ceiba area and Roatán. My pictures (with linked travelogues) are here:

www.flickr.com/photos/staceyholeman/collections

snorkelluvn

For a dose of incredible nature, hard to beat Costa Rica. Plus, safe and incredibly friendly people. Last time we went, we took a NatureAir flight (25 min.) from San Jose to Nicoya Penninsula and stayed in Montezuma, splitting our time between a RobinsonCrusoe-type 2-story house at Amor de Mar and the jungly beach resort of Ylang Ylang. Beaches (though surf can be rough), waterfalls, zipline, boat excursion to deserted island, monkeys in the trees, amazing plants and flowers and birds--just great. You can walk to town in montezuma for variety of good food and drinks, not too expensive, plus artist and clothing shops. Very chill. Ylang ylang has a beautiful free-form pool set amongst the trees and very good food. Once your plane lands on beach runway, it's about a 35 minute taxi ride to Montezuma. On previous trip, went to monteverde cloud forest, Arenal volcano and beautiful Manuel Antonio national Park (awesome wildlife, beaches here, but more crowded and you'd need a car).

volcanogirl

You might like Manuel Antonio Costa Rica - check out Buena Vista Villas, Tulemar Bungalows, or Si Como No. Great hiking and birding, beautiful beach, lots of restaurants with fresh seafood, and wildlife. Not many ruins in CR though. It's really popular for families.

ttraveler

What a hard decision. I also have an almost four year old boy. He is also our only one so I know exactly how your wife feels. I have been to all of the places you have mentioned but without my son. I have thought about where his first adventure travel trip would be as I also think that he is getting old enough.
I think that I would probably choose Costa Rica for a couple of reasons. One being that my son is really interested in volcanos and I have been lucky in the past with seeing Arenal. Also Manuel Antonio has some nice hikes ( you can hire a guide) and your son would get to see a lot of animals. There is really not a lot of good snorkeling in CR.
Roatan is wonderful. A great beach, no waves and clear water. Great snorkeling that you can walk out to. Also Anthony Key has a dolphin progam that he would probably be old enough to enjoy. The only problem(for me) is the fact that it is suggested that you take malaria meds for Honduras. I met many families who did not take it.
Enjoy your trip where ever you decide.

shillmac

Short on cultural experiences (ruins, etc), but Costa Rica is quite an adventure location and so beautiful. All the suggestions have been good ones.

Panama, too, and Gamboa in particular would be a good area for you. Someone else would need to advise you on a beach location to couple that with, however. Can Blas Islands come to mind, but I haven't been there. Great birding, both places.

hopefulist

Everybody gets this post started a year and a half ago, right?

ttraveler

Hopeful,
Of course not.. I wonder where they went!

volcanogirl

Well they said they were in the beginning stages - lol. I honestly never look at the dates on these things. If they pop to the top, I just assume they are current. How funny. stella, where did you end up going?

hopefulist

I thought it was a new thread but - strangely - there was a post with my name on it! Otherwise I probably wouldn't have noticed, either. Stellablue posts mainly on the US branch - not sure if she'll see this but I'm curious, too.

stellablue

Alas we did not make it to CA, due to DH having a health issue later in '07 that ate up much of our vacation budget. We did get to go on a low-cost vacation to San Diego and Catalina Island last April, but never made it to any of the places I had been researching - sorry to disappoint! Looking to try again for next winter/spring though!

volcanogirl

Great, I hope you get to go!

hopefulist

Thanks for checking in - hope DH's health has improved.