Mexico/C. America Travel Options - 2005
 

We are starting of where to go next November for about 8 days. We like history, colonial architecture, general sightseeing, good food, and a little bit of relaxing. We have been to a number of places in Mexico and to Guatamala, and would like to try something new. Listed below are our possibilities so far. Does anyone have comments on these places, or suggest one or more over the others?

Puebla (about 4 days) and surroundings (not sure where) for another 3 or 4 days

Guadalajara (about 4 days) and surroundings for another 3 or 4 days

Belize - time split between beach (Caye Caulker or Placencia) and inland

Cuernavaca and Taxco

Honduras - Copan and around for 3 or 4 days and coast 3 or 4 days (Lodge at Pico Bonito???)

Nicaragua - Granada, Selva Negra, maybe fit in San Juan del Sur

If you have not been to Oaxaca City and the surrounding valley I would add it to the list. It easy to combine Oaxaca with Puebla via a 4 1/2 first class bus trip which is interesting in itself. Personally, I enjoy the Oaxaca area over Taxco and particularily Cuernavaca although I would certainly not hesitate to make additional visits to either. In Oaxaca there is certainly much culture, exposure to indigenous life, good regional food, and an abundance of ruins and other things to see. Have a good trip wherever-

well, i love belize and would recommend it but november is still hurrican season i think so i might pick a different time.

Thanks for the replies so far!

I have been to Oaxaca, so would probably skip that for this trip. I am going at the end of November, so I don't think that hurricanes will be a problem.

Regarding Belize, I found that there was little to do on Caye Caulker. Perhaps you would consider splitting your trip between the mainland and Ambergris Caye? San Pedro is a charming little town with dirt roads and great casual restaurants. I spent three nights on Ambergris and 4 nights on the mainland at a place called the Banana Bank Lodge. It is rustic but the rainforest setting is wonderful. A staff member pulls you across the Belize River in a small rowboat. While there, we went canoeing, horseback riding, visited Tikal and went cave tubing on the grounds of the Jaguar Paw Resort. This resort seemed more upscale and had a small restaurant/bar whereas all meals are family style at Banana Bank.

This Feb I will be going to Honduras. I'm staying for 3 nights at the Lodge at Pico Bonito and 4 nights on Roatan. So, at this point I cannot speak from experience, but I have read reviews of Pico Bonito and it sounds fantastic. It seems perfectly remote yet luxurious.

From Honduras you could easily cross the border into Nicaragua and here is a nice ecoturism resort
www.haciendacosiguina.com.ni