![Costa Rica mountains and hillside was amazing. view into valley was unbelievable. It was so much green for miles, and miles. cloud formation.](https://lp-cms-production.imgix.net/2023-02/Costa Rica David Thompson GettyImages-120472128 RFC.jpg?auto=format&w=1920&h=640&fit=crop&crop=faces,edges&q=75)
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Central America
With cerulean seas and verdant forests, magnificent Maya ruins and smoking volcanoes, Central America is like a tropical fairy tale except all of it is real.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
San José
On the southern side of the Plaza de la Cultura resides the Teatro Nacional, San José’s most revered building. Constructed in 1897, it features a columned…
Central Valley & Highlands
This polished storybook garden complex just east of Volcán Poás offers the most easily digestible cultural experience in the Central Valley and is the…
Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio
Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio & Around
Featuring lush jungle, picture-perfect beaches and craggy headlands, this tiny park (1680 acres/680 hectares) absolutely brims with wildlife (and often…
Cahuita
At the northwestern end of Cahuita, Playa Negra is a long, black-sand beach flying the bandera azul ecológica, a flag that indicates that the beach is…
Southern Caribbean
Off a dirt road marked by Punta Uva Dive Center is a quiet, idyllic cove that could double for a scene in the film The Beach. When the water is calm, it…
Iglesia y Convento de Santo Domingo
Antigua
Founded by Dominican friars in 1542, Santo Domingo became the biggest and richest monastery in Antigua. Following three 18th-century earthquakes, the…
Masaya & Los Pueblos Blancos
Described by the Spaniards as the gates of hell, the craters that comprise Volcán Masaya National Park are the most easily accessible active volcanoes in…
Ambergris Caye
At the southern tip of Ambergris, the 6.5-sq-mile Hol Chan Marine Reserve is probably Belize's most oft-visited diving and snorkeling site. It offers…
Articles
Latest stories from Central America
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![Two samba dancers performing at Carnival.](https://lp-cms-production.imgix.net/2023-02/GettyRF_484191711.jpg?auto=format&w=780&h=425&fit=crop&q=75)
- BeachesThe 14 best Places to visit in Central America: ruins, reefs, and romantic beaches
May 3, 2022 • 9 min read
Sustainable TravelWhere to stay in Central America for a truly sustainable adventureMay 1, 2022 • 6 min read
- National ParksThe 10 best national parks in Central America offer sea turtles, Mayan pyramids and volcanoes
Apr 20, 2022 • 6 min read
- HikingThe 8 best hikes in Central America include smoking volcanoes and sloth-filled jungles
Apr 3, 2022 • 8 min read
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