Backpacking through Central America

HI I'm planning a trip this summer from early June to mid july to go from Costa Rica up to Mexico hitting just about every country in between- ideally I would like to do some camping moving my way North but I'm not sure what the terrain/safety is like. Are hostels the way to go? Also what are the main sites to see, things to do in these countries? Any advice would be much appreciated.

-Alex

That question is massive....MASSIVE!

Hostels are the way to go if you like to associate with other travellers and are on a tight budget....If not, local cheap hotels are the way to go.

Camping is possible and you usually can just walk up to some farmer and ask them if you can pitch a tent on their property and pay them a little something....You are pretty exposed, but it is doable.

D

If you're thinking about Nicaragua bear in mind that President Daniel Ortega sexually molested his daughter-and was still re elected.

That tells you the kind of place it is.

Quoting SamSalmon

If you're thinking about Nicaragua bear in mind that President Daniel Ortega sexually molested his daughter-and was still re elected.

That tells you the kind of place it is.

That is indeed a sad story, but I'm not sure if you should generalize in such a crass way . I had a wonderful time in Nicaragua and definitely recommend everyone to go. San Juan del Sur is a lovely fisherman's village on the Pacific side of the country, Isla Ometepe is a great place to go hiking for a couple of days and Granada is an old, pretty colonial town. All in all, I personally thought Nicaragua and the people there were my favourite in Central America. As for camping I don't think it'll be that easy, but there are plenty of hostels and they are very cheap most of the time.

[ Edit: Edited on Oct 6, 2008, at 3:59 AM by steff ]

Actually, I am with you here, Steff. Seems like it was posted just so Sam could sound knowledgeable. There are things wrong with Nicaragua, but I am sure that the travails of the President won´t affect your trip in any way. Clinton´s cigar proclivities sure didn´t change the tourist landscape of the States, and Trudeau´s wife´s infidelity with the Rolling Stones didn´t alter Canada all that much.

I like Nicaragua. Though I will say, for the five millionth time, that there is NOTHING N:O:T:H:I:N:G: in Managua. So don´t waste your time there.

D

People's private proclivities are just that-sexual abuse of children is a heinous crime and those who perpetrate it are forever outcasts.