From swimming with sea lions to hiking volcanoes, our specialists reveal some of their travel highlights in Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico.
The view from the (tree) top in Costa Rica
By Samantha
It was sunset in all its glory on the Osa Peninsula — orange and pink light pouring over Drake Bay’s crashing waves. I admired it from my lofty perch, right at the top of the treetops in a rainforest that spills down to the shoreline far below.
Yes, that’s right — from the treetops. Securely attached to automatic belay systems and lounging in a net, I was able to make the most of the panorama that this guided tree-climbing experience gives you. It’s the only one of its kind in Costa Rica, and the system of straps and nets are constructed in a way that ensures there’s no damage to the trees. While the howler monkeys began their raspy evening chorus, my guide handed me a glass of wine, along with a platter of snacks they’d somehow transported skywards.
This is just one of several immersive nature experiences I tried while staying at SCP Corcovado Wilderness Lodge. During your own stay, you might also have the chance to take part in citizen science projects, like helping to track migrating turtles while you’re snorkeling.
Volcano hikes in Guatemala
By specialist Will
If you’re adventurous and a strong walker, try hiking Acatenango Volcano. Climbing to 3,976 m (13,044 feet), I passed through farmland, pine forests, and cloudforest before reaching the barren summit. It felt like all of Guatemala was stretched out beneath me.
Meanwhile, across the saddle, Fuego Volcano was erupting and blasting out clouds of ash and rock every 15 minutes.
Snorkeling with sea lions in Baja California, Mexico
By specialist Ella
During my time in Baja California I took a trip to Espíritu Santo Island in the Sea of Cortez. We saw dolphins and fin whales, but the real highlight was stopping in a small cove where we had the chance to go snorkeling with a colony of sea lions.
They’re surprisingly playful animals: under the water, we could see them swimming in circles around us. They would hurtle straight toward us before darting off again.
Wildlife watching at night in Costa Rica
By specialist Chris
I left Selva Verde Lodge at dusk to meet my guide who was ready to show me the wildlife that comes out after dark. We didn't have to go far to find five different types of tree frog relaxing by the hotel pond.
As we crossed the suspension bridge over the Sarapiquí River, a porcupine came crawling along the wire just above our heads. Then, entering the nearby private rainforest reserve, my guide showed me glow-in-the-dark fungi and snakes hanging from nearby branches.
Climbing Temple IV in Tikal, Guatemala
By specialist Eileen
Climbing Tikal’s tallest monument, known as Temple IV, I reached the top in time to see sunrise over the rainforest and watched as the ruins peeking above the canopy in the distance became more distinct. As the sky lightened, my view was accompanied by a backing track of the jungle waking, punctuated by the calls of toucans and the ominous growl of howler monkeys.
Caving in Belize
By specialist Tomas
Getting to Actun Tunichil Muknal cave is not for the fainthearted. A hike through dense jungle led me to the mouth of the cave where a refreshing swim through chest-high water grants access to the network of passages that eventually lead to the cathedral chamber.
While my flashlight beam swept over stalactites and stalagmites, my guide explained that the Maya believed caves were mystical portals between the mortal realm and the underworld.
Inside the cave, we began to make out ledges containing the remains of broken pottery used in Maya rituals, as well as a human skull. Then came the cave’s most dramatic and, indeed, most unsettling sight of all: the calcified, eerily sparkling skeleton of what was once thought to be a young girl, but is now believed to have been a 17-year-old boy.
Trip ideas to Central America
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