Top 5: Off the Beaten Path Destinations in Central America

There are countless destinations everyone knows about or wants to visit. The tough part comes when you want to visit places a little out of the way for most visitors.

It feels like the most beautiful places are often some of the hardest to reach. These are just five of our picks for the best off-the-beaten-path destinations to plan for in Central America.

Pacaya Volcano

Pacaya Volcano is a complex of active volcanoes in Guatemala. If you like the idea of hiking for miles to get a better glimpse of volcanoes, this is a great place to start. Just about 20 miles south of Guatemala City, you won’t need to go too far out of the way to hike up an active volcano.

Semuc Champey

Semuc Champey is a natural monument near Lanquin. It is quite difficult to travel to, but if you can figure out the transportation, it holds a unique sight. The site is home to a 300-meter limestone bridge running over turquoise pools popular with swimming tourists.

Glover’s Reef Atoll

Glover’s Reef Atoll forms the border of the Belize Barrier Reef. The atoll is situated on the southern coast of Belize, about 27 miles off shore. Visit the atoll and the reef for an experience you can bet many missed while they were planning trips to Costa Rica.

Caye Caulker

Caye Caulker is another island on the coast of Belize. This island is easy to access when compared to the other items on this list, and is accessible by air transfer or a water taxi. Make the most of your time on the island by going SCUBA diving and taking a manatee tour to make sure you have some one-of-a-kind experiences.

El Mirador

Finally, El Mirador is an incredibly tough sight to set your eyes upon. These Guatemalan ruins are located deep in the El Mirador National Park. It is typically only accessible via helicopter, but these are the largest pyramids, by volume, on the planet.

These destinations might be out of the way, but they offer experiences most travelers only dream about.