In December 2009, on the eve of my 30th birthday, Will & I decided it was time for a change. So we quit our jobs, gave up our apartment, and gave away most of our earthly belongings (save what would fit in one corner of my mom’s garage) all with the hopes of backpacking through Central America for a while to see where life would take us. We left March 9, 2010, and in the subsequent ten weeks, we managed to visit the following places:
- San Pedro Sula for our first night, and La Ceiba for our second
- Sun, scuba diving, biking and hiking on the Bay Island of Utila
- Beachtown of Tela & day trip to Punto Ixopo for kayaking, wildlife, and scenery
- Santa Rosa de Copán for coffee fincas and fine cigars
- Dusty mountain town of Gracias for spring-fed pools and colonial architecture
- Parque Nacional Montana de Celaque for scenic (though strenuous) hiking
- Copán Ruinas for some gringo creature comforts, and an easy gateway to…
- Beautiful and colonial Antigua for elaborate Semana Santa processions and festivities
- Volcan Picaya where I poked at lava with a stick
- Sailing trip down the Rio Dulce, visiting several towns, including the laid-back Livingston, along the way
From here, we made our way back to Honduras and visited:
- The relaxed, oceanfront town of Omoa for hammock-ing and hiking
- Back to Copán Ruinas for a week of Spanish classes and a stay with a Honduran host family, and a visit to the famous Mayan ruins of Copán
- The artistic, cobblestoned town of Suchitoto for long musings about life over coffee
- A quick stay in La Union followed by a walk out to sea to catch the lancha boat to the Fonseca Island of Meanguera where we climbed a mountain to reach a deserted beach
We then traveled from the Fonseca islands through three countries in one day to reach…
- The spirited, Pro-Sandanista city of Léon for revolutionary murals, museums, and a healthy dose of history
- The beautiful colonial town of Granada for slow strolls around town, visiting churches
- Isla de Ometepe for amazing views of volcanos, wonderful hiking, swimming, and a stay on a beautiful organic finca
- Swinging San Juan del Sur for big beaches and lots of nightlife
We spent one night in Managua (which was more than enough), before heading back to Honduras…
- To our little island of Utila for the last of the sun and scuba diving before heading to San Pedro Sula for our last night in Central America
On May 19, 2010, we flew to Atlanta (via Miami) and the took an overnight Greyhound Bus to Memphis. I think it took us around 24 hours to make it home. But what an adventure along the way!
Sounds like a great adventure! If you need tips on travel through Nicaragua, let me know because my brother lived there for a year. Matagalpa is his favorite town in the country (he actually just brought down two new bikes to the “Matagalpa cycling tours” group down there when he was visiting in January). Hope you have a wonderful adventure!