Central America Most Popular Tourist Destination

Posted on by Forest in General

Central America Most Popular Tourist Destination – Central America is that thin strip of land that splits North America from South America, just below Brazil. It comprises of seven states of Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. Due to it’s hot climate, unique history and of course beautiful scenery and beaches it’s an incredibly popular tourist destination. High in poverty the region could be considered much part of the global south, this actually (sadly) helps it’s tourism appeal sue to being quite affordable compared to some places which are comparable in the Caribbean Islands.

Central America Most Popular Tourist Destination

Central America Most Popular Tourist Destination

I would love to  visit all seven states at some point. I had friends who recently went to Panama, have heard amazing things about Belize and knew a good buddy who lived in Honduras for a few years. I understand there is a lot of culture and history to soak up and this is more appealing than the beaches to me, although the Belize mangroves look amazing!

By the numbers, Tourist arrivals

1. Costa Rica – 2100,000 (2010, World Bank report, 2011)
2. Guatemala – 1876,000 (2010, World Bank report, 2011)
3. Panama – 1200,000  (2009, World Bank report, 2010)
4. El Salvador – 1150,000 (2010, World Bank report, 2011)
5. Nicaragua – 932,000  (2009, World Bank report, 2010)
6. Honduras – 870,000  (2009, World Bank report, 2010)
7. Belize – 238,000 (2010, World Bank report, 2011)

Data sourced from http://www.tradingeconomics.com/data-all-countries.aspx

According to TravBuddy.com

As rated by users from here.

1. San Jose
2. Panama City
3. La Fortuna
4. Antigua
5. Manuel Antonio
6. Jaco
7. Puerto Viejo
8. Granada
9. Monteverde #9
10. Guatemala City
11. San Pedro
12. Bocas del Toro
13. Tamarindo
14. Managua
15. Roatan
16. Flores
17. San Juan del Sur
18. Quepos
19. San Ignacio
20. Antigua Guatemala
21. Tikal
22. Caye Caulker
23. Quetzaltenango
24. San Salvador
25. Panajachel
26. Arenal
27. Cahuita
28. Leon
29. San Pedro Sula
30. Placencia
31. Utila
32. Alajuela
33. Belize City
34. Dominical
35. Ambergris Caye
36. Tortuguero
37. Copan
38. Samara
39. Boquete
40. Guanacaste
41. San Pedro La Laguna
42. Tegucigalpa
43. Santa Teresa
44. Chichicastenango
45. Montezuma
46. Isla de Ometepe
47. Cabuya
48. Liberia
49. Heredia
50. Lanquin
51. Copan Ruinas
52. La Ceiba
53. Panama Canal
54. Puntarenas
55. Santa Elena
56. Esteli
57. Rio Dulce
58. Lake Atitlan
59. Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
60. El Remate
61. Jaco Beach
62. Dangriga
63. Masaya
64. Xunantunich
65. Ometepe
66. Nosara
67. Hopkins
68. Tela
69. Moyogalpa
70. Uvita
71. La Libertad
72. Little Corn Island
73. Mal Pais
74. Playas Del Coco
75. Corn Island
76. Livingston
77. Cartago
78. Guatemala
79. Semuc Champey
80. Colon
81. Puerto Jimenez
82. Santa Ana
83. Punta Banco
84. Punta Gorda
85. Las Penitas
86. Drake
87. San Ramon
88. Bullet Tree Falls
89. Monterrico
90. Orange Walk
91. Peten
92. Laguna de Apoyo
93. Volcan Arenal
94. Coban
95. Sarapiqui
96. Santiago Atitlan
97. Gambom
98. Belmopan
99. Lamanai
100. Turrialba

About.com’s Top 10 Backpacker Destinations in Central America

1. Utila – Bay Islands, Honduras
2. Antigua – Guatemala
3. Santa Elena – Costa Rica
4. Bocas Town – Bocas Del Toro, Panama
5. Caye Caulker – Belize
6. The Corn Islands – Nicaragua
7. San Pedro La Laguna – Atitlan, Guatemala
8. La Libertad – El Salvador
9. San Ignacio (Cayo) – Belize
10. Montezuma – Costa Rica

Source: About.com

So have you been to any of these places? What would you rate number 1?

Tags: Belize, central america, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, travel