2 independent reviews for Central America small group tour
Reviews for Central America small group tour
Jackie Smith review 20 Mar 2024
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Several memories - Belize reef tour on luxury catamaran, lying on bean bags, seeing a frenzy of fish fighting over some dead fish thrown into the sea, then drinking rum punch on the way home; ATM cave in Belize; walking tour of Antigua, Tikal guided tour; rafting trip in Costa Rica; Gold Museum in San Jose2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Bring at least 2 cards - two of us had a card swallowed up in an ATM. in different Mexican banks; check the options and prices before you leave to make sure that you have the budget for what you want to do and if it's limited, you end up doing the priority options; I'm not a techie but I tried an e-sim for a few days and really recommend it. You can use the lengthy bus trip to research the next place/places to eat outside of the group, navigate in cities without the group; keep in touch with friends/emails etc without having to do this in the limited time you spend in hotels. This is a non-stop holiday with only a couple of rest days if you do a lot of the options - think of it as an excellent taster to 6 countries, but you can't do everything in each place and downtime is limited unless you opt out of activities.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Our visits to artisans who did demos helped them somewhat though it is difficult for the group to buy much as many are travelling lightly; I think the introduction of a homestay in San Juan de Laguna was a great idea; visiting parks I would hope is supporting conservation through entry fees, but I don't know the financial structures or the extent of this. As for environmental impact, I think we could have had more of a discussion on how we could contribute more to its reduction or to understand how tourist money is helping with this.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Great holiday - well organised with a fun group, experienced in global travel outside Western countries and an excellent mix of different activities. I am glad I found this partner through you.Laurie Munslow review 13 Feb 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Snorkelling in Caye Caulker, Belize, was an amazing experience! Nurse sharks, stingrays and turtles, not to mention oodles of brightly coloured fish, seemed completely oblivious to our presence, and Hol Chan Marine Reserve, with its dazzling array of corals and fish, was stunning. What a fantastic day! Just as good, but for different reasons, was the memorable Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) cave - wading through water; scrambling up, over and under rocks; and marvelling at the stalactites, stalagmites and Mayan relics, including the famous crystal maiden skeleton, made for an exhilarating day! The Mayan ruins of Tikal in Guatemala were simply breathtaking. The jungle backdrop offers a chance to see wildlife such as toucans, tarantulas, coatis and howler monkeys, to name but a few! The homestay in Guatemala was wonderful: it offers an insight into some of the realities of life for the Mayan population. My host family was so lovely and keen to chat; you really do need to have at least a basic smattering of Spanish to get the most out of the experience. Also, Suchitoto in El Salvador: gorgeous! Oh, and Granada in Nicaragua, too...was I seriously supposed to pick just one memorable aspect?! No chance!2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
(1) Bring US dollars for currency exchange - at every border crossing A Man with a Hat and a Serious Wad of Cash appeared (seemed legit...!), so you can easily exchange USD or offload leftover currency. (2) Note that some ATMs in Guatemala don't seem to like Mastercard or pre-paid travel cards (I don't know which...I had a Mastercard travel card...): you might have to try several attempts on one or more machines, but best to bring a Visa card as a back-up. (3) Try and eat at street stalls or local "comedores" to keep food costs down. If lots of locals are eating there, it's a pretty safe bet! (4) Take probiotics with you in case you do have tummy troubles. (5) Bring a dry bag for your valuables - there's lots of boat travel, and you and your belongings are likely to get wet. (6) If you're worried about the water, drink bottled beer!3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Local transport and trip providers were used throughout the tour, wherever and whenever possible. The trip seemed especially beneficial to the local communities in Guatemala, particularly at the homestay and visits to Mayan markets and handicraft cooperatives.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
For value for money, and as an introduction to Central America, it was great. The trip really does have everything: history, culture, beaches, colonial cities, nature and great food, not to mention professional tour guides who were keen to impart their local knowledge and ensure we all had a good experience. Be warned though: it is just a taster; you're going to want to go back! Know, however, that once you leave Guatemala, there are some long travel days. The trip from Antigua to Copán, in particular, involved a lot of travel for what was just 24 hours in Honduras (although the ruins are, admittedly, impressive) and everyone felt a bit fed up during the seemingly never-ending trip from El Cuco, El Salvador, to León, Nicaragua!Holiday Reviews
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