Self-Launched Central America: Mexico to Costa Rica in 32 Days

Fly into Cancún (CUN) and take the ADO bus from the airport directly to Playa del Carmen (roughly MX$200, ~£9, every 30 minutes, ~1h15). Check into a hostel a couple of blocks back from Quinta Avenida. Wander the beach at sunset and eat cheap tacos al pastor (MX$60-80). Book your onward ADO bus to Chetumal / Belize border for day 3 now.

🚌ADO airport bus Cancún to Playa del Carmen ~£9

🛏Hostel dorm, Playa del Carmen (~£12)

• →Sunset walk on Playa del Carmen beach
• →Tacos on 5th Avenue

Take a colectivo or ADO bus south to Tulum (~£3-4, 1h) and visit the clifftop Tulum ruins overlooking the Caribbean (entry ~MX$95, ~£4). Afterwards hire a bike or take a colectivo to Gran Cenote or Dos Ojos and swim (~£12-15). Back in Playa for the evening — optional Cozumel ferry day if you prefer snorkelling (~£25 ferry return).

🚌ADO/colectivo to Tulum return ~£7

🛏Hostel dorm, Playa del Carmen (~£12)

• →Tulum ruins entry ~£4
• →Cenote swim entry ~£13
• →Optional Cozumel ferry

ADO bus Playa del Carmen to Chetumal (~£14, 4h), then a taxi/shuttle to the Santa Elena border (~£5), walk across, and take a Belizean bus or shared taxi to Belize City (~£6-10). Be sure to complete Belize's iDeclare e-form 72 hours before arrival. From Belize City take the San Pedro Express or Ocean Ferry water taxi to Caye Caulker (~£15, 45 min). Pay the ~£20 Belize departure/entry fees in cash.

🚌Bus + border taxi + water taxi ~£40

🛏Hostel dorm, Caye Caulker (~£14)

• →Border crossing Mexico to Belize
• →Water taxi to Caye Caulker

Book a Hol Chan & Shark Ray Alley snorkel trip direct with one of the many operators on Front Street — expect to pay £30-40 for a half-day with gear and guide (cheaper than the pre-booked add-on). You'll see nurse sharks, stingrays, turtles and coral. Afternoon: swim at the Split, the island's famous channel, and eat grilled lobster or rice and beans for dinner.

🚌Walking / bike hire ~£4

🛏Hostel dorm, Caye Caulker (~£14)

• →Hol Chan Marine Reserve snorkel trip ~£35
• →The Split swim
• →Bike hire

Second free day: optionally do a sunset sailing trip (~£50), go diving at the Blue Hole or local reefs (2-tank ~£90), or just hammock-hop and read. Grab cheap street food (johnny cakes, conch fritters) and rent a kayak for an hour (~£8).

🚌Walking

🛏Hostel dorm, Caye Caulker (~£14)

• →Optional sunset sail ~£50
• →Optional diving
• →Kayak hire ~£8

Water taxi back to Belize City (~£15), then a local express bus or shared shuttle to San Ignacio (~£8-12, 2.5h). In the afternoon you can visit the San Antonio Women's Pottery Cooperative independently or join a pottery demo locally (~£10), and eat a typical Belizean lunch. San Ignacio is a friendly, compact town — book your ATM cave or Xunantunich trip for tomorrow.

🚌Water taxi + bus ~£25

🛏Guesthouse dorm, San Ignacio (~£11)

• →Pottery cooperative visit ~£10
• →San Ignacio town wander

ATM cave tours (book direct with a licensed operator, ~£105-120 including transport, lunch and guide) are the standout — wade and swim into a Maya ceremonial cave with calcified remains. Cheaper alternative: collectivo to Xunantunich ruins via the hand-cranked ferry (~£15 all-in) for the El Castillo panorama. Either way, back for dinner on Burns Avenue.

🚌Tour transport or colectivo ~£5-10

🛏Guesthouse dorm, San Ignacio (~£11)

• →ATM cave tour ~£110 or Xunantunich ~£15

Take a collectivo or shared shuttle to the Benque Viejo / Melchor de Mencos border (~£5), cross on foot and pay the ~£1 Guatemalan entry, then a colectivo to Flores (~£5). Book a Tikal day tour the night before (shared tour from Flores ~£25-30 including transport and guide; official park entry ~£17 extra). Sunset over the jungle from Temple IV is worth the later departure if you can arrange it.

🚌Border shuttle + colectivo ~£11

🛏Hostel dorm, Flores (~£10)

• →Tikal guided tour ~£25
• →Tikal park entry ~£17

Local bus or shared shuttle from Santa Elena/Flores to Rio Dulce (~£10-15, 3-4h) through dense Petén jungle. Check into a hostel by the bridge or a riverside spot. Afternoon swim, and organise your boat trip to Livingston for tomorrow. Cheap dinner of Guatemalan pepián or fresh fish.

🚌Bus/shuttle Flores to Rio Dulce ~£12

🛏Hostel dorm, Rio Dulce (~£10)

• →Riverside walk
• →Swim in Lake Izabal

Take a public launch down the Rio Dulce gorge to Livingston (~£12-15 one way, 1.5h) — dramatic limestone cliffs, lily pads and hot springs en route. In Livingston, eat at a women-led Garífuna restaurant such as El Manglar for a Caribbean gastronomy experience (tapado seafood stew, ~£10). Return by boat the same afternoon or stay a night if you want the Garífuna music scene.

🚌Public boat Rio Dulce–Livingston return ~£27

🛏Hostel dorm, Rio Dulce (~£10)

• →Rio Dulce gorge boat trip
• →Garífuna lunch at El Manglar ~£10

Long travel day: bus/shuttle Rio Dulce to Guatemala City (~£15-20, 5h) and connect to Antigua (~£3, 1h) — or book a direct tourist shuttle (~£25). On arrival, do a self-guided orientation walk: Parque Central, the Santa Catalina Arch, La Merced church. Book your Pacaya or Acatenango hike and a chocolate workshop for tomorrow.

🚌Rio Dulce to Antigua shuttle ~£25

🛏Hostel dorm, Antigua (~£11)

• →Orientation walk: Parque Central, Santa Catalina Arch, La Merced

Morning Pacaya volcano hike — book direct in town (~£55-65 with transport and guide); roast marshmallows over volcanic vents. Afternoon ChocoMuseo bean-to-bar workshop (~£20) with your own chocolate to take home. Evening: salsa lesson (~£8) or rooftop drinks with Volcán de Agua views.

🚌Tour transport ~£5

🛏Hostel dorm, Antigua (~£11)

• →Pacaya volcano hike ~£60
• →ChocoMuseo workshop ~£20
• →Salsa lesson ~£8

Chicken bus or shuttle to Panajachel on Lake Atitlán (~£5-10, 2.5h). Note the original tour adds a Posadas Mayas homestay in San Juan La Laguna — you can replicate this by booking a homestay direct with a family in San Juan (~£15-20/night including meals) or via a local agency. Afternoon kayak on the lake (~£8).

🚌Chicken bus/shuttle to Panajachel ~£8

🛏Homestay or hostel, San Juan La Laguna (~£16)

• →Lake Atitlán kayaking ~£8
• →Village walk in San Juan La Laguna

Boat-hop between the lakeside villages (~£2 per leg): San Juan for its Tz'utujil weaving co-ops and naïf painting, Santiago Atitlán for the Maximón shrine and market. Do a natural-dye weaving demo (~£10) and hike to the Mirador de San Juan for lake views. Independent homestay cooking in the evening.

🚌Public lancha boats ~£6

🛏Homestay or hostel, San Juan La Laguna (~£16)

• →Weaving cooperative demo ~£10
• →Santiago Atitlán market
• →Mirador hike

Shuttle from Panajachel/Antigua towards the El Florido border and on to Copán Ruinas (~£25-30, 8-9h including border). Complete Honduras' pre-chequeo form online at least 2 days ahead; UK passport holders currently need a visa obtained in advance. Evening in the cobbled town — cheap baleadas and Honduran coffee.

🚌International shuttle to Copán ~£28

🛏Guesthouse dorm, Copán Ruinas (~£10)

• →Border crossing into Honduras
• →Copán Ruinas town evening

Walk 1km to the Copán ruins — the finest Maya sculpture site in the region (entry ~£15-20 with the tunnels extra). Hire a licensed guide at the gate or use the site museum. Afternoon: tuk-tuk to Luna Jaguar hot springs (~£40 including entry and transport) to soak in riverside thermal pools.

🚌Walking / tuk-tuk ~£6

🛏Guesthouse dorm, Copán Ruinas (~£10)

• →Copán ruins entry ~£18
• →Luna Jaguar hot springs ~£40

Long shuttle day from Copán to Playa El Tunco via the El Poy border (~£25-35, 7-8h). El Salvador uses US dollars — bring cash. El Tunco is a tiny surf town of black-sand beach, pupuserías and hostels. Sunset at the famous rock arch.

🚌Shuttle Copán to El Tunco ~£30

🛏Hostel dorm, El Tunco (~£12)

• →El Tunco sunset at the rock
• →Pupusas dinner ~£2-3

Book a two-hour surf lesson with a local school on the beach (~£25-30 including board). Spend the rest of the day between the beach and a hammock; hike over to El Sunzal for a quieter break. Budget for a couple of £2 smoothies.

🚌Walking

🛏Hostel dorm, El Tunco (~£12)

• →Surf lesson ~£28
• →El Sunzal beach walk

Shuttle from El Tunco to La Unión and the Golfo de Fonseca ferry to Potosí, Nicaragua, then on to León (~£30-40, 8-9h). Check current Nicaragua entry requirements in advance — Australian and NZ passport holders currently need a visa. León is a low-slung colonial city of revolutionary murals; evening rooftop drink by the cathedral.

🚌Shuttle + ferry crossing ~£35

🛏Hostel dorm, León (~£10)

• →Golfo de Fonseca ferry crossing
• →León cathedral rooftop at sunset (~£2)

Self-guided walk of León: the Basílica Catedral, Museo de la Revolución and the Ortiz-Gurdián art gallery (~£3 total). Afternoon volcano boarding down Cerro Negro with a local operator (~£25-30) — famously the cheapest adrenaline hit in Central America. Eat a big Nicaraguan breakfast (gallo pinto) for under £3.

🚌Walking / local bus ~£2

🛏Hostel dorm, León (~£10)

• →Museums and cathedral ~£3
• →Volcano boarding ~£28

Short local bus or chicken bus to Granada (~£2-3, 1.5h). Free self-guided orientation walk of the colourful colonial grid — the yellow cathedral, Calle La Calzada, the lakefront malecón. Optional Masaya Volcano night excursion (~£35) to peer into the glowing crater, or the Mi Museo cultural museum (~£4).

🚌Local bus ~£3

🛏Hostel dorm, Granada (~£10)

• →Colonial Granada orientation walk
• →Optional Masaya volcano night tour ~£35

Bus to San Jorge (~£3) and the ferry across Lake Nicaragua to Moyogalpa on Ometepe (~£4, 1h). Ometepe is two volcanoes rising from a freshwater lake — hire a scooter or bike (~£12) and stay at a lakeside guesthouse near Balgüe. The tour's Puesta del Sol community guesthouse can be booked direct (~£18 with breakfast).

🚌Bus + ferry ~£7

🛏Community guesthouse, Ometepe (~£18)

• →Lake Nicaragua ferry
• →Ometepe sunset swim

Either take the steep early-morning guided climb of Volcán Concepción (~£40 with guide, 8-9h) or the easier Maderas cloud forest hike. Afterwards cool off at Ojo de Agua, a clear natural spring pool (~£8 entry). Optional pre-Columbian petroglyph tour (~£35).

🚌Scooter/bike hire ~£12

🛏Community guesthouse, Ometepe (~£18)

• →Volcán Concepción hike ~£40
• →Ojo de Agua swim ~£8

Ferry back to San Jorge, then bus to the Peñas Blancas border (~£5) and onwards to Liberia and La Fortuna (~£12-15, 8-9h total). Costa Rica is pricier than the rest of the route — budget accordingly. Arrive to the volcano-view town of La Fortuna; book a hot springs or canyoning day for tomorrow.

🚌Ferry + buses + border ~£20

🛏Hostel dorm, La Fortuna (~£16)

• →Border crossing into Costa Rica
• →La Fortuna town evening

Walk or bus to La Fortuna Waterfall and swim in the plunge pool beneath it (~£16 entry). Afternoon: an independent canyoning or waterfall rappelling trip (~£70-80) instead of the operator's bundled package, or free riverside swimming at El Salto. Evening at Ecotermales or Baldi hot springs (~£40).

🚌Local bus/walk ~£3

🛏Hostel dorm, La Fortuna (~£16)

• →La Fortuna Waterfall ~£16
• →Optional canyoning ~£75
• →Hot springs ~£40

Boat safari through the Caño Negro wetlands (~£50 with a local operator) for caimans, howler monkeys, sloths and dozens of bird species. Alternatively a free day floating the Río Frio or hiking the Arenal Volcano 1968 trail (~£15).

🚌Tour transport included

🛏Hostel dorm, La Fortuna (~£16)

• →Caño Negro boat safari ~£50

Classic backpacker crossing: van to Lake Arenal, boat across (~30 min) and van up to Monteverde (~£22, 3-4h total). The cloud forest village is cool and misty — bring a fleece. Afternoon at the bat jungle or just enjoy the mountain cafés; book ziplining and a night walk for tomorrow.

🚌Jeep-boat-jeep ~£22

🛏Hostel dorm, Monteverde (~£14)

• →Lake Arenal boat crossing
• →Monteverde village walk

Morning zipline at Selvatura or Extremo (~£45-55) with a Tarzan swing and superman lines over the canopy. Afternoon Sky Walk suspension bridges through the cloud forest (~£28) — watch for quetzals, orchids and bromeliads. Night walk for frogs and insects (~£22) if you have energy.

🚌Local bus/taxi ~£5

🛏Hostel dorm, Monteverde (~£14)

• →Ziplining ~£50
• →Sky Walk bridges ~£28
• →Night walk ~£22

Public bus Monteverde to San José via Puntarenas (~£12, 5h). Use San José as a base to explore the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum and Jade Museum (~£12 combined) or the Barrio Escalante food scene. Book your onward travel or airport transfer for day 32.

🚌Public bus ~£12

🛏Hostel dorm, San José (~£15)

• →Gold and Jade museums ~£12
• →Barrio Escalante food walk

Optional day out: whitewater rafting on the Sarapiquí river (~£80-90) or a bus trip to Poás Volcano crater (~£20 entry plus ~£6 bus). Cheaper alternative: coffee plantation tour in the Central Valley (~£25) and a soak in local hot springs.

🚌Local buses or tour transport ~£10

🛏Hostel dorm, San José (~£15)

• →Optional rafting ~£85 or Poás Volcano ~£26
• →Coffee plantation tour ~£25

Last full day: markets at Mercado Central, souvenir shopping, a final casado lunch (~£6) and a wander through Parque Morazán. Use the day to sort your exit — book the airport bus (~£2) or confirm your onward flight. Remember Costa Rica's $29 airport exit tax is usually included in the airfare.

🚌Walking / city bus ~£3

🛏Hostel dorm, San José (~£15)

• →Mercado Central
• →Parque Morazán and city wander

Airport bus or taxi to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) for your flight home. Allow 3 hours before an international departure.

🚌Airport bus ~£2

🛏—

• →Departure