One of the advantages to having a guide book is not so much what is written, but what is not written. When I find a place that has only a few lines written about it I’ll usually take note as I know that place is not going to be overrun with other travelers. Fuentas Georginas is one of those places. Located 221  KMs from Guatemala City and roughly 20 KMs from Quetzaltenango (Xela) these idyllic hot springs were well worth the effort to get to. If you’re taking Spanish classes and want a weekend away, as we did, or are just passing through and want to take a warm dip then this is a great little detour. Read the rest of this entry »

Located an hour south of Flores is the town of Poptun, an uneventful stop if not for the Finca Ixobel located on the outskirts of town. If you’ve been on the road for months or have just started traveling the Finca Ixobel is a great place to relax for a few days or even a few weeks. There are plenty of activities to keep you busy or you can just hang out by the pond. There are accommodations for every price range, from slinging a hammock in a palapa to renting a self contained house or you can volunteer and have your food and shelter covered for a few weeks. The Finca really does have it all for the budget traveler and it has to be my favorite place to wind down and get off the road. Read the rest of this entry »

Located in the Peten jungle of Northern Guatemala are the impressive and expansive Mayan ruins of Tikal. The ruins are a UNESCO World Heritage site, it was one of the largest Mayan cities in the pre-Columbian Mayan realm and the site was used as a rebel base in Star Wars IV: A New Hope. Apart from ruins you will also have the opportunity to see plenty of jungle wildlife at Tikal including Howler Monkeys, Coatimundi and Scarlet Macaws. The Tikal ruins are a worthwhile side trip if you only have a day and even better if you can spare a few.

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Located an hour from Belize City is “the best little zoo in the world“, The Belize Zoo. Whether you’re going to be in Belize for a short stay or a few months you should definitely take the time to visit the Belize Zoo. What started in 1983 as a home for animals who had been used in a documentary has grown into the national pride of Belize, educating Belizeans about the importance of their own natural heritage and the animals that inhabit it. Read the rest of this entry »

Years ago, on our second trip to Belize, my ex wife Lisa and I had more time to explore and made the trip to the small coastal village of Gales Point. With a population of about 500 Creole people the town is a sleepy little getaway that can now be accessed by bus from Belize City. If wildlife, culture, music and a little cashew wine are your thing then take a trip to Gales Point. Read the rest of this entry »

A few hours by bus from San Cristobal de las Casas are the Mayan ruins of Palenque. These ruins contain some of the finest examples of Mayan architecture and art and are surrounded by steamy jungle with refreshing streams for a dip and abundant wildlife. No, that’s not a jaguar you’re hearing roar in the jungle…it’s a howler monkey. You’ll hear these fascinating primates as you make your way around the ruins. Read the rest of this entry »

The last time I was in Belize a friend of mine, Chris,  and I took a trip into Mountain Pine Ridge in the Cayo district and were pleasantly surprised by what we found there. There were caves to spelunk in, plenty of jungle walks as well as cool refreshing pools with waterfalls that you could swim in. Read the rest of this entry »

If there’s a town in Central America that I really enjoy returning to it’s San Ignacio in the Cayo district of Belize. It’s a little rough around the edges in a charming sort of way. The climate is refreshing and not too stiflingly hot like the coast. There are ruins nearby and while none of them might compare to Tikal (3 hours away) or Chichenitza, they’re still worth a visit. The town is in close proximity to plenty of jungle walks, it’s bordered by two rivers and there is enough bird life to keep an ornithologist busy for weeks. My favorite characteristic of San Ignacio is the people. It’s the kind of place where everyone says good morning and the children are well behaved. Read the rest of this entry »

As previously pointed out in part one of this trip, Guerrero Negro is the halfway point on the trip to the southern tip of Baja California. It’s a quiet little  one road town with a population of around 15,000. We stopped in for a quick bite to eat but Guerrero Negro was not our final destination for the day, Ojo de Liebre or Scammons Lagoon was. Read the rest of this entry »

I don’t know what it is but there are certain places I get excited about when I’m traveling in my VW bus. Places like the state of California and San Fransisco come to mind because of their ties with the hippies and surfers. Baja California also makes its way onto that list probably because the name itself contains California but it’s also one of those classic sojourns that you want to do in a Volkswagen. Colin, a friend of mine from Vancouver, had some time off so he agreed to meet me in San Diego and the two of us were going to drive the 1500 km’s to the tip of Baja and back again.

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