Deciding the place to journey is likely one of the hardest elements of any journey. When you’ve narrowed it all the way down to Central America, how do you then select which nation to go to once they all have such distinct attracts?
Costa Rica and Guatemala are two standard locations for G Adventures excursions, so both nation makes an amazing place to begin for those who’re interested by your subsequent journey. Each Guatemala and Costa Rica have loads to see and do, so let’s take a deep dive into each to search out out which one is greatest to your subsequent journey.
Greatest place to look at wildlife
Costa Rica is residence to half 1,000,000 species
With 500,000 native animals, Costa Rica’s wildlife is well-known the world over. It’s synonymous with sleepy sloths and howler monkeys in its rainforests, whereas the encompassing seas maintain an abundance of marine life, together with whales, turtles, and dolphins. Costa Rica’s nationwide parks are a dream for eco-minded travellers, and so they hold the nation’s well-deserved popularity as the most effective locations on this planet to understand animals of their pure habitats.
Expertise it for your self on: Costa Rica: Wildlife, Nationwide Parks & Hidden Gems of the Northwest
Guatemala is for the birders
Guatemala is presented with some fantastic wildlife, too, however it’s the 800-plus forms of birds that set it aside. Pack your binoculars to offer your self each likelihood of recognizing packs of keel-billed toucans, vibrant quetzals (the nation’s nationwide hen), and Guatemalan screech owls. Monkeys make mischief right here too, and attention-grabbing cats, such because the margay and the jaguar, additionally name this fascinating vacation spot residence.
The place to take a hike
Lace up your boots and hike Costa Rica’s beautiful landscapes
Mountain climbing is, fingers down, one of the crucial rewarding methods to journey, and Costa Rica supplies a very lovely backdrop, with 1 / 4 of its pure magnificence below nationwide safety. With the assistance of an area information, set off on Costa Rica’s greatest hikes into verdant jungles and to native homestays to expertise how life is lived amid the riches of the rainforest. Head into Manuel Antonio Nationwide Park to search out your self surrounded by serenity on a secluded sandy seashore that is accessible solely on foot.
Expertise it for your self on: Trek Hidden Costa Rica
Trek across the ruins of Tikal and Guatemala’s volcanoes
Guatemala presents its personal walkable wonders, most notably the ruins of Tikal, one of many largest archaeological websites of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. Elsewhere within the nation, Guatemala’s volcanic topography makes for some significantly tempting treks. Hike to the summit of Volcán Acatenango with an area information and keep the night time for the star-studded present of El Fuego and its fountain of glowing orange lava, which erupts each 10 minutes or so. In the meantime, Laguna Chicabal, a sacred lagoon surrounded by cloud forest with views of neighbouring volcanoes, presents a slice of serenity.
Expertise it for your self on: Basic Belize & Tikal
Greatest place for meals
Attempt scrumptious Costa Rican delicacies
Meals is greater than gas for the acutely aware traveller — it’s a gateway to native life. Costa Rican meals takes inspiration from South America and the Caribbean, incorporating coconut milk, meat, and a medley of spices into its most continuously made dishes. You gained’t get by with out gallo pinto (rice and beans), and virtually each cantina serves chifrijo (fried pork and purple beans). Remember to cease and savour rondón (seafood and coconut stew) if you end up on the Caribbean coast.
Guatemalan meals has deep cultural roots
Guatemala’s gastronomy mixes Spanish, Afro-Caribbean, and Indigenous influences. It shares staples resembling tortillas, tamales, and tostones (fried plantain slices) with its Central American neighbours however serves them up its personal manner. Choose a pepián de pollo (rooster stew) for a quintessential style of the nation’s delicacies or kak’ik (turkey soup) to pattern one thing rooted in Mayan historical past. When you occur upon a avenue meals market on a Thursday, order the paches (just like tamales) – historically, they’re solely served on today of the week.
Central America’s greatest surroundings
Discover seashores, cloud forests, and waterfalls in Costa Rica
Costa Rica has coastlines on each the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, so it presents lovely seashores and various seaside surroundings, from the black-sand surf spot of Playa Negra to the white-sand serenity of Playa Conchal. The nation’s 29 nationwide parks assist to take care of the impeccable pure magnificence — and thriving natural world — of this charming nation, which incorporates Monteverde’s mystical cloud forests, Arenal’s volcano and sizzling springs, and La Paz’s assortment of wondrous waterfalls.
Expertise it for your self on: Costa Rica: Monteverde and La Fortuna
Go to volcanoes and rainforests in Guatemala
Guatemala derives its identify from the Aztec language and means “land of the timber.” Its 14 totally different ecosystems vary in elevation from sea degree to greater than 4267m (14,000 ft), giving totally different elements of the nation their very own distinct really feel. From huge volcanic highlands to cactus-covered flatlands, rainforests, swamplands, lakes, and lagoons, Guatemala’s range is what differentiates it from its Central American neighbours. To not point out its wonderful historical Mayan cities – Tikal Nationwide Park included, which featured as a backdrop in Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope.
Tradition
Costa Rica is easygoing and protected
Costa Rican tradition blends Indigenous heritage and Spanish colonial affect with a contact of Jamaican and Chinese language. The armed forces have been disbanded in 1949, leaving the nation proudly with out a military ever since. The federal government is steady and has run a profitable democracy for greater than six many years. The setting is taken into account of paramount significance in Costa Rica, and the nation has subsequently turn out to be the poster youngster for ecotourism internationally. Spanish is the official language, however English is extensively spoken, although attempting to talk a bit of of the native lingo will endear you to the pleasant locals.
Guatemala reveals off its Indigenous heritage
Guatemalan tradition displays the nation’s sturdy Mayan and Spanish influences, making a distinction between the agricultural Mayan villagers and the comparatively rich urbanites, referred to as ladinos, who descended from the Spanish conquistadors. Whereas Spanish is the official language, many Mayan languages proceed to be spoken all through the highlands, and there are locations the place Spanish was by no means adopted, at the same time as a second language. Acknowledge Maya folks by their brightly colored textiles adorned with the distinctive sample of their residence village.
Resolution time: Guatemala or Costa Rica?
It’s virtually inconceivable to resolve between Guatemala and Costa Rica. Seeing Costa Rica’s rainforests from a zipper line or suspension bridge is simply as a lot enjoyable as watching Guatemala’s surroundings roll by from one in every of their well-known rooster buses. If the choice is simply too tough, why not do each on the identical G Adventures tour, resembling our Rainforests & Ruins tour or by following the Volcano Path? In the end, the vacation spot is so that you can resolve, and one of the best bit is that you could’t get it flawed.
