Places in the countryside in Central America

A beautiful trip following the back road that wind its way through the heart of Guatemala. It is not a trip for the faint-hearted, but will reward the brave one with charming small Mayan villages and stunning scenery. When you first leave the sealed road at San Luis, the trail turns to crap. The road zigzags through bubble hills covered in jungle and tall corn fields, while you pass village after village. Gravel, cobblestones and pot holes will be on the menu until Fray, from where the new highway is under construction. After Fray, the road twists its way into the mountains and gets even nastier (which the highway project will eventually put an end to), but will spoil you with jaw-dropping views over the valleys. The journey can of course be done reverse or extended as far west as Huehuetenango. A road trip that is rough, adventurous, and damn amazing.

With mass tourism a fact of life all around the world, it is becoming harder and harder to get away from the crowds. While Nicaragua may not spring to mind when thinking of tourists hordes, it can be tough to combine someplace interesting with someplace all to yourself. But such a place does exist. Along the Rio an Juan, hugging the Nicaraguan-Costa Rican border, the tiny village of El Castillo sits silently. With the only access in and out being river ferry, just getting there can be half the fun. Then to have the 17th century fortress to greet you as you arrive is a total bonus. There are no roads, no traffic, no airports, no tourism hordes. They do have tourism facilities making the peace and quiet of remote, rural Nicaraguan life accessible. The best of both worlds.