| This fascinating destination of the Americas had been | | | | also provides highly fertile soil for agriculture |
| cultivated by thriving agrarian cultures for 3,000 years | | | | necessary to sustain the incredibly dense populations |
| before Europe's arrival in the New World. The | | | | in urban centers like San Salvador. Costa Rica attracts |
| modern existence of more than eight ancient cultures | | | | adventure-seekers from all corners of the world to |
| can still be found today and a triumphant | | | | its thrilling white water rapids and mystic cloud |
| preservation movement of these indigenous people is | | | | forests, while the truly daring are drawn to |
| underway. Central America offers mesmerizing insight | | | | Nicaragua's smoking and belching Santiago Crater, |
| into the beauty of life and tradition that has | | | | tucked between two active volcanoes in Volcán |
| sustained centuries of repression, shifting political | | | | Masaya National Park. |
| alliances and some of nature's mightiest forces. | | | | Central America is also teeming with vivacious urban |
| Bordered by the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific | | | | life. San Jose, Costa Rica's capital city, is one of the |
| Ocean, the Central American isthmus is a narrow | | | | most modern and international cities in the region, |
| tropical and volcanic landmass that connects Mexican | | | | blessed with more years of peace than many Central |
| North America to the northwestern lowlands of | | | | American cities have experienced in recent decades. |
| South America. Early in the 19th century, this region | | | | Bars and Nightclubs are packed every night of the |
| was known as The United States of Central America | | | | week and booming commercialism, museums and |
| but today is comprised of the seven independent | | | | gourmet restaurants seem to momentarily erase the |
| nations of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, | | | | less affluent reality in the background. To the south, |
| Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. | | | | Panama City is also a vibrant and expansive |
| Relax, Explore and Discover | | | | metropolis spawned from the commerce generated |
| The most spectacular Mayan ruins can be found in | | | | by the adjacent Panama Canal. |
| Guatemala at Tikal, a ceremonial center of pyramids, | | | | Travel to Central America to come face to face with |
| plazas and museums tucked beneath a thick and | | | | a collection of cultures and lifestyles more diverse |
| enchanting rainforest canopy. Belize provides the | | | | and complex than you had ever imagined. Explore the |
| traveler with a slower pace along its white sand | | | | diverging histories of a region bound by a common |
| Caribbean coastline dotted with world class reefs for | | | | past and struggling to achieve a prosperous future. |
| the passionate scuba diver. The entire landmass is a | | | | The possibilities are endless in Central America. |
| geographic wonder of active volcanic chains, which | | | | |