Getting there: The park is around 47km (29 miles) south of Puerto Limón use Puerto Viejo or Cahuita as a base.ĭiving at Guatemala's Lake Atitlán reveals otherworldly lava formations, sunken villages, petrified trees and hydrothermal vents © Justin Foulkes / Lonely Planet Lago de Atitlán – Guatemalaĭive a high-altitude volcanic crater lake Its pristine waters have been awarded Costa Rica’s Ecological Blue Flag, and you can get up close to loggerhead, leatherback and hawksbill turtles during nesting season from March to October. The world's best places to swim with whale sharks Parque Nacional Cahuita – Costa RicaĪ paradise for snorkelers and divers on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coastĬahuita National Park’s underwater playground is home to more than 120 species of evocatively named fish – jewel fish, frogfish, butterflyfish – flitting about 35 types of equally exotic coral, such as elkhorn, brain and leather – and that's not forgetting the lobsters, urchins and moray eels. Getting there: Take a ferry from La Ceiba, or there are international flights direct to Roatán. In Roatán, there’s world-class snorkeling just off West Bay’s white-sand beach, while Mary’s Place tempts snorkelers to its shallows to spot eagle rays and sea turtles, and experienced divers to its vertical reef walls. And you can spot whale sharks here year-round, whether you’re a beginner or budding divemaster. Washed by warm, gin-clear water, the backpacker haunt of Utila – the smallest of the three main Bay Islands – is a cheap dive destination, with no shortage of dive shops and must-dive sites. Learn to scuba dive in one of the cheapest – and best – places on the planet The 7 best places to see wildlife in Central America It’s a 75-minute boat ride to Isla Coiba. Getting there: To access the park, you’ll need to book through a dive shop, such as the Panama Dive Center in the surf spot of Santa Catalina. And you can often spot giant mantas and whale sharks, as well as humpback whales from July to September. Willing captives – certified divers of all levels – can swim with whitetip reef sharks, devil rays, turtles and a host of multicolored fish. Today, along with some smaller islands, it’s a Unesco-protected national marine park, and part of a project with Costa Rica, Colombia, and Ecuador to safeguard key migratory corridors. In the not-so-distant past, Coiba – the American Pacific’s largest island – was home to around 3000 inmates. Getting there: It’s a 45-minute journey by ferry from Belize City.Ĩ perfect places in Central America for solo travelers Parque Nacional Coiba – Panamaĭive the spectacular reefs off Panama’s former penal colony Keep your eyes peeled for the endemic whitespotted toadfish. Or try Turneffe Atoll, a biodiverse mix of mangroves, lagoons and coral reefs, with snorkel and dive sites for all levels. Made famous by Jacques Cousteau, its mysterious depths and stalactite-studded caves still draw a crowd. Head south to the iconic Blue Hole Natural Monument at Lighthouse Reef, a marine sinkhole around 122m (400ft) deep and 300m (1000ft) wide. In pocket-sized Belize, the Caribbean-sun-drenched Caye Caulker makes the perfect jumping-off point for some of the world’s best diving and snorkeling. But if there’s something you’re diving to see, you’ll have a fixed window.īlue Hole, Lighthouse Reef, Belize © QArts / Shutterstock Caye Caulker – Belizeĭive and snorkel the world’s second-largest barrier reef When is the best time to snorkel and dive in Central America?Ĭentral America’s a year-round snorkel and scuba destination, but conditions depend on the country, the season (rainy or dry) and whether you’re on the Pacific or Caribbean coast.įor a more tranquil – and cheaper – experience, avoid the region’s high season from December to April. If you dream of diving with whale sharks, snorkeling with sea turtles, swimming alongside spotted eagle rays or just floating above kaleidoscopic tropical fish, you’ll find it here.Īll equipment can be supplied by a decent dive shop, but if you have them, bring your mask and snorkel, a lightweight rash vest and reef-friendly sunscreen – and don’t forget the underwater camera. And there’s something for every budget and skill level, from novice snorkelers to Master Scuba Divers. Between Panama’s Pacific islands, Costa Rica’s Caribbean reefs and Belize's Blue Hole, Central America offers aquatic adventure like no other.

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