Central America backpacking for 3 months - advice pls!?

Hi, im planning a trip to C.A from December to March and i cant wait but i need a little advice!





Has anyone done a route from Panama to Guatemala (or vice versa)?


How long did you do it in?


I'm planning on a 3 month trip and i'd like to take in the majority of places along the way, inc a few islands, ruins, beaches, highlands, colonial towns etc. I'd also like not to do it in a mad rush if poss!





What would you recommend as a budget?


I think around $3500 US dollars should be enough bearing in mind im not doing Mexico and dont plan on spending lots of time in the more expensive Costa Rica.


I'll be after the cheapest hotels and food, and splurges on nights out wont play a massive part in my trip.





Thanks for your help!Central America backpacking for 3 months - advice pls!?
3 months sounds good, $3500 is plenty of money and the trip from Panama to Guatemala could be done in a day or two, if that was the case.





I've travelled in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala - so I don't know too much about the rest, but I'll share with you what I know.





Guatemala is an amazing country and you can easily spend a month discovering all the amazing sites there!


Must do's: Flores in Pet茅n to visit Tikal and other surrounding ruins, Chichicastenango market, Antigua colonial town and hike to Pacaya volcano at sunset, towns around Lago Atitl谩n - these are just a few I mention, there's lots and lots more! I found it super interesting to travel around Quetzaltenango to San Andr茅s Xec煤l (the bright yellow church), Fuentes Georginas thermal baths.... Also you've got the super funky place of Livingston with a culture completely different to the rest of Mayan Guatemala - here there are the black, caribbean garifuna folks.





Honduras I found pretty boring and a bit too much of a hassle. I didn't get a good feel here. But I DID LOVE staying for a good while in Utila island, as the laid back diver's life there is just awesome! Breakfast, dive, lunch, dive, BBQ with the diver buddies and then partying after... and repeat the same routine all over again the next day! Awesome! Then Copan ruinas is also a must see, of course.





El Salvador surprised me. At first, when entering through it's northwestern corner, it was the disgusting garbage everywhere that surprised me but it got better as I got more inland. The Ruta de las Flores (Juay煤a etc) and the Ahuachap谩n area is nice! Also Parque Nacional Imposible with Manolo http://imposibletours.com/ is a must do in El Salvador! It goes from the town of Tacuba.





I'd recommend you to try and stay in hostels. Hostelbookers.com is good! Got more variety of hostels than most sites I know of.Central America backpacking for 3 months - advice pls!?
I have been to all the Central American countries except Nicaragua. I would say start in Panama City and drive/take the bus up to Guatemala. There is pleny to see and do. Beaches, rich history (500 year history), incredible culture, rainforests, mountains and volcanoes.





$3500 and cheap hotels is plenty of money in C.A. Nigh life is better in Panama and Costa Rica. Most beautiful girls: Costa Rica.
Three months should be plenty of time (as long as things don't go wrong), you shouldn't be too rushed. $3,500 should be plenty as well, especially if you are staying in hostels and eating cheaply you should do fine. Staying in cheap hotels can run you anywhere from $7 - $30 a night depending on if you are staying in hostels or hotels. And eating cheaply you can make it on $10 a day easily as well (most meals I have eaten down here in lower end resturants is about $3). You should probably even have money left over on that budget.