Central America

In Central America, nature is all about discovery. Explore the ruins of Spanish forts on the Caribbean coast or boat deep into indigenous territories in a dugout canoe. Wildlife is incidental: a resplendent quetzal on the highland trail, the unruly troupe of howler monkeys screeching through the canopy or the breaching whale that turns your ferry ride into an adrenaline event. Adventure tourism means zipping through rainforest canopies, swimming alongside sea turtles or trekking to sublime cloud forest vistas. Eight countries with 300-plus volcanoes and two long tropical coasts make for a pretty big playground.

With a spate of deserted islands, chill Caribbean vibes on one side and monster Pacific swells on the other, Central America sits poised to deliver the best of all beach worlds. A whole other world begins at the water's edge. Seize it by scuba diving the Pacific with whale sharks, snorkeling the world's second-largest coral reef off Belize or setting sail in Panama's indigenous territory of Kuna Yala, where virgin isles wear nary a footprint. World-class breaks stoke surfers psyched to have them all to themselves. Hello, paradise.

With a culture that hearkens back 4000 years, the Maya are widely considered the greatest pre-Columbian civilization. Their territory sprawled from Mexico to Honduras, with ruins in five present-day Central American countries. Visit and step through the threshold of another, spine-tingling universe. From the lost temples of Tikal soaring above the Guatemalan jungle canopy, to Mexico’s otherworldly Palenque and Tulum, perched above the crashing surf. See jaguars carved to life in Honduras’ Copán, and find out why Chichén Itzá was voted one of the new seven wonders of the world.