My Initial Itinerary for Mexico and Central America

The ruins of Chichén Itzá, Mexico. Image by Viktor Livinets.

With only one more week to go until my next adventure, my stress levels are through the roof.

There’s still so much I need to do: purchase a new camera (I have my eye on the Sony A6000), book my Spanish lessons in Guatemala, buy a light rain jacket, and decide which clothing and items I’m going to bring with me. And, of course, I also want to take the time to say goodbye to my friends and family this week, because I won’t be seeing them for months!

I expected this to happen, though – I always feel completely stressed out right before a big trip. I’m afraid I won’t be ready in time, or that I’ll forget to do something important like renew my passport or stock up on medication, or that I fall down the stairs and break my leg the day before my flight. It’s exhausting, but I know my stress will disappear as soon as I reach my destination.

I’ll just have to get through the next seven days, and then I’ll be fine!

Thankfully, there’s one thing I don’t have to worry about anymore: figuring out my itinerary.

They say planning your trip is half the fun, and I could not agree more. I love researching possible destinations and deciding which places I’d like to visit. Since quitting my job last summer, I’ve done a lot of research on Mexico and Central America, and I managed to plan a general itinerary for my trip.

I already told you I’m flying to Mexico on a one-way ticket. In this post, I’ll go into more detail about my travel plans and (initial) itinerary.

If you have any advice, recommendations, or questions about my upcoming trip, please feel free to leave a comment below!

Chiapas, Mexico. Image by Juan Perez Lopez.

Mexico

My itinerary starts in Mexico. I’ll be flying from Brussels to Cancún on December 12th, a journey that will take me approximately 13,5 hours – the longest flight I’ve ever taken. As someone who can’t sleep on airplanes (and doesn’t like small, confined spaces), I can tell you I’m not looking forward to this particular part of the trip!

I’ll probably spend a couple of days in Cancún, to give myself some time to get accustomed to the hot and humid climate and the time difference between Europe and Mexico. Cancún is located on the Caribbean coast, on the tip of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, and is best-known for its beautiful beaches, luxury resorts and crazy nightlife.

After my stay in Cancún, my plan is to travel around the Yucatan Peninsula for a month or so, before crossing the border into Belize. I haven’t mapped out an exact itinerary for Mexico – I prefer to be flexible with my travel plans and not book anything in advance – but I do have a few destinations in mind that I’d like to visit.

At the top of my list are Valladolid and Merida, two colorful colonial cities. I would also love to visit one of the islands that lie just off the Mexican coast – Isla Mujeres, Cozumel or Isla Holbox.

And, of course, I can’t leave Yucatan without seeing at least one ancient Mayan ruin! Chichén Itzá, Tulum and Coba first come to mind, but there are many more interesting Mayan sites to choose from.

Belize. Image by Bayezid1989.

Belize

Next up: Belize!

Wedged between Guatemala and Mexico, with the Caribbean Sea to the east, Belize is one of the smallest countries in Central America. It’s a popular tourist destination because of its beautiful coastline, extensive network of national parks, and laid-back tropical islands. Belize is also home to the second largest reef in the world, Belize Barrier Reef, making it a paradise for scuba divers and snorkelers.

I’m guessing I’ll spend about two weeks in Belize. It’s one of the most expensive countries in Central America – I’ve heard of other backpackers who skipped Belize entirely, just for that reason – so I don’t want to spend too much time there.

That said, Belize does offer a lot of activities that spark my interest, including snorkeling, beach bumming (that’s an activity, right?), wildlife watching, jungle hiking, and climbing ancient Mayan ruins.

I’m also interested in visiting the Actun Tunichil Muknal or “ATM” Cave, a Maya archaeological site containing the skeletons of sacrifice victims. Many travel blogs list the ATM cave as a must-see in Belize, but I have to admit I’m a little apprehensive about entering the cave, because, you know, I don’t like small, confined spaces.

Apparently the cave is also home to spiders the size of your face, which creeps me out even more. Honestly, crawling through a narrow cave system while being surrounded by huge spiders?

That sounds like my worst nightmare.

Still, I am curious to see the cave for myself, so I might just go anyway.

Maybe.

If anything, it’ll probably make for an interesting story!

Church in Antigua, Guatemala. Image by Victor Hugo Cardenas.

Guatemala

After my two-week stint in Belize, it’s finally time for Guatemala! I’m planning to visit the ancient Mayan city of Tikal in the north of Guatemala, before traveling south to the small town of San Pedro La Laguna for my Spanish lessons.

San Pedro La Laguna is a Mayan town located on the shores of Lago de Atitlán, a beautiful lake ringed by volcanoes and mountains. It’s a popular spot for long-term travelers, who often stick around for weeks or even months because of its cheap prices, great food and fun nightlife.

I’ll spend at least one month in San Pedro. My plan is to study Spanish at San Pedro Spanish School while staying with a local family, though I still have to book my lessons. I’m also interested in exploring the countryside around Lago de Atitlán, as well as the other Mayan towns and villages that line its shores.

This region is supposed to be one of the highlights of Guatemala, so I’m really looking forward to discovering it for myself!

Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala. Image by Alexis Lê-Quôc.

When my time in San Pedro ends, I’ll say goodbye to my host family and pack my backpack again, to continue my journey through Guatemala.

I’ll most likely visit the charming colonial city of Antigua, the remote, jungle-fringed natural pools of Semuc Champey, and the city of Quetzaltenango in the highlands (which the locals thankfully shorten to ‘Xela’, which is much easier to pronounce).

Antigua and Xela both serve as a base for tours to the surrounding countryside, including a spectacular hike to the top of Volcán Tajumulco, the highest summit in Central America. I loved the volcano hike I did in Costa Rica back in 2015 (even though it was the toughest hike of my life), so I’m sure I’ll book one or two hiking tours while I’m in Guatemala.

And… I’m not sure yet where my journey will take me after Guatemala, to be honest!

I have a couple of options: I could continue traveling south to El Salvador and Nicaragua, I could catch a flight back to Europe, or I could travel north through the Mexican states of Chiapas and Oaxaca, ending my trip in Mexico City.

If I choose to travel back to Mexico, I’ll probably skip El Salvador and Nicaragua – at least for now.

But who knows? I tend to constantly change my plans while traveling, so I can never be sure where my journey will take me!

Have you been to Mexico or Central America? Please share your tips and recommendations in the comments!