Top 10 Central American beach escapes

By Carolyn McCarthy

updated 4:58 p.m. ET Sept. 2, 2008

Central America has always attracted intrepid visitors in search of unfiltered natural beauty. Now, a set of top-tier, often eco-friendly, resorts is reinventing the region as a world-class beach destination, complete with unspoiled coastlines, coral reefs, and corduroy waves.

WHEN TO VISIT: The region is at its best during the dry season (also peak season), which is usually from December to May, though it varies depending on the exact location. (All prices quoted here are for peak season.) The rest of the year, prices fall but so does the rain. Solitude seekers may want to avoid the holiday season (mid-December through February), when some beaches are crowded with locals.

Ambergris Caye, Belize
A barefoot lifestyle and a love of reggae rule this pocket-size English-speaking nation, which feels more Caribbean in culture than Central American. Ambergris Caye, located off the northeastern coast and a quick flight from Belize City, is a 25-mile-long island known for its soft beaches and car-free tranquillity. Sequestered at the north end of the island, Matachica Beach Resort is renowned for its charm and seclusion. The thatched-roof cabins come with porches for catching a breeze; the turquoise Caribbean waters offer world-class snorkeling right off the dock.

From $265/night, includes breakfast, airport transfers; matachica.com

Barra de Santiago, El Salvador
With tourism so new here, visitors are often treated more like friends of the family. The country’s Balsam Coast is known as a surfers' paradise, but those seeking solitude should check out the ultra-remote Barra de Santiago, on the northern Pacific coast, a national park with estuaries and mangroves on a broad, tawny sandbar. Inside the park, El Salvador’s first ecoresort, La Cocotera Resort & Ecolodge, debuts in style with thatched-roof bungalows set in a stand of coconut palms. In August and September, guests can see thousands of endangered Olive Ridley turtles hatch in the park's sanctuary and then help release them into the ocean. Getting there entails a complimentary 1.5-hour car transfer from San Salvador or, at an extra cost, a chartered plane or helicopter ride.

From $115/night, includes all meals, airport transfers, kayak use; lacocoteraresort.com

More from ShermansTravel.com Travel Guide: Belize Travel Guide: Panama Travel Guide: Costa Rica

Bocas del Toro, Panama
With accessible rain forest, lush beaches, and a pulsing capital, Panama is flaunting assets that much of the world didn’t even know it had. Right now, vacationers are hopping the 1-hour flight from Panama City to the rural archipelago of Bocas del Toro, a treasure trove of empty islets and white sand off the northwestern coast of the mainland. At the picturesque Punta Caracol Acqua-Lodge, guests are lulled to sleep in two-story, thatched-roof cabins perched over the sea on stilts and reached via a long wooden boardwalk. French doors open onto private decks; solar panels are used to generate power. At mealtime, vegetables are plucked from an organic garden, and seafood comes from the daily catch (the chef prepares an exquisite lobster stew). For an extra fee, take a water taxi to the numerous quiet cays and play Survivor for the day, whiling away the hours watching passing dolphins.

From $374/night, includes breakfast, dinner, airport transfers; puntacaracol.com

Hopkins, Belize
At Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort, a 20-minute flight from Belize City, a couple of hammocks swaying on the boat docks are a signal to come and unwind. Guests wax enthusiastic about the tree house accommodations, surrounded by black orchids and replete with skylights for stargazing (in air-conditioned comfort). Despite the draw of lazy days spent by the freshwater pool, adventurous vacationers can borrow kayaks and bikes, as well as explore nearby Mayan pyramids, waterfalls, caves, and the world’s only jaguar preserve. (With 40 percent of the country protected through private trusts and public lands, nature breathes easy in Belize, at least in comparison to its more industrialized neighbors.) The resort also has its own PADI dive facility, and divers have access to an underwater wilderness that is populated with manatees, whale sharks, and eagle rays.

From $275/night, includes breakfast; hamanasi.com

Mal Pais, Costa Rica
Locals would like to keep the villages of Santa Teresa and Mal Pais, on the southwestern coast of Nicoya Peninsula, a surfers' secret. Even so, amateurs and experts alike are welcome to ride the waves here. Development in the area is nascent, so visitors can enjoy wide ribbons of uninterrupted sand fronted by warm tide pools. Newcomer resort Beija Flor weighs in as a surprising good-value retreat. The 11 guest rooms and one villa are sparsely chic and set in a tropical garden. When the surf isn’t up, guests indulge in spa treatments, yoga classes, and sunset horseback rides. The open-air restaurant serves an appealing French-Asian fusion cuisine. Driving to the resort is possible, but flying to nearby Playa Tambor via a local airline from San José is best.

From $60/night; beijaflorresort.com

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