Ah, Central America – that nice bend of land becoming a member of Colombia to Mexico. With two coastlines squiggling up the Caribbean Sea and the wild Pacific in a 1770km (1100-mile) medley of coral gardens, frothing waves and emerald-coast jungles laden with howler monkeys, there's hardly a extra beach-heavy area on earth.
Regardless of whether or not you're trying to find a laid-back surf city the place you may chase barrels, a distant isle to channel your inside castaway, or a beer-sloshing get together place on the Pacific Ocean, this nook of Latin America has you lined.
This information searches out the crème-de-la-crème of coves and bays, narrowing down the perfect seashores in Central America to only 14 picks.
Manuel Antonio – Costa Rica
Finest seaside it’s a must to hike to
Manuel Antonio is the pièce de résistance of its namesake nationwide park, an attractive little bit of tropical forest roughly halfway up the Pacific shores of Puntarenas province.
The seaside sits fully throughout the reserve, which suggests you'll have to earn your style of paradise by climbing half-hour amid jungles crawling with sloths and howler monkeys.
Going through south, the beige-tinged sand could be surveyed from the Mirador Playa Gemelas on the distant headland. The park opens at 7am, so get in early to beat the crowds.
Placencia – Belize
Finest seaside for peace and quiet
With a croc-filled lagoon on one aspect and the kaleidoscopic corals of the Belize Barrier Reef – a part of the second-largest coral reef system on the planet, no much less – on the opposite, Placencia is righteously hailed as among the finest seashores in Central America.
It's quiet in comparison with the likes of Ambergris Caye, regardless of being extra accessible (no seaplanes wanted!). The realm is peppered with conventional Garifuna fishing shacks and fronted by gentle sands that sprout twisted sabal palms and sea oats.
Santa Catalina – Panama
Finest hidden gem seaside
Primarily on the map for the rifling right-hand level break of La Punta that delights surfers from April to October, Santa Catalina is among the long-lost fishing cities on the Panamanian Pacific.
It's nonetheless little greater than a clutch of ramshackle fishing huts and surf villas, however there's rising curiosity, not least of all as a result of it's unfolded by two sweeps of unbusy, coffee-hued sand – Playa Arrimadero and Playa Santa Catalina.
Oh, and make sure you take a look at Coiba Island simply throughout the strait, the place you may swim with mantas and whale sharks at sure occasions of the 12 months.
Isla Robeson – Panama
Finest seaside for pretending you're a castaway
You don't get a moniker like Isla Robeson (Isla Robinson Crusoe in English) with out some top-quality seashores within the financial institution.
Though the precise place the place Defoe's hero is believed to have been stranded is a few 4830km (3000 miles) away in Chile, this speck in Panama's spectacular San Blas chain nonetheless has all of the hallmarks of a castaway spot.
There's not an overload of exercise, just some snorkeling reefs, a patch of jungle inland and – after all – a powdery lip of white sand on the west shoreline.
Little Corn Island – Nicaragua
Finest seaside to get away from all of it
Situated 43 miles off the coast of mainland Nicaragua, Little Corn and Massive Corn – collectively the 2 Corn Islands – supply a uncommon slice of the Caribbean not but dominated by multi-star accommodations. Little Corn is the extra untouched of the 2; it's solely actually received one resort, the unbelievable bungalows that gaze on the Yemaya Reefs.
Away from that, you'll paddle by means of dashes of coral reef and wandering virginal coastal forests, the place you're extra more likely to come throughout a scaly iguana than one other human being.
Pink Frog Seashore – Panama
Finest seaside resort seaside
A gentle bend of a bay on the northern tip of Isla Bastimentos, Pink Frog is a type of seashores that might simply grace the quilt of journey mags. It's lined by a jumble of jungle that sprouts sea grapes and bowing coconut timber over a wavy Caribbean, which affords some fairly gnarly surf between December and April.
Keep on the Pink Frog Seashore Island Resort should you'd prefer to swing open your villa door to see the daffodil-hued sands framed by your personal infinity pool – it's the closest resort to the seaside.
Santa Teresa – Costa Rica
Finest surf seaside
All through the Costa Rican moist season (Might to August), waves roll into Santa Teresa like clockwork. These sculpted wedges of water are what first drew surfers to this distant fringe of the Nicoya Peninsula someday within the late '90s.
The key is now effectively and really out, and this primary fishing city is now loaded with yoga studios, boho surf camps and even a gradual development of Instagram-touting influencers.
However there's house sufficient for every part on the 5km-long (3-mile) playa, together with a number of the most dependable swells this aspect of Hawaii.
West Bay Seashore – Honduras
Finest seaside for lively seaside goers
West Bay Seashore is the place Honduras does its greatest impression of the Bahamas. A wisp of cream sand that curls its manner across the tip of finger-like Roatán island, it often tops lists of the perfect seashores in Central America – and it's exhausting to disagree.
Come right here to take in the rays, journey the glass-bottomed Coral Reef Explorer to see zebrafish and turtles within the surrounding reefs, whiz on Jet Skis and sip rum cocktails within the sandy palapa bars. Sounds good, eh?
Playa Conchal – Costa Rica
Finest seaside for swimming and snorkeling
Playa Conchal is the ultimate seaside within the tiara of seashores that begins within the small resort city of Brasilito in Guanacaste. Sandwiched between the rocks of the Punta Sabana headland and a sprawling Westin resort resort, it doesn't have black or white sand, nevertheless it does come lined in a novel shingle of crushed shells.
The Pacific waters are crystal-clear, and there's unbelievable swimming and snorkeling to be achieved on the northern finish of the bay.
La Flor – Nicaragua
Finest seaside to see sea turtles
Playa La Flor is definitely quite a bit like the opposite dark-sand seashores that arc and curve their manner southwards to the Costa Rica border from San Juan del Sur in southern Nica. Nonetheless, this one has a trump card: olive ridley turtles.
Come right here to witness one of many seven annual nesting occasions generally known as arribadas – they happen between July and January, and the entire playa transforms right into a shifting mass of carapaces and egg nests. About seven weeks later, you may return to observe new turtle life spring into motion to make the arduous pilgrimage into the Pacific.
Playa El Cuco – El Salvador
Finest seaside for seafood
El Salvador's lone contender for the perfect seaside in Central America comes within the type of Playa El Cuco. It threads alongside the aspect of the Gulf of Fonseca, within the south of the nation, in a run of dusky black sand with knots of lanky palm timber and frothing waves and whitecaps crashing in entrance.
You don't come right here for postcard-worthy sands – you come to listen to the calls of the fisherfolk within the early hours, and to dine on zingy ceviche within the seafood eating places.
Cuco itself can get busy with vacationers from San Miguel, however you may all the time stroll to extra distant Playa El Esterón within the east to flee the thrill.
Guanaja – Honduras
Finest seaside for jungle hikes
Guanaja is greater than content material to let Roatán draw within the crowds and the cruise ships. In the meantime, this member of the impossibly great Bay Islands is roofed in protected jungles and climbing paths. The north coast is the place you go for the seashores.
From Michael Rock to Jim Bodden Seashores, there's a collection of coves and inlets which might be washed by uberclear seas and supply snorkeling alternative. To sleep, bag one of many treehouse-style cabanas on the Finish of the World Resort – the title says all of it!
Punta Uvita – Costa Rica
Finest seaside for strolling
The isthmus seaside at Punta Uvita is among the nice wonders of the Dominical coast. It's also called Whale Seashore, as a result of it resembles the form of a terrific whale tail splashing within the Pacific.
You may stroll the entire size of it from Uvita Seashore at low tide to see the salt-washed rock reefs on the tip.
Additionally head to the neighboring sands of Hermosa and Ventanas, the place a tangle of gnarled ficus timber and palms tumble into the ocean. Oh, and there's unbelievable whale watching within the surrounding Costa Ballena between December and March.
Playa Maderas – Nicaragua
Finest seaside for a yoga retreat
It's all concerning the good vibes and the constant surf at Playa Maderas. Rumble down the tough dust tracks north of San Juan del Sur and also you'll ultimately emerge in a rocky bay wedged between stacked headlands.
The principle wave is an all-level A-frame that breaks proper within the center.
However you don't have to have a board in tow to really feel at residence right here. There are blazing sunsets to observe from bamboo beer shacks, zen-inducing yoga retreats like Buena Vista Surf Membership and secluded coves like Playa Rosa on the menu too.
