Caribbean and Central America Travel

Costa Rica remains one of the most popular and visited countries in Central America. Due to its diverse topography, Costa Rica is the perfect destination for groups with varied interests. Wildlife enthusiasts will certainly enjoy Costa Rica’s biodiversity: over four hundred types of birds have been identified to be living in Costa Rica, as well as over a hundred mammals. Adventure travelers can look forward to white water rafting on Costa Rica’s rapids, or hiking in the dense forests and mountains, or marvel at the majestic Mt. Arenal, Costa Rica’s active volcano. Surfers and sun-lovers are given two choices: the Pacific or the Caribbean sea? Whether they head east or west, the coast is lined with powder white sand beaches, with waves suitable for both beginner and professional surfers.

The name Costa Rica comes from Christopher Columbus, who landed in the country in 1502. He was amazed at the gold ornaments worn by the natives, prompting him to call the land costa rica, which is Spanish for “rich coast.” The Spaniards weren’t able to colonize Costa Rica quite so quickly and easily. Due to the country’s thick and lush forest, the invading Europeans were held back for over six decades. When they finally did come into the country, the population of the indigenous Costa Ricans dwindled, due to the diseases carried by the Europeans to which the natives aren’t immune to.

The Spaniards were dismayed: the much anticipated gold repository never materialized. After this disappointment, Costa Rica was left alone, forgotten by the invaders. Things started picking up again in the 18th century, when settlement in various areas flourished. Costa Rica’s economy boomed with the introduction of the coffee. This commodity was as good as gold for the Europeans and other opportunists who seized this moment to build their businesses and empire.

Coffee brought wealth, status, recognition and eventually, independence to the Costa Ricans. When the US troops came in to invade Costa Rica, then President Juan Rafael Mora, a former coffee-grower, was able to unite the Costa Ricans to repel the invading forces. Costa Rica had its fair share of civil wars throughout its history, but in recent years, the country became the model for peace with the abolition of its army. This brings Costa Rica in such contrast with the ongoing unrest in the neighboring Central American countries.

Formerly known as British Honduras, Belize lies in the American mainland, its eastern shores welcoming the waves of the Caribbean sea. Though part of Central America, Belize’s laid back lifestyle reflects more on its Caribbean neighbors.

It was the Amerindians who first inhabited Belize, but it was the Mayans who propelled its civilization. The Mayan skills was put to good use in farming Belize’s land for crops such as corn, chillies, and cocoa. As time pass, so did the Mayan expertise in architecture and stonework. Remains of the Mayan cities are still intact in Belize: ancient cities of Caracol, Lamanai, Lubaantun, Xunantunich, etc.

Similar to the Caribbean islands, it was Christopher Columbus who was the first European to set his sights on Belize, though he never set foot on land. Spanish shipwreck survivors were the first Non-Mayan to arrive in Belize. Of the twenty people who washed up on the shore, most were sacrificed to the Gods by the Mayans or taken as slaves. It was Gonzalo Guerrero, who became the first to defect to the Mayans and married into a noble family. His three children were the first mestizos in Belize.

Europeans were drawn to Belize because of the country’s abundance supply of logwood (a tree whose sap was used to dye clothing), as well as mahogany and other trees. The Spanish Empire, who had control over Belize, gave the British permission to set up logging camps. In time, the British area slowly grew. Spain and Britain eventually went to war over control of the country, with Britain emerging victorious over the Spaniards. Commonly known as the Battle of St. George’s Cayes, this event in history is celebrated in Belize September 10th of every year.

It was in 1840 that Belize was officially named as the Colony of British Honduras. In 1871, they became an official part of the Crown Colony. It wasn’t until 1973 that the name British Honduras was dropped, and the territory officially became known as Belize.

Central America is the name of the region that connect North and South America. It is also sometimes referred to as the “southern end of North America.”

This narrow strip of land separates the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. On its narrowest point, Darien in Panama, the land is only about 30 miles (50 kilometers) wide. It is said that there is no area in Central America that is more than 125 miles from a body of water. Like the Caribbean, Central America also lies on the Caribbean Plate. This region gets its fair share of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The region is mountainous (with majority of its people living in the mountains than in the lowlands), though there are also a stretch of lowland along both coasts. The seven countries in Central America occupies a total land area of 202,265 square miles (523,865 square kilometers).
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