Desirable Destination

From Belize to Panama, a variety of new developments have made Central America a choice vacation spot

Central America, the tapering isthmus that connects North America to South America, is among the most ecologically diverse regions on earth. Comprising seven countries and numerous small islands, Central America spans dry lowlands, sultry rain forests, and volcanic peaks. And as a wave of new developments illustrates, from Belize to Panama, the tropical region has emerged as a prime destination, attracting luxury travelers as well as the backpacking set.

Belize: Jungle-to-Reef Tourism

Long heralded by divers for offshore features like the Great Blue Hole and a huge barrier reef, Belize is now promoting its inland appeal to showcase the diversity of its terrain. Some 13,000 acres of dense jungle were slated to be clear cut in southern Belize — that is, until Ken Karas, a wildlife filmmaker who was working for the National Geographic Society, paid a visit in the mid-1990s. He proposed both protecting and exploiting the precious natural resource, modeling his plans on safari camps he'd seen in Africa. After several nongovernmental organizations were established to acquire some 60,000 acres of adjacent land, Karas and his company, Belize Lodge and Excursions, preserved a wildlife corridor that connects the mountains to the Caribbean coast.

The centerpiece of the corridor is Belize Lodge (belizelodge.com), a series of four eco-friendly inns that provide a circuit for guests traveling between them. Karas identified 12 distinct habitats along the jungle-to-cay route, which features a freshwater lagoon near Mayan ruins and a treetop platform suspended above a jaguar preserve. To reach one of the inns, deep in the jungle, guests must kayak up a river. Another inn, on an offshore island surrounded by a marine preserve, features safari-style tents.

Another property making headlines in Belize is The Phoenix (thephoenixbelize.com), on the island of Ambergris Caye. The smart new condo-resort combines contemporary, residential-style accommodations with resort amenities, including two pools, a spa, and a gourmet restaurant. Nearby, in Belize City, the new Crocland Adventure and Eco Park (crocland.com) introduces day trippers to the country's indigenous critters via ATV and horseback tours. The park is home to several rescued animals, including puma, deer, and, of course, crocodiles.

Nicaragua: Adrenaline and Art

Nicaragua, its fans like to say, is like Costa Rica 25 years ago: green, undeveloped, and alluring to adventure travelers. In fact, tourism is up 11 percent this year over 2008 (as of August). Visitors can sandboard on the side of a volcano, surf the Pacific, hike cloud forests, and view troops of monkeys in their natural habitat. The country is also a discount shopping paradise for travelers interested in local crafts.

Masaya, at the foot of a volcano just outside Nicaragua's capital city of Managua, hosts a permanent handcraft market in a colonial stone building. It's highly regarded as a mecca for ceramics and carved stone. Stay overnight at the new Hotel Contempo (contempohb.com), Nicaragua's first contemporary boutique hotel, featuring minimalist rooms and designer furniture, with a spa scheduled to open soon.
An hour's drive from Managua, the Spanish colonial city of Granada is known for its gentrified historic buildings painted in sunny Caribbean hues. The new Hotel Dario (hoteldario.com) occupies an early-19th-century hacienda and cloisters a courtyard pool ringed by balconies with wrought iron railings.

On an idyllic, crescent-shaped bay on Nicaragua's Pacific coast, San Juan del Sur caters to both surf-seeking vagabonds and eco-travelers. Morgan's Rock (morgansrock.com) pioneered upscale resort travel here with its 15 bungalows set amid nearly 4,500 acres of reforested woods. The estate includes a working farm where visitors can help make tortillas for breakfast. Up the coast, the new Punta Teonoste (puntateonoste.com) pampers with yoga classes and French cuisine and immerses guests in the native environment with a sea turtle nursery, horse-back riding, and surfing lessons.

Costa Rica: Adventure Travel Goes Luxe

Long known as an eco-tourism destination, Costa Rica has managed to boost its luxury quotient while maintaining its wild allure. At San José's Pacuare Lodge (pacuarelodge.com), which guests can reach by rafting through class III and IV rapids, four new suites built into the hillside offer canopy beds and private plunge pools, as well as forest and river views. Lost Iguana Resort & Spa (lostiguanaresort.com), near the Arenal Volcano, recently opened a set of open-air spa bungalows within earshot of the property's rushing river. In Playa Cocles, on the Caribbean coast, the new Le Caméléon (slh.com/cameleon) sets up minimalist white rooms on a private beach.

For travelers interested in Costa Rica's wild side, Tropical Adventures (tropicaladventures.com) offers a two-day trip to Arenal. The excursion includes canyoneering, in which the intrepid hike down trails and rappel into a canyon alongside eight tropical waterfalls. The new Costa Rican Bird Route (costaricanbirdroute.com) hits 12 top birding sites around the country, including the Selva Verde Lodge, with its six newly created biological preserves. Developed by the Rainforest Biodiversity Group, the bird route provides visitors access to the rainforest and allows landowners to make an environmentally sustainable living. All the sites support efforts to preserve the green macaw, a bird whose population in Costa Rica numbers less than 200 due to illegal logging of the almond trees they depend on. Visitors can explore the route independently, hire an endorsed guide, or go with an organized group.

Panama: Bridging City and Countryside

A $5 billion expansion of the Panama Canal plus tax incentives that have drawn international corporations have boosted the number of visitors to Panama City in recent years, adding business travelers to the country's fan base of retired ex-pats and eco-enthusiasts. Development has followed, including the chic new Le Méridien Panama (starwoodhotels.com), which features a colorful two-story glass lobby, on the Bay of Panama. A new Donald Trump hotel, Trump Ocean Club, and a branch of the famous Buddha Bar of Paris are slated to open in Panama City in 2010.

Beyond the city, Las Perlas, or the Pearl Islands, a chain of some 200 cays in the Gulf of Panama, are Panama's latest travel hot spot. The cays, about 40 miles south of the isthmus, are legendary fishing grounds and serve as a little-known refuge for humpback whales. The largest of the Perlas, Contador, is a well-known resort destination for wealthy Panamanians. Isla Viveros (islaviveros.com), the fourth-largest island of the Perlas, is a focus of sustainable development, including resort homes and a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course. Its first hotel, the eight-room Viveros Cottage, opens in early 2010 near the only marina in the region.

Straddling Panama's urban and natural attractions, a new eight-day adventure tour of the country by Southern Explorations (southernexplorations.com) includes a visit to the canal, of course, but explorers can also raft secluded whitewater in the western highlands, hike mountainous forests in Baru National Park in search of the elusive quetzal bird, and snorkel in the Caribbean off the beaches at Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park.

— Elaine Glusac