The Best Places in North and Central America to Visit in 2024

Choosing our favourite part of Costa Rica is like picking a favourite child. The diverse landscapes of this extraordinary country are utterly spellbinding, but if there’s one we want to shout about in 2024, it’s Arenal Volcano National Park. This luscious region is covered in greenery – populated by an array of cute creatures – and dominated by the presence of its namesake volcano. The behemoth of Arenal powers a range of natural hot springs throughout the region, so you can take a refreshing soak while staring at the power source itself. Our eight-day Costa Rica itinerary starts in Arenal, where you’ll stay at a spa resort, sip on world class coffee and go sloth spotting in the rainforest. Honourable mentions go to our next two destinations – the magical cloud forests of Monteverde and the laid-back surf vibes of Tamarindo.

We’ll head further inland in Guatemala, a nation rich in Mayan heritage and striking scenery, most prevalent in the areas surrounding Pacaya Volcano and Lake Atitlan. There’s a remarkable amount to see within a relatively small amount of land here. There’s the charming streets of Antigua, characterised by colourful, earthquake-resistant antiqueño buildings, which you’ll explore on day two of this five-day itinerary. We’ll follow that up with a stunning sunset trek to the summit of Pacaya Volcano, tucking into pizza and marshmallows cooked with molten lava at the peak. Atitlan itself is a lake formed by the flooding of a volcanic crater, and forms the centre point of our final few days. You’ll visit the ancient Mayan ruins of nearby Iximche before zip-lining across and kayaking on the lake, which is one of the most serenely beautiful on Earth.