Best of Central America: Q&A with Aimee

I sat down with Aimee, our Business Process Specialist here at Gap 360, who’s just come back from the most incredible 18 days on our Best of Central America group trip. Read below as Aimee spills all the details of her life on tour - including why Guatemala is one of her new favourite destinations!

Q: So, why Central America? 

A: It’s a part of the world that I’ve never seen before. I was really excited that it’s completely different to anywhere I’ve travelled. And then obviously Mexican food. I wanted to go and eat lots of guacamole. So mainly that, and then the wildlife is insane!

I also really want to do South America someday, and I feel like Central is a good introduction to that.

Q: How were your group and trip leaders for Best of Central America?

A: It was really, really lovely. There were 24 of us, and I felt like at any given moment, I could sit down with anyone in the whole group and just chat with them. There weren’t any cliques or school vibes.

The group leaders really did a great job of, like, facilitating everyone to shine. There were some people in the group at the beginning who were quite shy and maybe a bit nervous. And then by the end, they were singing 5 songs at karaoke! I was just so proud of them.

And it was nice as well, because it was a mix of nationalities. Swedish, Swiss, Finnish, Australian, Kiwi… There were quite a few different places!

Q: On this trip, you tick off 3 countries: Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. Which destinations are you going back to?

A: All of them!

There’s so much more of Mexico that I want to see, and it was a good introduction. We went to Chichén Itzá, a Wonder of the World, which was really cool. And then Tulum for the beaches, so it was pretty chill. I can even see myself living in Mexico for a couple of months!

Belize was just so chill and so laidback. It’s more Caribbean vibes. The language is English and Creole. We stayed on Caye Caulker, and their motto for the island is, "Go slow." I would 100% go back there!

And then Guatemala just has my heart. I love Guatemala. We saw such a variety of landscapes inside a small country that’s not super on the radar. It was so cool. There’s honestly so much to do there. It has lots of history and culture… All the landscapes, all the volcanoes… I’d go back there in a heartbeat!

Q: What was your favourite place in Guatemala?

A: Lake Atitlán. The scenery was insane! When we went for breakfast, I walked out, and I was just blown away by the views.

There are lots of different villages around the lake, because it’s so big, and we stayed at a homestay in San Juan. Our host family spoke Spanish, but their main language was a Mayan language. I think they said there are 19 different Mayan languages just around the lake.

We stayed with a lovely lady and her 2 sons. They were really sweet. We helped out with cooking, and she was just really, really lovely. It was so nice that she’d invited us into her home.

And then the next morning, we did a sunrise hike. It was the first time I saw Fuego erupting! It was a hard hike, but it was so worth it. For that to be one of my introductions to Guatemala was just unreal. Because it was quite an active trip, I feel like that was prepping you for the finale!

Q: On day 16, you trekked up Guatemala's iconic Acatenango Volcano. How was it?

A: I would say to anyone who wants to do it and is nervous, it’s 100% worth it. The way that it’s all sorted, you don’t really have to think too much. They ask you if you need a backpack and if you need a porter (a person employed to carry luggage). I chose to have a porter, and it’s encouraged.

As a vegan, they prepared all the food for my dietary requirements, and it was great. The food was probably some of the best I’ve had! Everyone was saying how good it was.

When we got to the top, the clouds cleared and we saw the volcano. Everyone was so emotional and like, "I can’t believe we’re here!"

During the night, you just hear the rumbles of the volcano. It feels very like… I’m a Lord of the Rings fan, and it felt like I was in Lord of the Rings! But I was also like, how do these things even exist? Just to be so close to what is, in my opinion, such a miracle. Incredible.

And then Antigua itself (after the trek). The skies at night… It’s literally like a Van Gogh picture. The sunsets were like that every night! I don’t know if we just got really lucky, but it was a fairytale the whole time. I couldn’t recommend it more.

Q: How did you find the food in Central America as a vegan traveller?

A: So for me, the food was really easy. I’m quite flexible, but because the Central American diet is corn-based, a lot of stuff by default was perfect. Tortillas, tacos, tamales… All vegan. Beans as well. Obviously guacamole. Also, really good smoothie bowl places.

It was good having the trip leaders, as they helped translate if I needed. And now with Google Translate on your phone, it’s so easy!

Q: On Best of Central America, you stay in upgraded accommodation. How did you find it?

A: It was actually quite bougie! So it was all twin or triple shared. The accommodation throughout the whole tour I was really impressed with, and I think everyone in my group felt the same, too. I think with an active tour, it’s nice to have that comfort. But 100%, my favourite accommodation has to be the Lake Atitlán, because of the views!

Q: Any tips you'd give to someone before doing our Best of Central America tour?

A: So, I would say just go with it! There’s so much to do and see, and so many “pinch me” moments throughout the whole tour - some of which I wasn’t even expecting. I knew that in Belize, I’d hopefully be swimming with manatees (sea cows). But to actually do it was surreal. And then I also flew over the Blue Hole!

It’s hard to explain it in words, when really what it was for me was so many firsts. I feel like I’ve travelled a fair amount, but this kind of stuff is unlike anything I’d ever seen before. And I was just so grateful to have experienced it.

So yeah, I would say do it 100%. You’re in great hands and there’s something for everyone! Oh, you’ll probably want to take a GoPro camera! Maybe a waterproof phone case as well for snorkelling and river tubing.

Q: Thank you so much for chatting with me, Aimee! My last question is, where’s next on your bucket list?

A: Well… Now that I’ve started the Seven Wonders of the World, I’ve got to finish them! I definitely want to do Peru. Also China… I’m really intrigued by China. Because again, it’s such a different destination for me. So it’s somewhere that I would be really excited to go and see!

Inspired to make your own memories on our Best of Central America tour? Chat with a travel advisor today, and they can set you up with the best dates and answer any questions you may have before exploring this stunning region of the world. Vamos!