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Some suggested Central America campsites

These are not all the places where we camped in Central America of course - we stayed in many remote wildlife sites, which were accessible only with a 4x4 or higher clearance vehicle - but these are some that should be generally accessible to all or most vehicles. Countries are listed north to south, and campsites largely in the order that we used them in 2010.

Belize

Belize City

Cucumber Beach Marina. Mile 5, Western Highway. N 17°28'20.2" W088°14'54.3". $10 + $5 for power. Marina with good restaurant, artificial beach, and Old Belize tourist attraction. Good (sometimes too strong) breeze, quiet, security & night guard, hot showers, laundry facilities, free WiFi. We stayed three nights here to catch up on internet stuff. Need to go over to restaurant area for best signal, and use “British Honduras Room”, as it’s more consistent. If you have any 2-peso Mexican coins, they work in the washer and dryer, because that’s what they gave me for one of the tokens! Breeze was a saviour, because it was hot and there’s no shade.

Maya Centre

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary (Jaguar Reserve). US$2.50 per person for camping plus US$5 per person for park entry. Camping area is east of Maya Centre about 6 miles on a good dirt track. Parking is in Sanctuary’s parking lot. Toilets and cold showers. Lots of good walking trails.  

Punta Gorda

Sea Front Inn (TC’s By the Sea - listed in other camping info - was nowhere to be found). $B25. Take the left fork as you reach the north edge of town and the hotel is on the right, right across from a small dock. We had access to the staff bathroom and free WIFI, but no shower.

Hummingbird Highway

Blue Hole National Park. Entry is US$2.50 per person, were allowed to park overnight in small parking lot for no extra charge. Pit toilets, but no shower, and quite hot, sticky, and buggy when we were there. Enjoyed it anyway, because the birds were great. There’s also a cave you can explore and what could be a great swimming hole - muddy when we were there due to rain.

San Ignacio

Inglewood Camping. N 17°08'20.2" W089°05'14.4". $B25 (extra if you want power). Several kilometers west of town. Little shade, some palapas, a cooking shelter, power and water to all sites, a spot to dump waste water near toilet block, some highway noise (main road to Guatemala), simple clean bathrooms with electric warm showers, and free WIFI (but only available certain hours as it is on a timer).

Guatemala

Tikal

Parking is in and adjacent to soccer field on the right just before tourist info kiosk and parking lot. Q30 (per person). Tents can be pitched under palapas in large grassy area, but they won’t let you take vehicles in there. Toilets and showers in building next to the lot. Park staff play soccer on Friday afternoons, so we had to wait until they were done (around 4PM before we parked up). Best shade is in northeast corner of the soccer field, on the higher grassy patch near the ditch.

Biotopo Del Quetzal (south of Coban)

We parked in the reserve parking lot, which is just before km 160 (coming  from Coban). It’s on the right side, opposite a place with a large sign “Biotopin Restaurant”. There are toilets, but no showers. Pretty noisy because it’s right next to the road, but traffic was fairly light overnight. Good trails if you want to take a walk in the forest. Park entry is Q40 per person, and camping is Q20 per person.

El Salvador

El Impossible National Park (near Guatemala border, off CA2). US$6 per person entry plus $2 per vehicle to park/camp. Entrance road is on east side of the highway, just before bridge over Rio Aguachapio (about km from the border. It is about 13 km to the entrance station on a fairly rough dirt road. Very nice trails and views.

Cerro Verde National Park (near Sonsonate)

$10 per vehicle. Access is off road that runs between Large, flat parking area with 24hr access to toilets and lovely views. Can be busy with day trippers but quiet overnight and secure.     

near Metapan

Parque Aquatico Apuzunga. Turnoff is near KM 101 marker, just over 11 km south of Metapan (measured from traffic light at Texaco station on south side of town). Turning is on the east side of the road and is well-signed; entry road is 3 km (take right fork at 2.3 km). Owner Raul Sanabria speaks some English. This is a nice water park around a natural spring on a big river. Toilets and outdoor showers. There had been heavy rains when we were there and the water was a bit murky, so Raul didn’t charge us anything. A report from other campers said they paid $25 for two rigs (6 people).

Honduras

Tela

Lancetilla Botanical Gardens. (N15:44 W87:27). US$8. Entrance is off main highway on south side; look for long line of trees overhanging the highway and lots of vendor stall along the highway. There is a security gate where you can tell them you want to camp. They’ll call in to the garden and set in up. The garden itself is a few kms down the entrance road. Good shade and toilets.

Tourist Police. Secure concrete parking lot next to police station at the foot of 4a Ave NE near the beach. We had read about this option and tried it, but there was construction going on the entrance to the lot was blocked, so they said we couldn’t access it. They offered to let us camp on the street in front, but we declined because of security concerns. Could be a good spot if the fenced lot is accessible.

Tela Beach Club (N15:47.379 W87:30.770).  This place, which is listed in 99 Days to Panama DOES NOT take campers.

Danlí

Esso Gasolinera. (N14:1.497 W86:35.085). US$5. At the west end of town on south side road of highway from Tegucigalpa. Guard is on duty all night, so it is very secure, but not necessarily quiet. Good staging point before crossing into Nicaragua. Only amenity is toilets.

Nicaragua

Estelí

Club Campestre de Esteli. US$10. KM 155, about 5 km north of Texaco at north end of town, on east side of the road. Private country club with use of pool, toilets, showers. Can be busy in afternoon when local come in to use the pool, but set back from the highway and quiet overnight.

Masaya

Masaya Volcano National Park (N12:00.79 W86:8.46). US$5 per person for park entry and US$2.50 per person for camping. Entrance is near Nindirí on the road between Masaya and Managua. Visitor centre where you can park is a few km up paved access road. Road continues right up to the edge of the crater, which is quite impressive to see. We only had access to toilets when visitor centre was open.

Costa Rica

Santa Rosa National Park

Entrance road is 44 km south of the Nicaragua border and campground is at the end of the entrance road (about 7 km). Entrance fee is $10 per person and camping is $2 per person.  Excellent shade but a bit muddy after rain. Toilets, cold showers (poorly maintained) and water.

Rincon de la Vieja National Park

Entrance road is about 5 km north of Liberia, on the east side. Unpaved road up to the park entrance is about 21 km. It is pretty rough in some stretches, and part-way up there is a gate when you have to pay a small fee to cross through private land. Keep left when you reach the Guachipelin Hotel at 16 km). Park entry is $10 per person, but we were allowed to camp in the parking lot for free. No facilities; access to toilet in park during opening hours (7 AM to 4 PM).

Liberia

El Delfin Trailer Park (N10:39.44, W85.28.16).  $10. 5 km north of Liberia on the west side of the road, almost opposite turning to Rincon de la Vieja National park. Look for a large field with a long white fence and a small sign next to the entrance. This is an old trailer park with some cabins and a pool. It had very little business when we were there, but the caretaker was very nice. Electricity, good shade, but run-down toilet/cold water shower block.

Santa Elena

Monteverde Ecological Reserve. Free to camp but reserve entry is a steep $17 per person!  Follow signs to reserve from Santa Elena, through Monteverde to the end of the road, about 5 km southeast of town. Toilets are only amenity, but access is available all hours.

Santa Elena Reserve. Free to camp, reserve entry fee $12. We camped two nights but only paid to enter the park one of the days. Located about 7 km northeast of town; exit town to the north and follow signs. Toilets are only amenity, but access is available all hours.

La Fortuna/Arenal

“Campground” across from the Arenal National Park headquarters (N10:27.691 W84:44.404). US$10. Take the road toward Tilaran from La Fortuna and turn left about 14 km from La Fortuna, toward the national park. The park headquarters and this private camping area are about 2 km down the dirt road.

San Antonio de Belén (suburb of San Jose)

Belén Trailer Park (N9:58.80, W84:10.73). US$14 (7th night free). Water, power, sewer hook-ups, hot showers, toilets, washing machine, clothes lines, free WiFi. Exit Pan-American Highway near the 12KM marker. Coming from San Jose there will be a shopping mall with a MegaSuper on the right and an overpass over the highway at the exit. Turn left and cross over the highway. In just under 1 km, turn right at flashing yellow light (beginning of one way). Take the first left onto the one-way toward town.  The entrance (poorly signposted) is about 700 meters, on the left, immediately past a large mechanic’s garage (former gas station) that usually has several large trucks parked in front of it. The gate should open automatically; if not, you can push it open manually. Coming from the north, you will exit  several hundred meters before the overpass and follow the exit road past a large home improvement store called EPA. Turn right at the light, which will be about 500 meters before the one-way starts (follow directions from above). The owner is an American women named Laurie, but she is not often on site. Her two sons live onsite and one of them helps run the park. If there’s no around when you arrive, just park up and someone will show up eventually. NOTE: The property has been sold and the existing park will close at the end of 2010, but they are planning to open a new park just across the road. They were still waiting for building permits in mid-Dec, so I suspect the new park won’t open by the time the old one closes.

Braulio Carrillo National Park

Quebrada Gonzales Ranger Station. US$8 per person for park entry (camping is free). The station in on the San Jose to Limon highway (32), approximately 8 km east of the junction to Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui. You can park next to the picnic tables (under cover) just across from ranger’s residence. Toilets, cold showers, water, power.

KM 70 Interamericana Hwy (between Cartago and San Isidro)

Paraiso del Quetzal. N 09°38.648'W083°51.027'. US$15 to camp and use the trails. Follow 1 km dirt driveway on west side of the road that leads to two places owned by brothers. Keep right for Paraiso del Quetzal (should be able to stay at either place). Use of toilets in restaurant (7AM-7PM).

KM 118 Interamericana Hwy (just north of San Isidro)

Bosque del Tolomuco. US$10 - best deal in CR! Turning is on the west side of the road, on a curve and easy to miss from the north. Follow steep driveway several hundred meters to this lovely B&B owned by a Canadian couple. Beautiful views, excellent toilet and hot shower, free WIFI, electricity, water, good walking trails.

Palmar Norte

A few miles south of town there is a 24 hour gas station with plenty of room to park. We bought some gas there and they were happy to let us park for the night and use the toilets.

San Vito

Finca Cantarro. US$18 for entry and camping. About 4 km toward San Vito from the Wilson Botanical Garden. Toilets, trails, and covered picnic area with water, electricity, and BBQ.   

Panama

Fortuna Reservoir (south of Chiriquí Grande)

There is a great bush camping spot right on the Continental Divide, on the road between Chiriquí Grande and the Interamericana. Take the small paved road to the west, immediately south of the divide crest; this is about 35 km south of Chiriquí Grande. Less than a km up this road are several large flat areas on the left. Super quiet and beautiful place to spend a night.

Guadalupe (above Volcan)

Los Quetzales Lodge. $20. About 20 km NE of Volcan; turn right at the Volcan police station toward Bambito, Nueva Suiza, and Cerro Punta. Guadalupe is at the end of the road, but when we visited the bridge on the main road between Cerro Punta and Guadelupe was out, so we had to detour left in Cerro Punta and box around to Guadalupe - just ask for directions if you don’t have a good map. Large lodge with restaurant, spa and gardens. They were very welcoming and happy to let us camp in the parking lot and use the toilets and hot showers in the spa.

Santa Clara

XS Memories. $15. Near KM 114 marker, just across the highway from the Playa Santa Clara exit and 100 yards down a dirt road. Nice setting with a small pool and excellent palapa. Full hook-ups (power, water, waste), cold outdoor showers with no privacy.  Free good WiFi. They are closed on Tuesdays, so if you arrive on that day there may be no one to let you in the locked gate.

Panama City - Amador

In front of Balboa Yacht Club. (N8:56.486 W79:33.310).  There is a large public parking lot south of the Panama City side of the Puente de las Americas. Exit off the Interamericana toward Balboa and Amador. Turn left toward Amador (not Balboa) at the bottom of the exit. This is Calle Amador and leads to the causeway. In less than a kilometer you will see the large parking lot on your right. Take the entrance road to the yacht club and Country Inn and Suites, just before the parking lot.  Although this is a very busy area with activity at night, it appears to be safe and regulalrly patrolled by policia. In addition, there is a 24 hr guard at the yacht club. You can get free WIFI signal in front of the yacht club.

Gamboa

We tried to bush camp along the dirt road that goes north from town but were woken at 1:00 AM by canal security/military and told we had to leave. They showed us to a spot right in town where they said we could stay. Go straight after crossing the bridge over the Chagres, watching for the police station on the left as you enter town. Turn right opposite the station onto a short dead-end street with a turning circle around a large tree at the end. There are tennis courts beyond the end of the road and a covered volleyball/basketball court on the right. We stayed here two nights; it was safe and relatively quiet. And you can use free WIFI in the lobby of the Gamboa Rainforest Resort up the hill from town.

Nusagandi

This indigenous reserve is on the El Llano - Cart Road, which runs from the Interamericana to the Caribbean coast and begins about 75 km east of Panama City. The road was closed at the reserve headquarters, about 20 km from El Llano. We camped on the side of the road about 1 km before the headquarters. If you prefer to have facilities (basic toilet, shower, kitchen), you could stay at the headquarters, but I’ve heard there is no water in the dry season. The road was quiet and we didn’t have any vehicles go by after dark.