30thMay
Best/Worst of Central America
T&I came up with this list upon exiting Panama. Though we’ve visited Mexico, Costa Rica, and Honduras on previous trips, we have excluded those experiences from this best/worst list and have only included Belize, Nicaragua, and Panama. We hope to come up with something similar for South America as well, mostly because it makes for a good passing-time activity on bus rides.
FORMAT: Category- Best/Worst
| Category | Best | Worst |
| Beer | Toña (Nicaragua) | Belikin (Belize – only 9oz) |
| Rum | Flor de Caña (Nicaragua) | Strong Rum (Belize) |
| Street Food | Lady selling oxtail stew & other deliciousness (Caye Caulker, Belize) | Chef Andrew’s horrendous oatmeal cookie (also Belize) |
| Beach | Red Frog Beach, Bocas del Toro, Panama (honorable mention: San Blas Islands, Panama) | Caye Caulker, Belize (essentially no beach) |
| Snorkeling | Caye Caulker, Belize | Isla de Coiba (2nd site of the day), Panama |
| Ocean Clarity | Caye Caulker, Belize (honorable mention: San Blas Islands, Panama) | San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua |
| High Class Meal | Habañeros, Caye Caulker, Belize | |
| Worst Meal | Granada, Nicaragua (nachos at one place and burger/spaghetti at another) | |
| Low class meal | Taco Loco, San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua (honorable mention: ceviche at the fish market in Panama City) | |
| Coffee | Cafe Ruiz, Boquete, Panama | Mamallena Hostel, Boquete, Panama |
| Weather | Boquete, Panama | Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua |
| Nightlife | San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua | Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua and San Ignacio, Belize (tied) |
| Surfing | Santa Catalina, Panama | Random beach near Panama City, though it did have beautiful black sand beach |
| Buses | Panama “chicken buses” | Tica Bus |
| Hot Sauce | Belize | Nicaragua (strange vinegar onion mix) |
| Rice and Beans | Bocas del Toro, Panama | Our horrible homestay in SJDS, Nicaragua (note: T says all rice&beans are terrible) |
| Good looking people | Panama | Nicaragua |
| Relaxing | Caye Caulker, Belize and San Blas Islands, Panama | Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua |
| Tour | Casa Ruiz coffee tour, Boquete, Panama (honorable mention: Masaya volcano tour, Ganada, Nicaragua) | Hop on-Hop off bus tour in Granada, Nicaragua |
| Drink | Frozen mojito at Habañeros, Caye Caulker, Belize (honorable mentions: coconut lemonade at Thai restaurant in Panama City and chocobanana shake in San Juan del Sur) | |
| Experience | too hard to choose just one | Homestay in SJDS, Nicaragua (honorable mentions: horseback riding in Matagalpa, Nicaragua, cab ride in San Jose, Costa Rica, rental car on Isla de Ometepe) |