There are a few clusters of cheap destinations around the world where you can travel overland from country to country on a low budget for weeks, months, or a year. For Americans, starting in Mexico and going down to Panama is a pretty reliable way to travel well without spending a fortune—especially since the initial flight won’t set you back too much.
There are major variations of course, which is why Nicaragua is a screaming bargain, Mexico is an “honorable mention” in my book , and Costa Rica isn’t in there at all. Even that last one and Belize will cost you less than home if you pick the where and how carefully, however, so all in all it’s a good block for long-term travel.
A month ago I updated my old article for Transitions Abroad on getting to Guatemala from Mexico . It’s an article, not a book, so it’s just going to give you a quick overview. It does give you a quick overview for the region though on sleeping, transportation, and eating/drinking. Plus there are ample links at the end to resources to find out more.
I like Mexico so much I have two houses there. (Though I’d like to bring that down to one. Beach house for sale – $68,500 .) It’s no bargain if you go to Los Cabos or the Riviera Maya, but in the interior and many off-the-radar beaches, it’s a whole different story. In Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala, it’s a bargain throughout.
So do a little planning, but getting to Guatemala from Mexico to decide if it sounds like a region where the price is right.
