On this page we will post the locations and details of campgrounds that we find along the way. Many of these campgrounds can be found in any number of books, including most of the guide books that are out there. Some of them, however, we have stumbled upon without reading about them first (which doesn’t mean they are not already in a guide book somewhere). For now we are just including directions and any contact info we have, but at some point we hope to get GPS coordinates. We hope this list will be useful.
Mexico
We didn’t make a list of Mexico campgrounds because of the wealth of information that is already out there. If you don’t already have it we recommend getting Mike and Terry Church’s Mexican Camping. Often referred to as “the bible”, they include details of just about any camping place that exists for the whole of Mexico.
Belize
Crooked Tree Lodge- http://www.crookedtreelodgebelize.com/Crooked_Tree_Lodge/WELCOME.html
Crooked Tree Wildlife Santuary- located about an hour south of Orange Walk. Look for the sign on the new Northern Highway, follow the dirt road across the causeway and into the village. Take a right at the T after the visitor center, a left at the cemetery and follow the signs from there. Cost = 20 belize per night (US $10). Beautiful lake side location and a birders paradise. Clean bathrooms and cold shower, you can camp anywhere on the property you want. No hookups, but they will let you charge computers, cameras, etc at the bar. Wi-fi internet included. The owners are very friendly and accommodating. Excellent breakfast and dinner offered and a bar with sodas and beer.
Community Baboon Sanctuary- http://www.howlermonkeys.org/
Located about an hour north of Belize City. Look for the sign off the northern highway and follow the signs. Cost = 5 Belize (US $2.50) per person. No hookups, clean bathrooms and showers. No frills camping, but it offers an alternative to Belize City and is cheap.
Inglewood RV and Campground- http://inglewoodcampingrvpark.com
Located about a mile west of San Ignacio on the Western Highway going towards the Guatemalan border on the left hand side. Cost = 27.50 belize (US $13.75) per night + electricity. Full hookups (electricity is metered), clean bathrooms and showers, wi-fi internet included (only works from 5pm to 11pm and 7am to 11 am). Very nice owners can help arrange tours in the area for you.
Barton Creek Outpost – http://www.bartoncreekoutpost.com/
Located about an hour outside of San Ignacio on the road to the Pine Ridge Mountains. From San Ignacio head east on the highway towards Belize City. Turn right on Pine Ridge Rd in the town of Georgeville (signed for Mountain Pine Ridge). Follow the dirt road for a few miles. Turn left at the sign for Barton Creek Caves. Stay straight on this road through an intersection and across a creek for about 4 miles. Look for the sign on the right just before the caves. Cost = 10 Belize (US $5) with a vehicle. No hookups, electricity for charging computers, cameras, etc available at the lodge at night (generator powered). Clean bathrooms but no shower. Located in a jungle paradise with a beautiful swimming hole for swimming and bathing complete with rope swings and rocks to jump off. Delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner offered daily. Owned by a wonderful family who is friendly and makes you feel at home.
Guatemala
Finca Ixobel- http://www.fincaixobel.com/
Located a few miles south of the town of Poptun on the highway between Flores and Rio Dulce. Heading south look for the sign on the left side of the road, the driveway is on the right. Cost = Q25 per person (US $3 and some change). No hookups, but you can run an extension cord from the bathroom for electricity. Clean bathrooms and showers. Slow wi-fi for Q10 per hour or use of on site computers for Q20 per hour. Delicious on site restaurant and bakery-highly recommend the dinners. Finca Ixobel is kind of an all inclusive type place but in a relaxed atmosphere. Camping is in a nicely vegetated field surrounded by “tree houses” (little houses built on stilts) that can be rented as well as dorm rooms, private rooms and nice cabañas with rooms and bathrooms. There is a nice little pond for swimming and a bar open sometimes at night. They offer tours including Cave tours (highly recommend the Rio Cave), horseback riding, camping, and river rafting.
Semuc Champey
We were told by both the owner of the hostel we camped at and the guards at the park that you can camp for free in the parking lot of the park once you have paid your entrance fee, Q50 (Approx. US $6.50). The catch is the entrance fee is only good for 1 day, therefore “camping” is technically Q50 a day, but you have to pay the entrance fee daily regardless if your camping or not. There are no hookups, but I believe the bathrooms are open all night.
Hostal El Portal
Located right next door to Semuc Champey on the river. It is a hostal and has places for tents to be set up above the river but is not necessarily set up for vehicles. The owner let us camp in a nice flat spot in the front yard of the hostal/house of the caretakers. Cost = Q20 (US $2.50) per person. No hookups, but you can use the bathrooms and cold shower of the hostel. The hostel also has a restaurant/bar that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Decent food and moderately priced. Beautiful and convenient location along the river.
Antigua
DISETUR-Tourist police yard. The tourist police will let you camp for free in the yard of their headquarters, located near the mercado. Heading south on Calzada Santa Lucia (the road running in front of the mercado), take a right on 6 Calle, and you’ll see the yard on the right towards the end of the block. No hook-ups but there are bathrooms and showers and you can run an extension cord to a plug near the bathrooms if needed. There is a 10:00 pm curfew at night (they close the gate and won’t let anybody in).
Panajachel, Lake Atitlan
Hotel Vision Azule - Coming down the hill into town from Solala, you will see signs for the Vision Azule and Hotel Atitlan on the right just before the road turns and drops into town. The turn is a sharp right, so you may need to go into town to turn around. Follow the road down and the Vision Azule is the first hotel at the bottom. Cost = Q100. They have a big grass area across from the hotel with places for camping right on the lake, some even have small palapas with tables. Electrical outlets are located on the palapas. The bathrooms at the pool are not the nicest we’ve seen, but the owner will open a room for showers as long as they are not full.
El Salvador
Parque Nacional El Imposible – http://www.salvanatura.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=51&Itemid=161
Located just south of the Guatemalan border, El Imposible is one of the highlights of El Salvador. If coming from the border at La Hachadura follow the CA-2 south for about 25 kms. A few miles south of the town of Cara Sucia you will see the sign for El Imposible. Take the left turn and follow the road up the hill for about 13 kms. The road ends at El Imposible. Cost = $6/person entrance fee and $1 for camping (we stayed two nights and only had to pay the fees once). There are two camping areas inside the park reachable in smaller higher clearance vehicles (trucks/smaller vans), otherwise you can camp in the parking area in front of the visitor center. Bathrooms and cold showers located at the visitor center. Guides are available at the visitor center to lead hikes into the park which is highly recommended.
Playa El Tunco
Roots Surf Camp- Located a few miles north of La Libertad on the main strip of the little town. The camping area shares a lot with two restaurant/bars. Cost = $4 per night. We inquired about camping here but ended up getting a room with AC for the night as we were not prepared for the melting heat yet. Not sure about the restroom/electricity situation.
Parque Nacional Cerro Verde
Located about an hour north of San Salvador near Lago Coutepeque. You can get there either from the highway to Sonsonate or the CA1 near Santa Ana. If coming from Sonsonate, take the road signed for Cerro Verde for about 15 kms. Take a left turn at the road signed for Cerro Verde and Volcan Izalco. The road climbs up the volcano and ends at the park. Cost = $6/person entrance fee and $1 for camping. Bathrooms and water spigots but no showers or electricity. They have a grassed area for camping up on the hill, but it is far from the bathrooms. We camped in the parking lot in order to be closer to the bathrooms. Guided hikes to climb either Volcan Santa Ana or Volcan Izalco leave daily at 11:00 am.
El Pital
El pital is the highest peak in El Salvador. Located near the Honduran border and the small town of La Palma. From La Palma head north on the highway to the little town of San Ignacio. You will see the signs for El Pital coming from either direction. Follow the very steep paved road up the mountain for about 10 kms to the town at the top (can’t remember the name). Take a left on a dirt road (signed for El Pital) and follow the very bumby, very steep road all the way to the top. This last part is only recommended for smaller high clearance vehicles. It is hard to find a flat place to camp. We ended up parking in front of the vacant cabin. Cost = $12 per night. Scary bathrooms, no showers or electricity. Although a little hard to get to, it was one of the most beautiful places we camped in El Salvador. Very quite and peaceful pine forest and the views are amazing. On a clear day you can probably see a good part of the country (at least this is what we were told).
Laguna de Alegria
Located off the CA1 west of San Miguel. You can either take the road signed for Berlin or Santiago de Maria. The roads are well signed to Laguna de Alegria. Cost = $1/person a night plus a $.50 entrance fee. The lake is in the caldera of the volcano. You can camp anywhere you like around the lake. No bathrooms or facilities. There are some palapas and tables set up around the lake. There is a faint smell of sulfur in the air, and the lake is sulfurous. Very beautiful scenery, with coffee plantations on the drive in and steep forested slopes surrounding the lake.
Nicaragua
Grenada
Estacion de Bomberos, fire station downtown. The fire station located a few blocks from the central plaza has a secure parking lot where you can park you car for the night if staying in a hotel or we were told you can also sleep in you car there. The fire station is located on the corner of the same block as the Bearded Monkey Hostel and Hostel La Libertad, a few blocks from the central park. Cost = 50 cordoba to park overnight or 100 cordoba to sleep. We didn’t ask about the bathroom situation, but it is a secure place as there are people there all night.
San Juan del Sur
Camping Matilda- Located north of San Juan del Sur on Playa Matilda. Take a right on the road heading north as you come into the town of San Juan del Sur. The road is signed for Playa Marsala. After a little while you come to a small neighborhood and the road gets a little confusing. You might have to ask for directions, but essentially you are looking for the road that will take you inland around the point. Follow the dirt road to the Chocalate Junction and take a left (just after a small bridge). Follow this dirt road to the Y and go right (the left is signed for Playa Marsala Beach and Surf Club). Follow this road all the way to the end and you will see Camping Matilda at the very end of the road on the beach. Cost = 90 cordoba per person. Bathrooms and cold water showers are available inside the hostel. There is a fenced field across from the hostel for tents and cars, located right on the edge of the beach. It is on a beautiful cove, and is a short walk around the point to Playa Marsala which is a great surf spot. The hostel also has “dog houses” which are small concrete rooms with beds and private rooms for rent.
Note: we found other places to camp along the beach going into Playa Matilda, including at Playa Marsala, however, for car camping Camping Matilda seemed the safest and most comfortable. You can ask at any beach place and they will most likely let you camp for a fee, however, water and bathrooms may not be available.
Costa Rica
Camping Belen- http://www.belentrailerpark.com/Home.htm
Located in San Antonio Belen, a suburb of San Jose near the neighborhood of Heredia, this is an actual RV park! On the panamerican highway, just past the airport, take the exit for route 111. Go right off the exit and follow the road. Just after a soccer field take a right (the road becomes one way going in the opposite direction here so you have to take a right). Go to the end of the block and take a left. About 3 blocks down the RV park is on the left just after the gas station. Cost = $14 US per night. Full hookups (water, electricity, and sewer), clean bathrooms, hot water showers. NOTE: The owners were in negotiations to lease the land for the trailer park while we were there. They told us if they did lease it the trailer park would be open through the end of the year, and there was some talk about starting a new trailer park across the street. Before going check out there website to be sure they are open.
Punta Uvita-Pacific Coast
Flutterby House- http://www.flutterbyhouse.com
The Flutterby House is a newly opened hostel, located a minutes walk from the only free beach access to Marino Ballena National Park and Punta Uvita (near Dominical on the Pacific Coast). It is a very cool hostel that offers camping, dorm rooms, and private cabañas. Parking space is limited however, so this place is only recommended for smaller rigs (RV’s wouldn’t fit). On the coastal highway, the town of Uvita is south of Dominical. Near the south end of town, turn right 150 meters south of Banco Nacional at “Cabinas Gato” on the corner. Turn left at the first intersection. Follow this road over a small bridge and then take your first right. The Flutterby House is on your left, look for the big wall. Cost = 600 colones per person for camping (about $3.50 per person). Beautifully tiled bathrooms with cold showers (trust me you wouldn’t want a hot shower here!), and a communal kitchen and hang out area. You can run an extension chord for electricity. The hostel was beautifully built and the atmosphere is very laid back and relaxing. Highly recommended.
