Guatemala

How so much cultural and geographic diversity can fit into one small country boggles the mind, and yet Guatemala does it seamlessly.

It’s home to everything from ancient Mayan temples and Spanish colonial cities, to cloud-shrouded highland villages and vibrant Caribbean towns. There are spewing volcanoes, lazy rivers, remote cloud forests and vast swaths of untamed jungle. But what truly makes this country unique are its indigenous peoples — 21 Maya groups and the Garífuna people — whose distinctive cultures, languages, and centuries-old traditions continue to thrive today.

Guatemala is bordered by Mexico, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador. It has a small snippet of Caribbean coastline. For the best experience, see it through the lens of Livingston, Guatemala’s laidback Garífuna fishing town, and a flat, 250-kilometer-long (155 mile) Pacific stretch that’s notable for its mostly undeveloped, black-sand beaches, enormous sugarcane plantations and proximity to fantastic deep sea fishing; sea turtles nest in this area, as well.