Which Country will be my 100th?
June 3 2021
Guatemala is my 99th country. The big question is "which country will be my 100th?"
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When you get to 99 country hits, the question of the century, pun definitely intended, is which country will be the 100th?
Belize is right there. But the land borders remain closed. Yes, you can fly in with an antigen test, PCR test or proof of being fully vaccinated. And you have to stay in Government approved hotels.
I am not against being tested but getting a test each time sure adds up. I am not anti-vax but at the moment this is not available to foreigners here or in Mexico. If it becomes available I'll be there asap.
El Salvador is also right there. As is Honduras. Tests are required.
For Honduras, you can just get an Antigen test but El Salvador requires minimum a PCR test.
As with Belize, you can also enter both Honduras or El Salvador with proof of being fully vaccinated.
Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua are covered under the
Central America Border Control Agreement CA-4 where travellers can stay within these 4 countries for 90 days without requiring immigration checks.
There are several 'things' I have to consider here:
I am keen to stay here in Guatemala for the full 90 days. I travel slowly these days. I enjoy getting to know places instead of just bashing through. I'd need an extension to continue to Honduras or El Salvador though the point would be that I could just do 60 days here.
And world traveller as I am, the security aspect of both El Sal and Honduras can not be ignored. Countries with the highest murder rates in the world are not particularly inviting.
As to how dangerous it would be to a backpacker, I cannot say. To be honest, I'd rather not be the crash test dummy here. I am not out to get every country on the UN list. There are plenty of others I can still go to for the first time.
I am keen to get vaccinated. Period. I eventually got my first vaccination in Palenque, Mexico.
I am hoping that this will become available for foreigners in Mexico. At the moment, Mexican citizens are getting jabbed faster than the EU. They are on the 40+age group, with a population of 128Million just now.
Some Mexicans are flying to the US for a free shot. But of course, you gotta pay for flights and a few nights in a hotel. And if you don't get the J&J you have to fly back again.
The land border is 'officially' closed to non-essential travel. Is 'to get a jab in San Diego' considered essential?
Cuba is considering offering 'sun sea and vax packages'. Could Cuba be the 100th?
There are a whole host of islands in the Caribbean. Could one of these become the 100th?
Things would be cheaper if I had the vaccination.
And lastly, I am keen to return to Mexico to be reunited with and to explore much more with Miss CDMX
The 100th ain't gonna be just yet!
The preferred option/route here in Guatemala is from Xela to Lake Atitlan, Antigua, Guatemala City, Rio Dulce, Livingston, Flores then cross back into Mexico but if Belize opens the land border, by end of August, I will loop through and back into Mexico that way.
If I made a run to Honduras for a few days, I'd need another antigen test to come back into Guatemala. Though a flight to Mexico from Honduras could be an option.
I am following the entry requirements closely.
To sum up:
Belize is the preferred option and if the border opens, count me in. El Salvador and Honduras are possibilities but am not that keen on the continued costs of getting tests each time and the security aspect.
The world awaits Nomadic Backpacker. El Salvador ended up being my 100th country!!
When you get to 99 country hits, the question of the century, pun definitely intended, is which country will be the 100th?
Belize is right there. But the land borders remain closed. Yes, you can fly in with an antigen test, PCR test or proof of being fully vaccinated. And you have to stay in Government approved hotels.
I am not against being tested but getting a test each time sure adds up. I am not anti-vax but at the moment this is not available to foreigners here or in Mexico. If it becomes available I'll be there asap.
El Salvador is also right there. As is Honduras. Tests are required.
For Honduras, you can just get an Antigen test but El Salvador requires minimum a PCR test.
As with Belize, you can also enter both Honduras or El Salvador with proof of being fully vaccinated.
Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua are covered under the
Central America Border Control Agreement CA-4 where travellers can stay within these 4 countries for 90 days without requiring immigration checks.
There are several 'things' I have to consider here:
I am keen to stay here in Guatemala for the full 90 days. I travel slowly these days. I enjoy getting to know places instead of just bashing through. I'd need an extension to continue to Honduras or El Salvador though the point would be that I could just do 60 days here.
And world traveller as I am, the security aspect of both El Sal and Honduras can not be ignored. Countries with the highest murder rates in the world are not particularly inviting.
As to how dangerous it would be to a backpacker, I cannot say. To be honest, I'd rather not be the crash test dummy here. I am not out to get every country on the UN list. There are plenty of others I can still go to for the first time.
I am keen to get vaccinated. Period. I eventually got my first vaccination in Palenque, Mexico.
I am hoping that this will become available for foreigners in Mexico. At the moment, Mexican citizens are getting jabbed faster than the EU. They are on the 40+age group, with a population of 128Million just now.
Some Mexicans are flying to the US for a free shot. But of course, you gotta pay for flights and a few nights in a hotel. And if you don't get the J&J you have to fly back again.
The land border is 'officially' closed to non-essential travel. Is 'to get a jab in San Diego' considered essential?
Cuba is considering offering 'sun sea and vax packages'. Could Cuba be the 100th?
There are a whole host of islands in the Caribbean. Could one of these become the 100th?
Things would be cheaper if I had the vaccination.
And lastly, I am keen to return to Mexico to be reunited with and to explore much more with Miss CDMX
The 100th ain't gonna be just yet!
The preferred option/route here in Guatemala is from Xela to Lake Atitlan, Antigua, Guatemala City, Rio Dulce, Livingston, Flores then cross back into Mexico but if Belize opens the land border, by end of August, I will loop through and back into Mexico that way.
If I made a run to Honduras for a few days, I'd need another antigen test to come back into Guatemala. Though a flight to Mexico from Honduras could be an option.
I am following the entry requirements closely.
To sum up:
Belize is the preferred option and if the border opens, count me in. El Salvador and Honduras are possibilities but am not that keen on the continued costs of getting tests each time and the security aspect.
The world awaits Nomadic Backpacker. El Salvador ended up being my 100th country!!