Each country – Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama – has it’s own allure. Costa Rica may get a lot of the glory, but I’m only willing to give it one wonder from this Central America list.

Seven countries for seven wonders, right? I could just name each individual country as a wonder in itself, but that would be too easy. Lucky for me I’ve travelled through a lot of Central America and can say picking only seven wonders was pretty tough. I’m sure some will disagree with these choices too. If so, let me know!

So, here are some top spots you won’t want to miss while venturing around Central.

Wonder #1 from Belize: The Belize Barrier Reef
When you hear people from Australia say that the snorkelling and diving here is better than the Great Barrier Reef (which I did hear more than once), you have to stop and take notice! At 300km long it is a part of the world’s second largest reef and sports more than 500 species of fish. What makes it even better is easy access from Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye, two laid back islands off the coast of Belize where coconuts and Belikin beers are as plentiful as the underwater wildlife.

Wonder #2 from Guatemala: Tikal Mayan Ruins
One of the most impressive of all Mayan sites, Tikal is a massive complex of pyramids and structures set deep in the Guatemalan jungle. Colourful birds and prehistoric-sounding howler monkeys call this place home. You’ll feel like you’ve been transported back in time as you wander around Tikal and soak up so much ancient history. The stories that these structures could tell, but don’t worry the local guides here do a great job of bringing it all to life.

Wonder #3 from El Salvador: Cerro Verde National Park
There is remarkable nature to be discovered in El Salvador, and the Santa Ana Volcano, which lies in Cerro Verde Park is one of the best attractions. It is one of three volcanoes in the park that offers challenging nature treks to the heights of this often overlooked Central American country. While there are multi-day treks that are available, if you’re short on time it is possible to climb to the top of one of these volcanoes in only a few hours. Santa Ana gets my nod as it offers the best panoramic views and takes you past some impressive crater lakes. The nearby areas are home to many indigenous people too, making for a great culture and climbing combination.

Wonder #4 from Honduras: The Ruins of Copan
The site of Copan in Honduras represents the southern extremity for the Mayan civilization and offers a great contrast to the jungle pyramids and complex seen in Mexico and Guatemala. Here, you’ll be treated to intricately carved stellae unseen at other Mayan sites. With wide open spaces, the site is easy to walk around and a great spot to stop, relax and have a picnic or soak up the sun.

Wonder #5 from Nicaragua: The City of Granada
Colourful colonial buildings are commonplace in Granada, which I think is one of the most attractive cities in all of Central America. A great place to base yourself and spend extra time, Granada lies on the shores of Lake Nicaragua, a popular area for swimming and beach time for locals. It is an especially busy place around the Holy Week of Semana Santa. Cheap food and drink as well as easy access to some popular nature spots like Masaya Volcano make Granada my choice for favourite colonial city in Central America (sorry Antigua!).

Wonder #6 from Costa Rica: The Osa Peninsula
Down the the far southern reaches of Costa Rica is a peninsula that is one of the most bio-diverse places in Central America. Small towns and totally relaxing beach areas are countered with the impressive Corcovado National Park, perhaps the wildest place in all of Costa Rica. Don’t believe me? Well National Geographic called it the “most biologically intense place on Earth.”

Wonder #7 from Panama: The Panama Canal
The most modern wonder of my Central America list, the Panama Canal remains one of the greatest feats in recent human history. The tumultuous story of how the Canal came to fruition makes for a great read and brings this place to life. Many of the greatest ocean going vessels passage through the canal which saves thousands and thousands of kilometres of travel for shipments of fruits, commodities and passengers. Did you know there was once an idea to build the canal in Nicaragua? Like I said, the history of the Panama Canal is an interesting read.