This section requires some research. We need to create the route based on the points of interest. Google recently added the full detailed road maps of all Central American countries. That's very good news.
The route is pretty much dictated by the geography. All the countries are lined up in Central America. Only Belize and El Salvador seem to be optional. One major question is about the direction we are going to take. The immediate idea seems to be starting from Los Angeles and going south until Panama. But we can also consider travelling to Panama by air or sea and then riding North. This may be more adventageus considering the rain pattern. We'll see. Here is a list of countries we will probably be visiting. Details and points of interest on each country is listed below. All we need to do is to connect the dots.
Mexico
Toll roads can nearly always be avoided if you keep an eye on the road signs. Toll highways in Mexico are labelled with a D below their number along the roadside and when a highway turns into a toll road you will always be given the choice of the toll (cuota or peage) road e.g. Mex 2D or the free road Mex 2 Libre. Many of the major highways will suddenly become toll roads as they swing around a city or town. To avoid the toll just go straight through town , enjoy it , then rejoin the road past the toll..
Baja Peninsula
1000 miles from Los Angeles to the south tip of Baja. 5 days.
La Paz - Mazatlan
Ferries from La Paz to Mazatlan available daily except Sundays. 1400 Pesos ($126) per motorcycle and 800 Pesos ($72) per cabin. Night crossing is available. 1 day.
Oaxaca
17° 3'57.60"N 96°43'1.64"W
This is a city of 1/2 million and an international airport. We may want to stop for a while to take care of bikes, equipment and rest in a good hotel.
Árbol Del Tule
17° 2'47.20"N 96°38'9.63"W
Worlds largest tree. The tree is occasionally nicknamed the "Tree of Life" from all the images of animals that are reputedly visible in the tree's gnarled trunk. As part of an official project local schoolchildren give tourists a tour of the tree and show all manners of creatures that the tree trunk's features form including jaguars and elephants.
Palenque
17°29'4.00"N 92° 2'49.56"W
Lonely Planet calls this "the Mayan world's finest setting: a sprawling city where mountains, jungle and plains meet, and temple-top views extend for miles."
Calakmul
18° 6'17.94"N 89°48'37.74"W
One of the largest ancient Maya cities ever uncovered. It is located in the 1,800,000 acre Calakmul Biosphere Reserve of Mexico, deep in the jungles of the greater Petén Basin region, 30 km from the Guatemalan border. However, there seems to be a paved road.
Belize
Dangriga
16°57'36.20"N 88°13'19.26"W
Dangriga Town, formerly known as Stann Creek Town, is a town in southern Belize, located on the Caribbean coast at the mouth of Stann Creek. It is the capital of Belize's Stann Creek District and also forms its own constituency. In Belize it has gained the nickname "The Culture Capital" for its mix of diverse peoples and cultures, being the home of some of Belize's most innovative musical forms and sporting activities. To the southwest of Dangriga is one of the country's most important nature reserves, the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary.
Guatemala
Tikal
17°13'29.12"N 89°37'14.05"W
Tikal is said to be the mother of all Mayan ruins. What makes it unique is its location in the dense forest. The road has been paved in the 80's.
Lake Petén Itzá
16°55'47.05"N 89°53'30.25"W
Second Largest Lake in Guatemala. The city of Flores, the capitol of El Petén, lies on and island near its southern shore. There are at least 27 Maya sites aroud this lake and the remains from Tayasal, the Maya-Itza capital, and the last one to be conquered in mesoamerica in 1697. This lake is also a wildlife paradise, with more than 100 important indigenous species and many other rain forest species.
El Salvador
Honduras
Copan
One of the top Mayan attractions, Once occupied for 2000 years, with a laid-back colonial town and hot springs nearby.
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